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Excavation

Date 6 August 2012 - 26 August 2012

Event ID 992900

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/992900

NO 0191 1453 and NO 0187 1457 A 10 x 5m trench (SS12.01) was excavated, 6–26 August 2012, against the N exterior churchyard wall of St Serf’s Parish Church on Kirk Wynd. This was placed to assess the origins of the curvilinear enclosure of the churchyard specifically, and the nature of surviving medieval deposits in general. The area was found to be severely disturbed by modern settlement, including dumping of demolition debris as levelling for the road. The foundations of a 20th-century roadworkers’ shed built with reused railway sleeper beams was revealed in plan. Discrete spreads of coal and sand were also associated with this structure and later use of this area as storage yards for the adjacent builders who currently own this strip of land. No certain trace of the roofed structure depicted in this position on the 1st Edition OS map was found, and the shallow stratigraphy of irregular pits dug into the natural gravel indicates severe truncation of archaeological deposits in this area since the 19th century. Patches of potentially undisturbed ground revealed two large pits, >1m deep, were filled with alternating layers of a loose silty clay, one with a long, thin stone slab placed upright along the N side. These may relate to their use in the weaving industry which was associated with this area of the village. A medieval/post-medieval stone spindle whorl was found here which supports this interpretation.

Trench SS12.02 was opened 11m to the E along the churchyard wall, revealing an unmortarted stone wall surviving up to two courses, with sterile ground to the W and pits full of charcoal and modern midden material to the E. These remains were all covered by a layer of dumped stone and clay levelling material, from which a small fragment of early medieval cross slab bearing a distinct key pattern, similar to that found on stones at nearby Forteviot, was recovered. This is the second known piece of early medieval sculpture from Dunning.

Trench SS12.03 was located 65m N of St Serf’s Church in the back garden of Castle Cottage. This open area is adjacent to Dunning Primary School (NO01SW 88) where excavations in 2007 revealed a possible monastic vallum ditch dated to the 8th/9th century. Trench 03, a 2 x 3m test pit, was placed on the line of this enclosure. A cobbled surface and possible drain were recorded at a depth of 0.75m, indicating potential surviving medieval deposits in this area.

Archive: University of Glasgow and RCAHMS (intended)

Funder: Historic Scotland and University of Glasgow

Adrián Maldonado, University of Glasgow

2012

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