Paisley, 13 High Street, City Bakeries Site

NS46SE 81 4828 6399

Excavations at 13 High Street, Paisley were carried out by SUAT from September to November 1992, prior to the construction of new offices. The site was located diagonally opposite Paisley's market cross.

Natural clays and ironsands sloped to the S, probably reflecting the original topography of the area. Cut into these were a series of post holes and sill beams, from a large wooden building lying parallel to the course of the High Street. The pottery associated with this activity dated to the early 16th century.

These features were sealed by sandy clay, cut into which were the sandstone foundation courses of a substantial clay-bonded masonry building. The front wall of this building was set 1.50m back from the present street frontage. A flagged close running N to S was inserted through the western part of the building, and gave access from High Street to the property's backlands.

A well-built stone slab drain was inserted through the building running southwards from the High Street. Finds evidence suggests this happened shortly prior to demolition, and may be connected with public health work carried out after a cholera epidemic in 1832.

Sponsor: Abbey National plc.

C Falconer 1993.

This excavation produced a small assemblage of finds of late medieval to early modern date. The pottery assembalge is dominated by Scots Reduced Greenware and a red oxidised ware, the former fabric being commonly found in contexts dating from the 15th to 18th centuries.

Non-ceramic finds included a group of plain, circular, copper alloy buttons of 18th or 19th-century date, a thimble of similar date and several stone roof tile fragments. Many of the finds were recovered from the fill of a slab-built drain.

Sponsor: Abbey National

A Cox 1993.