Excavation

Date 16 May 1994 - 10 June 1994

Event ID 1034213

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1034213

NX 749 475 The final phase of excavation on the structures defining the SE corner of the claustral ranges, saw the undercroft of the reredorter fully revealed. The excavation confirmed that the reredorter had been reduced from its original 12th-century length, probably during the 13th century, possibly due to subsidence (a recurring problem in this part of the site). The full extent of the Period 1 reredorter, with its great drain, was cl8.5m but was reduced to c 14m. Towards the end of monastic occupation of the site, the open sections of drain where it approached and left the reredorter block, were crudely capped and secondary garderobe inlets introduced- These probably replaced the original larger chutes which appear to have been partially blocked in order to stabilise further the S wall of the complex. A series of crude structures were then built against the S and E walls of the range, exploiting available space to the S of the abbey, and which in turn may well be reflected by the layout of the largely 19th-century Manse stable yard. Large numbers of moulded stones were retrieved in the rubble infill of the undercroft, some of which had been recycled in the construction of the later, cruder, monastic buildings while smashed grave covers were used to cap the great drain

G Ewart 1994

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology