In 1995-6 York Archaeological Trust undertook two seasons of excavation at Fey Field Whithorn, directed by A. Clarke. The excavations uncovered the remains that were largely of 6th to 10th century date and related to the important early-medieval monastery at the site.
Whithorn in Galloway, south-western Scotland, is a site of considerable importance for the history of Christianity within Scotland. Writing in the early 8th century, the Northumbrian monk Bede linked Whithorn with a British bishop named Ninian who was credited with preaching to people in southern Scotland and converting them to Christianity at a date 'long before' the arrival of St Columba's mission in 563. According to Bede, Whithorn was Ninian’s episcopal seat, where he constructed a stone church, and the place of his burial.
Today, the visitor can see the remains of a later medieval Premonstratensian Abbey church and its crypts, and a display of early medieval and medieval grave markers and other stonework from the site, both curated by Historic Scotland, and an exhibition introducing the history and archaeology of Whithorn, presented by The Whithorn Trust at The Whithorn Story Visitor Centre.
Author(s): Jane M. McComish, David Petts
Series: York Archaeological Trust Web Report, AYW10
Publisher: York Archaeological Trust
Year: 2008
Language: English
Pages: 310
City: York
SUMMARY v
1 INTRODUCTION 6
2 METHODOLOGY 8
3 POST-EXCAVATION METHODOLOGY 10
4 LOCATION, GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY 16
5 ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 16
6 THE EXCAVATION 17
7 EARLY MEDIEVAL IMPORTED POTTERY 80
8 LATER MEDIEVAL, POST-MEDIEVAL AND MODERN POTTERY 85
9 THE ARTEFACT ASSEMBLAGE 87
10. THE COINS 162
11 THE OSTEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE HUMAN BONES 166
12 ANIMAL BONES 177
13 ANALYSIS OS SELECTED SOIL SAMPLES 177
14 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 179
15 BIBLIOGRAPHY 193
16 ACKNOWLEDEGMENTS 199
16 ACKNOWLEDEGMENTS 199
APPENDIX 1 RECORDING PROBLEMS FROM THE ORIGINAL SITE ARCHIVE 201
APPENDIX 2 DISCUSSION OF THE AQUEDUCT SYSTEM FROM THE 1992–93 EXCAVATIONS 202
APPENDIX 3 KEYWORDS FOR THE CIFR IADB RECORDS 204
APPENDIX 4 IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE WHITHORN FINDS DATABASE 204
APPENDIX 5 CATALOGUE OF BURIALS 211
APPENDIX 6 SUMMARY INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARTICULATED INHUMATIONS 278
APPENDIX 7 CATALOGUE OF DISARTICULATED HUMAN BONE 283
APPENDIX 8 METALWORKING DEBRIS BY PERIOD 296
TABLES
FIGURES
