Paisley Abbey, Drain

NS 4849 6388 A limited excavation was carried out 3–16 September 2009 on the site of a major medieval drain at Paisley Abbey. Previous work had focused on the inside of the drain and this was the first excavation of the deposits surrounding the drain. Although deep demolition layers and recent levelling deposits were recorded over most of the trench there were areas of undisturbed archaeological deposits, especially in the deeper sections.

The remains of a masonry wall and stone foundation uncovered to the NW of the trench may be contemporary with the drain and could therefore be part of the monastic precinct. Part of the top of the roof and N exterior wall of the drain were also exposed. The presence of two distinct sections of stonework suggests that the drain may have been built in two phases or had possibly been repaired, and previous investigations in the drain have recorded different phases of building. In addition to the medieval structures and deposits more recent structures and walls from the buildings and tenements that occupied the site in the 19th and early 20th

centuries were also recorded.

Volunteers from the Renfrew Local History Forum took part in the excavation.

Archive: RCAHMS (intended). Report: RCAHMS and WoSAS SMR

Funder: Renfrewshire Council and Renfrew Local History Forum.

Robert Will – GUARD

NS 4849 6388 A limited excavation was carried out 2–12 September 2011 on the site of a major medieval drain at Paisley Abbey. This work followed on from previous work in 2009 and 2010 to investigate the construction of the drain and the deposits surrounding it. Although deep demolition layers and recent levelling deposits were recorded in both trenches, there were areas of undisturbed archaeological deposits.

The remains of the foundations of a substantial stone wall and associated cobbled surface were uncovered in Trench 1, built over the drain. A stone-built structure, possibly an oven or kiln, was uncovered in Trench 2, and both features could be part of the monastic precinct. In addition to the possible medieval structures, more recent deposits relating the buildings and tenements that occupied the site in the 19th and early 20th centuries were also recorded. The project was run in collaboration with Historic Scotland, Renfrewshire Local History Forum, Renfrewshire Council and Paisley Museum.

Archive: RCAHMS (intended). Report: RCAHMS and WoSAS

Funder: Renfrewshire Council: Paisley N and S local area committees

GUARD Archaeology Ltd, 2011

NS 4849 6388 A GPR survey was undertaken on 4 September 2012 to explore the direction of the medieval drain and the possible presence of other structures related to the abbey. The survey covered a 24 x 34m area, in a small park close to the White Cart Water, to the S of the abbey. The disturbed topsoil resulting from the demolition of 19th-century tenements and other levelling and landscaping works produced complex results. The higher conductivity of these deposits and the rubble matrix of the topsoil resulted in limited penetration by the electromagnetic signal. Nevertheless, some coherent responses from near-surface reflectors (c1m) were recorded, probably relating to the foundation remains of 19th-century tenements. Of greater interest was the detection of what appears to be a 20m segment of the E–W course of the drain, starting at a depth of c0.5m and developing westwards at 0.8m deep.

Archive: The Renfrewshire Local History Forum

Funder: The Renfrewshire Local History Forum

Richard Jones and Carmen Cuenca-Garcia, University of Glasgow, 2013

(Source: DES)

Limited archaeological trial trenching was carried out by GUARD Archaeology and volunteers from the Renfrewshire Local History Forum in September 2015 to the west of Paisley Abbey in Paisley. This excavation followed on from a similar small scale excavations between 2009 and 2011 to investigate whether buildings associated with Paisley Abbey and the drain survive within surrounding area. Three trial trenches were excavated to the west of the Abbey and uncovered deep demolition layers and recent levelling deposits along with stone and brick foundations from buildings that occupied the site in the nineteenth century and were later demolished and the area landscaped.

Although no definitive medieval structures were uncovered a large number of medieval roof tiles were recovered from the lower deposits in two of the trenches which provide information on what the medieval buildings would have looked like. The survival of late medieval deposits suggest that there is the possibility that medieval buildings or foundations may survive in the area.

Infromation from GUARD Archaeology Ltd.

NS 4849 6388 Limited archaeological investigations were

carried out, 18–23 September 2017, in the area immediately

surrounding the medieval drain at Paisley Abbey. Although

the foundations of tenement buildings, demolition material

and recent levelling deposits were identified in the two

trial trenches, there were areas of potentially undisturbed

archaeological deposits. In addition to the trial trenching,

geophysical survey was undertaken in the area to the W of

the drain. During the investigation, schools, local groups

and visitors were able to take part in workshops within the

abbey, take part in the dig and attend lunchtime talks about

the project in the abbey. Overall almost 1000 people engaged

with the project over the course of the week.

Archive: NRHE (intended). Report: NRHE and WoSAS

Funder: Renfrewshire Council, HLF and Renfrewshire Local

History Forum

Bob Will – GUARD Archaeology Ltd

(Source: DES, Volume 19)

NS 4849 6388 GUARD Two trial trenches were excavated in the park to the SW of Paisley Abbey, from 21 May to 19 July 2019 as part of a community project.

One trench was located on top of the middle section of the medieval Abbey drain and revealed part of the original roof of the drain and a section that had been repaired with concrete in the early 20th century. Several demolition layers with artefacts from the 17th/18th century were also investigated.

The other trench was at the western end of the drain and the archway that formed the exit of the Drain was partially uncovered along with a channel that lead to the River Cart. Part of the outer wall of the monastic precinct was also uncovered complete with facing stones round the arch. Another small open stone built drain running in parallel to the Abbey drain was also uncovered.

Archive: NRHE

Funder: Renfrewshire Council with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), Historic Environment Scotland, Paisley Abbey, Renfrewshire Local History Forum

Anthony Byledbal and Bob Will – GUARD Archaeology Ltd

(Source: DES Volume 21)