Archaeology Notes
Event ID 701074
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/701074
NS46SE 2.00 48559 63954
NS46SE 2.01 48537 63916 Place of Paisley (manse)
NS46SE 2.02 485 639 St Mirin's Church
NS46SE 2.03 485 638 abbey wall
NS46SE 2.04 485 638 Barochan Cross (see also NS46NW 1)
NS46SE 2.05 4849 6388 to 4858 6388 drain
NS46SE 2.06 485 639 Abbey Close trial excavation
NS46SE 2.07 484 638 trial excavations
For Barochan Cross (NS46NW 1: under guardianship in Paisley Abbey), see NS46SE 2.04.
The Abbey (NR)
OS 6" map (1911)
(NS 4855 6395) The Abbey (NAT)
OS 1:10000 map (1973)
The Clunic Abbey of Paisley was founded as a priory between 1161-4, probably 1163, at Renfrew (see NS56NW 16) moving to Paisley about 1169. It was erected into an abbey in 1219. The abbey was burned by the English in 1307, and again by Reformers in 1561; it was secularised in 1587.
I B Cowan and D E Easson 1976
The original conventual buildings have been altered and absorbed in later work, but the cloister court survives as a garden, the N and E alleys have been restored, and the church continues in use. It dates from a mid-15th century restoration, but includes the original late 12th century E processional doorway and a 13th century great W doorway. The aisled nave is complete and the well-preserved chapel of St Mirin projects E from the S transept. The church was fully restored at the beginning of this century (S Cruden 1960).
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1897; H R Howell 1936
Dates : S wall of nave, about 1190; W bay of nave, 13th century; remainder 15th century. Restoration and additions: nave 1788-8, nave and partial repair of transepts 1859-62; transepts, lower part of central tower 1912 onwards; vault of choir and central tower completed 1924-8; cloisters completed 1915.
SDD List 1963
A small, pierced stone 35mm in diameter, inscribed with a cross, found at Paisley Abbey is in the possession of Norma A Cunningham.
DES 1977
NS 485 639 Phase V of the restoration of Paisley Abbey included the removal, restoration and reinsertion of certain stained glass windows in the N and S aisles and N transept of the abbey. The archaeological works in December 2003 consisted of a watching brief to record any disturbance to the medieval fabric or below-ground archaeology. Evidence of earlier window glass was retrieved, and the remains of the 1879 E window from the St Mirin Chapel were recovered and boxed for storage.
Report lodged with WoSAS SMR and the NMRS.
Sponsors: HS, HLF.
C Evans 2003