Watching Brief

Date 4 November 2013

Event ID 1034599

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1034599

Under the terms of its PIC contract with Historic Scotland, Kirkdale Archaeology was asked to undertake an archaeological watching brief at Dunglass Collegiate Church in order to monitor the relocation of five kneeler stones within the Crossing, Chancel and Sacristy. The stones were removed by Historic Scotland staff under archaeological supervision and the resulting holes were cleaned and recorded archaeologically. Two of the proposed new sites were also cleared and recorded. This resulted in a total of seven trenches.

The overall findings of this programme of work confirmed the sensitivity of the floor surfaces within much of the church. It is clear that the present chippings immediately overlie a sequence of historic surfaces, all of which have been breached to some extent by the present arrangement of kneeler stones.

Trenches 2, 3, 4 and 5 all contained evidence of a substantial clay floor, extending across the Chancel, the Sacristy and the North Transept. Trenches 2 and 3 both contained evidence of features associated with the clay floor – a possible grave slab in Trench 3 (006) with a marker stone (007) and a post-setting (004) in Trench 2. In Trench 5, and 4, there was evidence of the clay floor overlying a levelling deposit, which in turn sealed a further occupation layer. In Trench 5 this took the form of a paved surface (016), whereas in Trench 4 there was a loose, dark silt deposit (012). There was a similar sequence to trenches 4 and 5 in trenches 6 and 7, where sandstone debris was found over dark loose soil (018 and 020). In turn, the loose deposits found in Trench 1 (003) may be comparable to the latter two deposits. They appear to be evidence of disturbance and possible inhumations.

At this point it seems likely that the stony deposits located towards the area of the Crossing, represent the extension of the church after the 1440s, with the clay deposits noted in the Chancel and Sacristy reflecting the earlier, simpler plan. Evidence of potential burials is located in Chancel, Crossing and Crossing. At this stage it is unclear as to whether the post setting (004) or the possible grave (006) relate to the simpler church plan or to the more elaborate version.

It is clear that all deposits beneath the present chippings in the Crossing, North Transept, Sacristy and Chancel at least, should be regarded as complex and sensitive.

G Ewart 2013

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology