Document record MAB51083 - PLAINSTONES, HIGH STREET, ELGIN

Human skeletal remains were uncovered by groundwork (ahead of agreed archaeological watching brief) for installation of a UV treatment system of the fountain on Elgin Plainstones.

Human skeletal remains were uncovered by groundwork (ahead of agreed archaeological watching brief) for installation of a UV treatment system of the fountain on Elgin Plainstones. Subsequent archaeological investigation by Alba Archaeology showed that the remains had been significantly disturbed and partially removed. A single sherd of Medieval pottery was recovered from the contractors' spoil heap. A metal object, inscribed with the name 'James Davidson', possibly a bale tag of 18th-19th century date, was recovered from the section. The human skeletal remains were of a young female and elderly male, from the same context as the pottery sherd and so assumed to be no later than 14th century in date. Full exhumation of the remains was not feasible because of their close proximity to the base of the fountain - with one of the skeletons apparently continuing below the foundations of the fountain - agreed that the remaining skeletal material has been preserved in situ when the UV treatment tank was installed, but protected from being further damaged by the development. The finds indicate that the medieval burial ground associated with old St Giles Church (NJ26SW0015) extends further west than previously thought.

HERBERT, C, 2007, ELGIN PLAINSTONES FOUNTAIN: ARCHAEOL WB AND EXC, Project no. EPF07 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2709.

WATCHING BRIEF/EXC

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2008, DISCOVERY & EXCAVATION SCOTLAND, p.132 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4029.

Record last edited

Apr 21 2020 1:02PM