64-72 Don Street

E26

DescriptionExcavation carried out by Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unit in 1986 advance of the construction of houses and flats recorded two 18th century stone-lined wells, and other 18th century features. The area had been heavily disturbed by 19th and early 20th Century horticulture. The earliest archaeological evidence from the site was ditches and stake-holes dating to the 17th century. It would appear that this area of Old Aberdeen was not built up until the 17th century. Prior to that period, St Machar's Cathedral and the University stood almost on their own in the landscape. During the 18th and 19th centuries, four small kilns were constructed at this site, although no evidence for their function was found. A two-storey house with forestair was constructed and ample evidence for the later use of the site as a market garden were uncovered. Two 18th century stone-lined wells were found, one associated with buildings along the Don Street frontage, the other to the rear of the site. The finds from this site are in the collections of Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums.
Location InfoNational Grid Reference: NJ 9409 0861
Easting: 394091.000949882, Northing: 808616.512017292
Postcode: AB24 2RT

Site lies some 150m south-east of St Machar's Cathedral, the medieval ecclesiastical centre of the burgh. The site faces a former Chaplain's Port, evidence from cartographic sources.
NotesStones, J A. (1987c) '64-72 Don Street, wells, buildings, furnaces', Discovery Excav Scot, 1987. Page(s): 17 See Dennison, E. and Stones, J. (1997). Historic Aberdeen. Edinburgh: Historic Scotland. 110-114, for more context.Reference Numbers