Dunbar Hall

E58

DescriptionAn archaeological evaluation was carried out by Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unit in January 2002 prior to the demolition of Dunbar Halls of Residence. Evidence of three ditches, two large rubbish pits and a wall, probably the remains of the Bishop's Palace (NJ90NW0253), were uncovered. The building was constructed of ashlar sandstone. Very few finds were recovered, but they include window glass and sherds of local medieval pottery. Further trial trenching evaluation was carried out by ACC Archaeological Unit in May 2005 assess the survival of elements of the Old Aberdeen's Bishop's palace, the evaluation focussed on areas to be disturbed by the footprint of the new building and on areas not previously assessed. Ten trenches were excavated and concrete foundations, holes for trees recently planted, and a stone shaft within an undercroft were discovered. The shaft may be a well but could possibly be a 'bottle dungeon', like that of St Andrews Castle, Fife. Medieval pottery and roof tiles were found in the fill. The building above was possibly a two or more- storey structure. Much of the stonework was robbed in antiquity. The finds from this site are in the collections of Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums.
Location InfoNational Grid Reference: NJ 9406 0877
Easting: 394068.886894455, Northing: 808772.170994976
Postcode: AB24 1 RQ
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