Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Archaeology Notes

Event ID 688650

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/688650

NO43SW 40.00 40128 30121

NO43SW 40.01 NO 4016 3009 Burial-ground

(NO 4013 3012) Steeple (NR)

OS 25" map, (1959)

This heavily restored mid-15th century tower is all that remains of the medieval parish church of St Mary, founded about 1198. Three modern parish churches occupy the site of the nave and choir and the tower now forms a vestibule to the westernmost of these, St Clement's.

The tower, undoubtedly the boldest and most striking of its kind in Scotland is a massive structure, 165' high and 40' square over walls 8' thick, and contains in its western face an ornate, double-arched doorway. This, as well as much of the rest of the tower was greatly restored in the 19th century

Sculptured stones and cross-slabs - "memorials of Dundee prior to its historic period" (Warden 1880-5) - were found during the digging of the foundation of the East Church in 1841, and were in the churchyard in 1880.

A J Warden 1880-5; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1896-7; J Stuart 1867.

The 15th century steeple, heavily restored, is in excellent condition. No sculptured stones were located.

Visited by OS (J L D) 17 April 1958.

NO 401 301 In November 2000 a watching brief was undertaken on a sewer pipe trench located on the S side of the Steeple Church (NMRS NO43SW 40.00). The remains of two mortar-bonded walls were recorded running across the trench N-S, and a quantity of disarticulated human bone was recovered from the subsoil. It was concluded that the pipe trench had cut into the upper layer of the medieval burial ground which lies below about 0.3m of turf and topsoil. The human remains were reinterred and further work was not required.

Sponsor: Steeple Church.

R Cachart 2001

People and Organisations

References