Conservation
Date 2006
Event ID 1000786
Category Building History
Type Conservation
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1000786
During 2004-5, the inventory of a large collection of carved stone at Dundrennan Abbey, begun in 2003, was continued and completed by late November/early December 2006. This collection is presently stored in various locations at the abbey. Most of the stones recorded this year were retrieved from a sheeted area to the SE of the cloisters, but also included some that were set out in the vaulted cellars on the W side of the cloisters.
Almost all the stones catalogued during 2006 were found during archaeological investigations by Kirkdale Archaeology during the early 1990s. A large number of these are vault ribs and their springers dated to the late 12th to early 13th century, together with one or two related keystones. As mentioned in last year's report (DES 6, 2005, 47-8), the ribs are very simply moulded with chamfers, and from the remains of the monks' day room with its octagonal column, vault ribs of this type were probably used here and in neighbouring areas. This large group of ribs can be subdivided, according to variations in the basic dimensions of width and depth, into four groups, and, perhaps surprisingly for such relatively simple carved stones, they present a plethora of masons' marks.
In addition, a significant group of stones has emerged which are now believed to be part of a choir screen. These stones are large, and had previously been thought to have come from the cloisters, but when the group is examined as a whole the screen function becomes much clearer.
A large stone with decorative carving probably came from the upper section of an arched opening. The outer face is carved with four fleurs-de-lis contained within a circle. The stone has tapering sides and could therefore have occupied the spandrel of a window arch, as can be seen in situ, in the two (rebuilt) W window arches of the chapter-house, dated mid-13th century.
Another, smaller fragment also has a decorative outer face, being carved with a single four-petalled flower motif. [fig 4] The sides, and upper and lower faces are roughly worked flat, though damaged, and the back surface is roughly finished. The most likely position for this fragment would be in a door or window jamb, but there is nothing resembling this remaining in situ, so its precise original location cannot be determined. Historic Scotland has allocated funding this year for the publication of a paper on the fragments by the author, with an anticipated publication date of 2007. This and other inventories of carved stones at Historic Scotland's properties in care are held by Historic Scotland's Collections Unit. For further information please contact hs.collections@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Sponsor: Historic Scotland.
Mary Márkus, 2006.
