Watching Brief

Date 16 June 2016 - 15 August 2016

Event ID 1027126

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1027126

NO 2811 2878 A watching brief and historic building survey were undertaken, 16 June – 15 August 2016, during work associated with the provision of a disabled access entrance at Inchture Church.

The work was taking place in an active parish church building, reconstructed in 1834 and again (following a destructive fire) in 1891. In the course of hand excavation of the floor of the session house annexe on the N side of the main building, a stone barrel vault was exposed. This was found to contain eight lead coffins housing the remains of members of the Kinnaird family. The oldest dated from 1689, with the majority being from the early- to mid-19th century.

The vault also contained a stone, concrete and brick dais of later 19th-century date and a concrete pillar base, which reflected disturbance during the 1890/91 rebuild of the church. The incorporation of the vault beneath the session house suggested it predated the 1834 rebuild, and was likely to be of later Georgian date. A clay-bonded stub wall exposed outside the vault may represent the remains of a medieval church known to have occupied the site. The coffins were moved to the end of the vault, away from the development works, and the vault shortened to permit the installation of disabled access to the church.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: George Martin Builders Ltd on behalf of Inchture and Kinnaird Kirk Session

Chris Fyles – Alder Archaeology Ltd

(Source: DES, Volume 18)