E6

Trial trenching was carried out in June 1974 within the then disused Farquhar and Gill warehouse on St Paul's Street to assess the site's archaeological potential. This confirmed that the medieval layers on the site were largely untouched, although building of the warehouse may have removed later occupation layers. Subsequent excavation by CM Brooks in 1977-8 in an area formerly occupied by the warehouses recorded Medieval deposits rich in organic material, 12th - 13th Century rigs, pits and middens. This excavation was carried out by Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unit in 1977-8 behind 42 St Paul Street in an area now occupied by the Bon Accord Centre. Archaeological and historical investigation of this area has provided a fairly full picture of the changes in the layout of this backland adjacent to Upperkirkgate from the early 13th century until the present day. Properties were laid out from circa 1200, at right angles to Upperkirkgate. Initially properties were of unequal size, but at the beginning of the 14th century the boundaries were re-organised to create more regular rigs. Also excavated were pits, middens, a bread oven and traces of five houses of the 13th and 14th century date. Waterlogged remains were abundant. Some amalgamation later took place, when a large stone building was constructed on two adjacent properties some time in the 15th-17thcentury period. In general terms, however, boundaries seem not to have changed after the mid 15th century when historical records of this site begin. Portions of a number of backlands buildings of post-and-wattle construction were also recovered, along with a bread oven and a large number of pits, which may have included storage among their original uses, in addition to cess-pit and rubbish disposal functions. The finds from this site are in the collections of Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums.