Archaeological Evaluation

Date 17 April 2018 - 13 November 2018

Event ID 1104587

Category Recording

Type Archaeological Evaluation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1104587

NX 69764 53916 A further programme of trial trenching was undertaken, 17 April – 13 November 2018, at the N end of the garden of Mansewood, Tongland (see DES 2015, 2016 and 2017 for previous work). The line of the substantial 1.3m wide wall foundation found in 2017 was found to continue to the NE, though heavily robbed out, and also to the SW in Trench 15, in a better preserved state. The wall foundation here includes very large blocks of porphyry, which outcrops nearby. The presumed post-medieval wall foundation, found parallel to the W gable of the Old Parish Church in 2016, is also on this alignment and may therefore be medieval. Overall, the length of the wall line found so far is over 27m and it continues to the SW. Trench 14 was excavated at a right angle across and eastwards from the NE/SW wall line, to a depth of 1.4m at a point 5.4m from the E side of the wall. No evidence was found of a parallel wall foundation to indicate a building range here. The distinct buried top-soil layer, noted in 2017 lying over the wall foundation, could be traced sloping E at an approximate fall of 1 in 12 from the present horizontal ground surface, further confirming the extent of levelling activities for garden landscaping. Below it were mortar-rich and dense rubble layers, probably representing a demolition phase of the abbey. These sealed one posthole. Given the original sloping nature of the site, it seems likely that the abbey complex will have been constructed at different levels dropping down to the E. Assuming that the abbey church lies in the churchyard to the N of the Mansewood garden, then the wall line found may define the W side of the cloister garth, as is the case at Dryburgh Abbey, where the cloister simply has a W wall rather than a W range. The narrower foundations of the rectangular structure, found in 2017 immediately W of the 1.3m wide foundation, were noted to be integral and therefore contemporary with the larger foundation. The external dimensions of this structure were c2.25m x 3.20m. It may possibly represent a gatehouse. At Glenluce Abbey, a gatehouse of similar plan and dimensions gave access to the W range there. A further season of trial trenching is planned for 2019.

Archive: NRHE (intended). Report: Dumfries and Galloway HER and NRHE

Funder: Tongland and Ringford Community Council and Hunter Archaeological and Historical Trust

David Devereux

(Source: DES Vol 19)