St Nicholas Churchyard Assessment
E78
DescriptionA trial trenching evaluation was carried out in February to March 2005 prior to opening up of a new floor under the East Kirk and Walker Room of St Nicholas Church (NJ90NW0009). Five trenches were excavated, confirming the presence of archaeological deposits. Subsequently, a complete excavation of the East Kirk took place from January to December 2006. The earliest structure is a rounded apsidal east end of a church probably constructed in the early 12th century. This church had the burials of 20 children around its exterior, most buried in cists, stone coffins or with pillow stones. The apse went out of use around the middle of the 12th century when the church was rebuilt following a rectangular plan. The east wall of this church became unstable possibly due to its construction on the line of an earlier ditch. A replacement east end was constructed just 1 m from the first towards the late 12th century. This wall is dated by the presence of pilaster buttresses, but also had other substantial buttresses. Burials within (and possibly pre-dating) this chapel included several buried in hollowed out wood logs, three with traces of twigs laid beside the body, several with well-preserved coarse textiles and one with two scallop shells buried beside the head. Another scallop shell was found in a burial over the left thigh, having probably been attached to a scrip or satchel carried by pilgrims, and another larger example found in a 12th century burial soil. A large number of burials outside the 12th century church were also excavated, these were generally very well preserved as they were enclosed under the floors of the church in the 15th century. These burials included a mother with unborn child. The current 19th century structure was built on the footings of the 15th century church allowing the full plan of this church to be seen. On the south wall, the presence of a corridor leading down into St Mary's Chapel was recorded, (an early 15th century crypt built at a lower level and surviving today, with the carved granite doorways also uncovered during this excavation), as well as a window in this wall allowing light into the corridor. A burial inserted just above the corridor of a woman suffering from severe osteomalacia (adult vitamin D deficiency), contained a cast metal badge dedicated to Our Lady of Pity. On the north wall, a set of stairs, uncovered during the excavation, would have allowed access into the lower crypt until they were blocked up, possibly at the Reformation. Two large sleeper walls were uncovered which showed evidence of weight-bearing pillars and floor surfaces. These showed that the 15th century church was divided into a central area and two (slightly narrower) aisles to the north and south. These sleeper walls had been cut through gravediggers to sink a number of 'family' burial areas, groups of up to six burials presumably of people from one family. Further analysis including DNA extraction may help to confirm this interpretation. One 'family' area with five adults and a child contained a coin of the 1590s in one of the earlier burials, and a coin of the 1690s attached to the lid of the latest burial. The burial of a 16-19 year of boy who died from syphilis had also been dug through the sleeper walls. A further 936 burials have been excavated so far (up to February 2007), dating from the 18th century AD back to at least the 12th century AD, radiocarbon dating should confirm the date of some of the earlier burials. The coffin wood, clothing and body tissues were very well preserved in the latest burials, one had a pile of seeds over the vertebra suggesting it had contained a floral arrangement. Many of the burials were of older adults reflecting the fact that this area of the church was the most expensive in which to be buried. A watching brief was carried out by Cameron Archaeology in June-November 2021 during alterations within the north aisle of St Mary's Chapel. A disturbed grave cut was recorded in the southeast corner of the aisle, and a small amount of disarticulated bone found during removal of 19th century floor levels. Part of a carved masonry vault boss in the form of a female figure was recovered: it is thought to complete a fractured vault boss, a human head, which projects from the northwest corner of the chapel.Location InfoNational Grid Reference: NJ 9410 0629
Easting: 394101.627358775, Northing: 806296.266570788
Postcode: AB10 1JZ
NotesCameron, A. (2005b) 'East Kirk St Nicholas (Aberdeen parish), evaluation', Discovery Excav Scot, vol. 6, 2005. Cameron, A. (2006) 'East Kirk, St Nicholas, Aberdeen (Aberdeen parish), excavation', Discovery Excav Scot, vol. 7, 2006. Dorchester. Page(s): 11 Dennison and Stones, E P and J. (1997a) Historic Aberdeen: the archaeological implications of development, Scottish Burgh Survey. Edinburgh. Page(s): 60-63 RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.5.13.ABD Fleming, J G G. (1935) The story of St Mary's Chapel: the ancient "lower church" or crypt of St Nicholas. Aberdeen. RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.5.13.ABK.P Gammie, A. (1909) The churches of Aberdeen historical and descriptive. Aberdeen. RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.5.13.ABK Hay, G. (1957a) The architecture of Scottish post-Reformation churches, 1560-1843. Oxford. RCAHMS Shelf Number: F.5.31.HAY Hunter, J. (1975) 'The Church of St Nicholas, Aberdeen', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol. 105, 1972-4. RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.5.13.ABK.P MacGibbon and Ross, D and T. (1896-7) 'The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century', 3v. Edinburgh. RCAHMS Shelf Number: F.5.31.MAC McConnochie, A I (comp.. ({190-?}c) 123 views of Royal Deeside. Aberdeen. Page(s): 27 RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.5.1.MCC Munro, A M. (1895) 'A note on the West Parish Church of S. Nicholas, Aberdeen, and its architect, James Gibb or Gibbs', Trans Aberdeen Eccles Soc, vol. 3, 2, 1895. Nicol, A. (1948) A brief sketch of the Church of Saint Nicholas, Aberdeen. Aberdeen. RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.5.13.ABK.P Simon, M. (2022) East Kirk, St Nicholas Kirk, Aberdeen, Watching brief, in Jennifer Thoms, Discovery Excav Scot, New, vol. 22, 2021. Cathedral Communications Limited, Wiltshire, England. Page(s): 8 Simpson, W D. (1965f) 'Graceful granite of Aberdeen. I. the New Town', Country Life, vol. 138, 3572, 19 August 1965. RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.5.13.ABE.P Smith, L. (1836) Smith's pocket guide to the city of Aberdeen and its environs. Aberdeen, printed by J Davidson and Co, 68 Broad Street. RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.5.13.SMI.RReference Numbers
- 174790
- NJ90NW0916
- NJ90NW1441
