Watching Brief

Date 23 September 1997

Event ID 1013277

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1013277

NJ 065 615 An archaeological watching brief was completed by Kirkdale Archaeology during the opening of a new grave in the family plot of the Dunbar-Naismith family at Kinloss Abbey in September 1997.

The family burial plot lies against the S side of the S cloister wall, believed to be a part of the original abbey, built c 1150/1. The plot is defined by three ashlar walls, forming a rectangular area 5.8m N-S by 4.6m E-W abutting the S side of the S cloister wall, and accessed via an original arch in the latter. Before the most recent interment, the plot held three graves against its S wall, and a further two (in the same grave) against the W wall, running E-W.

The new grave was located in the NE corner, against the burial plot E wall and the S cloister wall. Excavation to a depth of 1.75m revealed the brick lining of the E-W grave, constructed in 1905, and the ashlar founds of the plot boundary wall, also to the full depth of the trench. No monastic material was recovered, and the depth of the founds of the boundary wall, coupled with the density and depth of graves within the plot, would suggest that any monastic remains will have been removed in the 19th century, when the family plot was first laid out.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

G Ewart and A Dunn 1997