Archaeological Investigations at Fey Field, Whithorn

Description

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. 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