Perth, Blackfriars Street

NO12SW 213 1172 2383

Scattered and fragmentary human bone was recovered from a water main trench running from Carpenter Street to Atholl Street along the NW side of Blackfriars Street. This lies on the edge of the Kinnoull Street excavation (NO12SW 135) which uncovered part of the graveyard of the Dominican Friary (NO12SW 6). It is likely that these fragments represent a continuation of that graveyard to the N. The bone was donated to Perth Museum, Acc No. 1987.354 (PEX 73).

A G Reid 1987.

NO 117 238. Two trenches were excavated in advance of development. Burials were found, which were recorded but not removed.

Trench A was located on the W side of the property, close to the boundary wall, and approximately 13m N of the Blackfrirs Street frontage. It revealed an undated stone feature, probably the remains of a wall, cut into the natural.

Trench B was located on the E side of the site approximately 2m N of the existing stable. Parts of four human burials, at a depth of about 0.9m below the present ground surface, were found aligned E to W in the traditional Christian manner. The remains were articulated, and continued into the sides of the trench. Disarticulated human bone and medieval pottery were also encountered.

The excavation confirmed that the Blackfriars' burial ground, parts of which have previously been identified close to the site, actually extends into the proposed development area.

Sponsor: K Simpson (developer).

R Cachart 1993.

Excavations in 1983 located the remains of the Dominican Friary (NO12SW 6) and part of the monastic cemetery (NO12SW 213). Earlier than the friary was a large ditch of unknown function, perhaps Roman in date. A later ditch was probably part of a Joacobite earthwork. Remains of 19th century workshops were also found.

D Bowler, A Cox and C Smith 1995.