I. AN ACCOUNT OF THE EXCAVATIONS AT CAMBUSKENNETH ABBEY 1864Y COLONEY B MA . R JAMEN I SI L . ALEXANDERE S , K.C.L.S., F.S.A. SOOT., &c. (PLATE IV.) Abbee Th f Cambuskennethyo , founde n 114 di Davi y f Scotb 7o . dI - land, stoopeninsula n do rivee th f r ao Forth littld an , e more tha milna e idirecna t line fro e towm th Stirlingf no ferrA . y require crossee b o st d to reach the remains of the venerable pile. So complete has been the destruction of the Church of St Mary of Cambuskennet disciplee th y hb Johf o s n Kno 1559n xi , tha s s sitit t ewa now founquite b o edt covered with greensward, where cows grazedA . white-washed cottage and some old elms were on the south side, and behind the n extensivwalle a m th f o s e eth orcharde s easth wa tn O . windin e e fielcentrg th th river d f n o eI appeare . a dmoun d slightly t somi n raisedo e d thoran , n bushe conjectureds s: here wa t i , , stooe dth higa broke s h wa altar n t wesr i archfo f , o t , e forminentrancth w no ge to a small enclosed cemetery in which are the tombstones of a few of the e peopldistrictth f o e . This arch, pointed, enriched with deeplt cu y mouldings, the capitals of broken shafts and trellis carving, was evidently the principal or western door of the church. The width is six feet between the jambs. Nea e arch t th quitr bu , e detached fro e churchmth , ther t standye e s the campanile or belfry tower, a remarkable object in the landscape. It is square, thirty-seven feet each face, substantially built of hewn stone ; is seventy feet in height, strengthened with Anglo-Norman pilaster but- ACCOUNT OF EXCAVATIONS AT CAMBUSKENNETH ABBEY. 15

tresses provided an , d with pointed Gothic windows, som thef eo m buil. tup A handsome blank arcad pointex si f eo d arche slended san r shafts facee sth town; above thisd projectinan , g fro e battlementsmth remaine th e ar , s of a stone figure, now decapitated. " The oldest inhabitant," a fisher- man, James Mathie, said he remembered when the head fell to the ground, and the name the figure went by was " Maggie Teuch" (tough ?). s evidentlwa t I gurgoylya waterspoutr o e e row Th f corbelso . s under the parapet seemed to have been ornamented with rude masks. On the north-west angle of the tower is an elegant octagonal turret, containin gstaia rbuildinge whicth turree f o hTh p conductt.to e th o st is capped and provided with gablettes, like those seen on the Glasgow cathedral, of the same date. The low and flat arch of the entrance is surmounte a triangula y db r projection e apeflewa th s xi . n O deUs . A canopied nich s ovei edoore th rn openin o , g whic well-preservea h d groined roo s observedi f large a roocentre th s th i f e n f I eo circula . r aperture, up which the bells were passed. The square openings for ringing the bells are at the sides of the groined roof, and the marks of the ropes are still upon them. towee Thth e f s extensivi rvieo p wto varied frod e ean mth . " Grey ," with its castellated rock, the favourite residence of many of the Scottish kings; the fields of , Sauchieburn, and Falkirk; the Abbey Oraig, beneath which the heroic Wallace fought for the liberties of his country the battle of Stirling; the grand solemn Ochil range; the majestic Grampians, and the sinuous course of the noble Forth, afford a rich treat to the admirers of one of the richest scenes in Scottish landscape alsw n additionaoa No . l interest arises from being able to trace from the parapet of the abbey tower the foundations of the cruciform edifice beneath. The on the summit of the Abbey Craig, when com- pleted with its lantern or diadem top, keeper's house, and courtyard, will reflect great credit on the architect, Mr Eochead. e north-eastth o T nea d e river'an ,th r se remain bankth a e f ar ,o s building with lofty ruined walls, called the "Dovecot" or pigeon-house, and where probabl Hoapiciume th s receptioe th y wa r entertaind fo an n - ment of strangers. Afte e accessioth r e Englisth f Jameo no t h. thronesVI e tempo,th - 16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, DEOEMBEB 1864.

ralitie f Cambuskennetso h were bestowe Johnn do , Ear f Maro l whoy b , m barone abbee th th conferres f yo brothers wa hi n do , Alexander Erskine of Alva, and in whose family it remained till 1709, when it was purchased e Towbyth n Counci f Stirlin o lbenefie th r Cowan'f go fo t s Hospitalt I . is highly desirable, then, that means be taken by the trustees of the Hospita repaio t l d poinan r t wha t remain anciene ye t th f so t edificeo t , cut out the trees which are destroying the belfry tower, and remove the unseemly stones and bricks which block up some of the pointed windows ; to clear the foundations inside and outside, and repair the floors of the different stories.1 Chartulare th n Abbee I th orcharde f yo th particularle ar s y referred to, and appear to have been bequeathed to the monastery by several of gardee monkse on th d termes ni an ; d "Paradise. e orchardTh " s still remain on two sides of the abbey, and have been long celebrated for their delicious pears, apples "d geans.an , " e OhartularTh f Cambuskennetho y , substantiall- y em boun d an d bellished with various illuminations provided an , d also wit a hgrea t seal, is in the possession of the Advocates Library, . It was transcribed on vellum in the year 1535, at the instance of the Abbot, Alexander Myln, from original documents which were decaying from dame th p situatio Abbeye th f no . Water appears-o depte s sitth nit t eha of four or five feet.' Due west fro e originae abbeth m th s somw ywa lno eferry s disi t -i : tance higher up the Forth. In carrying off the large bell, it was said a mysterious figure appeared at the stern of the boat, which suddenly upset, and the bell has ever since remained in the bed of the river. It could be easily dredged for during the summer months. Its recovery would be highly abbe e interestingprind th ol f chapeya o n t a n I l .appear s near the ferry, and provided with a Norman arch, whilst the other arches that now Anglo-Normae appeath e ar r twelfte th f no h century. n visitinI g latel e valuablyth e collectio f Scottiso n h antiquitiet a s Dunfermline, collected r bPatonyM , e eminenfatheth f o r t painterf so that name, I saw, among clocks from the palaces of Linlithgow, Falk- land, and Stirling, beautifully carved and inlaid cabinets from the same, This is now being executed under the intelligent direction of Mr W. Mackison, 1 C.E., F.S.-A; Scotr, 1865.^ —— - ———— ————— --•- '- - — - ——————— ACCOUNT OF EXCAVATIONS AT CAMBUSKENNETH ABBEY. 17

antique chairs, original paintings, &c. (all which should be catalogued and minutely described) e alms-bo, th ther e monasters th wa ef o x f o y Cambuskenneth, found some years ago among the ruins. It is a square box of iron with Gothic ornaments, and is well preserved. Keys were found near it. I have in my possession a singular stone, said to be from Cambuskenneth r somfo . s e Iyearwa t t Alloaa s , the t Menstria n e House, probably when possessed by the Alexanders, Barons of Menstrie. I obtained it after much negotiation from an old woman of the name of Moir, whose husband had built it into the front of his cottage at Menstrie. It is a foot square, and from the ingeniously entwined letters on its face the word " Gambuskenneth " can be made out. conjectures wa Coulsos t I Mr y f Timsburdb no y Hall, Bath (who care- fully copie stone)e dth , tha lettere imitation n entirn a th t a e f so ar e t no , brass monogram f lettern bras i o fastened t t an sbu cu , a scros o f dt s o hide f whico , e centrth h s supportei e a squar y b df woo o e d belowo t , form a further relief for the deeply square cut letters. It will be remembered that the unfortunate James III. of marrie amiabln da d beautifuan e l Danish princess, Margare f Oldeno t - burg whoy b , m wer Duke eth f Kothesayeo , afterwards James IV.d an , Princee th s Alexande Johnd an r . Afte noblesrevole e th th r f o t , Queen Margaret sickenes buriewa d diedd dan beforan , e higth e h altat a r Gambuskenneth. King James, afte fatas hi r l flight from Sauchieburn, fals hi l fro s noblmhi e grey charger Lorpresentey b dm Liiidsahi o dt f yo Byres—whiche th , alarme e noisth t eda mad pitchea y eb r dropped from e hana frighteneth f do d woman, swerved d thre an ,e kinwth g heavily —and after his cruel assassination by a pretended priest at Milton or Beaton's Mill, was also buried next his queen, and with due ceremony, t Cambuskennetha . "Ane sweete youth, roya"a l prince alss owa , buried there, according to the M'Farlane manuscript in the Advocates' Library. t anotheTe r remarkable royal personage otheo n , r than Eicharf o . dII England, is believed by many to have found a final resting-place at Gambuskenneth thad an , t afte t murderes depositiono hi r s y wa b de nh steel or poison at Pontefract Castle, but made his escape from it, wandered to the Hebrides, where he was entertained by Macdonald, Islese Lorth f do ; from s transferrethencwa e eh Stirlino dt g Castlen i , whic residee h d eightee buries nAbbeye yearsth wa t d a .an , VOL . PARVI . . TI B 8 1 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F SO , DECEMBER 1864.

accomplishee Th d author, Jame ss works: Granthi f o e —, sayon n i s " Now none may say where James III. of Scotland and the Isles, or his queen, Margare Oldenburgf o t e nohllyinge th ar , r efo , Abbe t MarS f yo y has been swept from its foundations (a great part of the stones were used by an Earl of Mar to construct the strange ' wark' at the head of the' Broad Street of Stirling); one remnant alone survives, a lofty tower, and though the country people still pretend to remember the royal grave, and point it out to visitors, not a stone remains to mark the tomb of the mur- dered bar a monarch w eplace greensward.no th s r ei fo , " The author of a Journey through Scotland in 1723 says he saw the grav Kinf eo g James III. unde hawthora r n tre t Cambuskenneth.ea 1 beed ha n t suggesteI Trusteee th o dt Cowan'f so s Hospital tha t woulti d be desirable to ascertain where the body of James III. lay, and his Queen, so as to treat the royal remains with proper respect, and enclose the tombs ,e exten e Abbeals th th o trac t ot f o tyou e Churc d exploran h e generally among the foundations. The magistrates of Stirling, entering into this design, and the sanction of the Crown having also been secured, on the 2d May 1864, twelve workmen were placed under the charge of Bailie Eanken, treasure e Towth f no r Counci f Stirlingo l a gentlema, n of good taste and ability, who had for years been most usefully employed superintendinn i g public aboud workan tn si Stirling . e followinTh g gentleme ne grounAbbee e th werth th n t t o yea a d beginning of the excavations:—Provost Murie, Bailies Monteath and Yellowlees; Treasurer Eanke n; Councillor s Davidso Christied nan ; Eev. Dr Beith, Eev. Paul Maclauchla n; D r Duncanson, WallaceAllor M a; , Alloa; Colonels Nugent, Boldero, and Sir J. E. Alexander; and Mr Eqchead, architect. Among those from Edinburgh were Mr Matheson, of H.M. Boar Worksf do ; and representins a , Societe gth Antiquariesf yo r M , David Laing, Mr John M. Mitchell, Belgian Consul, and Mr Andrew Kerr. e excavatorTh s were divided intpartieso otw whad an s ,singulari t ,

Davir 1M d Laing mentione tha e late Adar m th tM e . Ellis o mt dG , W.S., told him an old inhabitant at the Abbey had pointed out, many years ago, the mound near suc a htree , under whic e Kin s buriedth h Ellisr wa gimagineo M .wh , e dh might still recognis spote lond eth ha ,g expresse a ddesir e tha place th t e shoule db explore t thia t s dtimbu j wae h e s altogether unabl o accompanet e deputatioyth n from Edinburgh. ACCOUN EXCAVATIONF TO CAMBUSKENNETT SA H ABBEY9 1 .

thoug adjacen e churce stona th th t hd f eno o therhan t s buildingewa s e seetob n whe wore th n k commenced t merelbu , y undulatione th n o s surface of the ground, owing to some judicious directions, the men had morg nodu t e than half-an-hou partiee th r f beforo s e camon e e upoe nth site of the high altar—a square enclosure of masonry—and the other on the transepts. In the earth, above which had stood the high altar, was found the bodyouta f yo h lying acros enclosuree sth hea e recessa th , n di , Beneath this, and longitudinally, lay a fine skeleton of a yellowish colour, pro- babl yn ecclesiastic a tha f o t e boneTh .s were carefull t asidypu r fo e re-interment, and I had them photographed by Mr Crowe of Stirling. (These photographs were exhibited to the meeting.) churce Th chapter-housed han , wit e bascentraa hth f eo l pie supo rt - por archen a t d roof, tracewerw no ed oute scallopeth ; d capitae th f o l pie r pilla o rs founde baserwa Th f somso . f theo e churce pierth f o s h wer goon ei dclayee orderth welo d s y an ,lsoi d preserveha l foundae dth - tion stones that they appeared sharply cut as if recently laid. The length of the church, from the high altar inclusive to the western door, was ascertained to be 178 feet, breadth 37 feet. On the south are the foundations of a long building, near one of the orchards. This may possibly have been the Parliament House. At Cambuskenneth, in 1326, the nobility, barons, and clergy assembled in solemn Parliament along wit a hgrea t numbe f persono r f inferioo s r rank, and swore fealty to David Bruce as heir apparent to the throne. " This," says Tytler, " was the first Scottish Parliament, as far as can be ascertained, into which the representatives of cities and burghs were ad- mitted as members." Here various of the Scottish monarchs granted charters and the Scottish Parliament repeatedly assembled. In the course of the excavations, coins of the Jameses and Charleses were found; three keys—one large enouge th f havo ho t y e ke bee e nth west door; knives, razors, piece f pottero s y (Dutch, probably)—one piece wit curiouha s dog's hea itn o d; tobacco pipes (simila somo t r eI Base seed th t sha na Kock, suppose havo dt e bee nsoldiere useth y db f so e guarth d there); portion f staineo s d glass froe eastermth n window; broken stone shaft capitald an s pillarf twelfte so th f so h century bras;a s shoe-buckle; a brass chess-knight (the horse's head well defined) ; stone B2 20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, DECEMBER 1864.

whorls for the distafl'; a small glass bottle; a curious iron instrument, 14 inches long f unknowo , n use, with prongs, though certainl forka t .yno (Sketches of these various articles were exhibited.) It will interest the curious in these matters, when all the reliquiai are laid out for inspec- tion in a chamber of the belfry tower. At one of the angles of the chapter-house, in which the sedilia or bench tables are well preserved, is the figure of a mediaaval sword. This is in stranga " e positionstone th whicn f e i o carves i s a t ,hbeei d dha n ovee th r toma warrio f bo n somi r e othe e rgrounds e th slapar th f bo d t rean , - move madd dan corner-stona es a us f eo chapter-housee th f eo . A fine stone coffin was found near the south transept (might this have been ovethad f Eicharct threan i rto , ?) e . massivII l e block stonef so n O . lifting these a skull was seen, but at the foot of the stone coffin, showing that the dead had been previously disturbed. There was a large beam of black oak under the stone coffin, and others squared and resting on piles o prevent , e foundationth t greao n t sta deptr fallinfo , hg in wate r is found here, and the clay had well preserved the timber. Some of the logs have beee turneb nn gooraiseo ca dt d d dan account proceede th s a , s of their sale for souvenirs of the ancient edifice may help to enclose the foundations. It is proposed to make chairs for the Provost and Dean of Guil f Stirlindo f thigo s oak. Betwee e hig th e nthor hth altand an trer a esla f coarsbo e bine marble or mountain limestone lay under the soil, it was in a slanting positio f i disturbe s na d formerly s broke wa e corne t i on n ; f d offo ran , it was also cracked across. What remained of the slab measured about five feet square and seven inches thick. It had a hewn margin, and was hewn as a panel across its rough face. This was the usual royal tablet stone see t Dunfermlinea n , , closn &c.O e' inspection bat- holes were seen with lead in them, these had held the monumental, brass of whic portiono htw s wer ewite founde figur on floweha th e f eo n th , o r it, the other marked with cross lines ; the larger portion with the inscrip- tion had been torn off and removed. resolves wa vaul t a loo I o dr t kfo taccordingl s unde wa slabe t th I r . y Lately blue mountain limestone has been found at the Abbey Craig ; and this 1 l _ _m_ay__b_e_ the__ quarry_whLch_prpduced_ the, royal slabs, and the freestone there built the old churches, which also is now employed for the Wallace Monument. ACCOUN EXCAVATIONF TO CAMBUSKENNETT SA H ABBEY1 2 .

raised, >arid on digging feedoww larga fe t coffik na s found eoa wa ne th , feet touching the enclosure of the high altar, the head to the west. Insid a skeleton e coffis th e wa n , doubtles f Kino s g James IIIn O . being exposed to the air most of the bones crumbled to dust, some remained, fragments of the skull and of the lower jaw, two molar teeth, thigh bones, &c. Moist clay surrounded the coffin, which had preserved e piecelonge o coffis th Th t i f .ns o which remained showe graie dth f no the wood—oak, and probably from the neighbouring Torwood. On the left male oth f e bones were thos femalea f eo , als bonee ochildth a e f so Th . three bodie beed sha n disturbed before, ornaperhapy sake an th f - eo r sfo ments -whic beed hha n buiied with them smalA . l coffin ornamenf o t metal was found, in shape like a flower. The bones were carefully placed aside for re-interment, and the tombs are to be enclosed. n clearin I foundatione th t gchurcou e th f so h great quantitie bonef so s were discovered, also on the south side of it, and about the chapter- house Coloney I da too . e k lon wit Monroe hm , Bombay Army Dd ran , Alex. Paterso Bridge th f no f Allan eo examino t , e som thesf eo e remains previous to their being again committed to the earth. The remarks of lattee th r gentlema follows a e nar s :— "I examined relice manth f sy o foun d durin recene gth t excavations. A number of human skeletons were discovered, most of them in a state of great decaymeantime bonee th Th n s.i beed eha n carefull t intypu o boxee mos th deposited - r in e tsan Abbeye towe fa th th y f n o B i rd . teresting set of bones are those of King James III. Unfortunately the only kine bonth gf eo foun d entirlowee th s ei r jaw, whic remarkabls hi e on accoun s largit f eo t size,—onl molao ytw r teeth remai e jawth .n ni frontae Th craniule parth f o t mwels i l preserved d fro e appearan m,th - anc f thieo skulle s th par t i showf o t s thae kinth t g musta hav d eha verrecedinw lo y g forehead. e onlTh y1 other circumstance worthf o y

Historian f Jameo y ssa s III. tha rudn warliki d t an e eunabls timewa e o et sh 1 control his turhulent nobles, whom he also vexed by secluding himself from them and passin tims ghi e with architects, musicians d astrologersan , n whoo , cone mh - ferred ran distinctionsd kan e highlTh . y interestin valuabld gan e descriptioy b n Mr David Laine altath rf gt o Holyrooscree a w nno d referre o Palacb r y fo o ma edt the general appearance of the King and of Queen Margaret. (Sec Proceedings, vol) . 8. iii . p . 22 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, DECEMBER 1864.

notic regarn kinbonee e i th th , tha gf is o d t so t they differe coloun i d r othee th fro l rm al bone s found , kine thosth gf ebeino dara f gko brown tawny colour; this colour may have been produced by the decay of the oak coffin numbeA . f entiro r e skulls were found curioua ; s fact con- nected with them is that in all of them the cranial cavity is filled with soliclaa n yi d conditio clae th y n; must hav t int skulle ego o th s through the actiowater.e th f no " I have had casts taken of the cranium and lower jaw of the king by Mr Barclay sculptoe th , Stirlingn i r oaken a d alsd nan o ;ha ches t made to contai royae nth l remains, that they migh re-interree b t d with every respect.

Mr William Mackison, C.E., the town architect, Stirling, was in atten- dance at the commencement of the excavations, and thus remarks on the discoveries :—" "When the walls of the north transept, part of the chancel, and of the nave were exposed, the stone dressings, facings, and cuttings were foun n wonderfui d l preservation e outlineth d an s, very decided distinco Tw . t base course e particularlar s y traceable th n i e transept. The angle buttress is built over the remaining portion of the original square one, and that part of the wall which is in the continua- e transepth tio f o n t gable whicd an , h form e northerth s n wal f whao l t is chapter-houssupposee th e b o e dt las th t f o structuree s neithei , n i r the proper line nor the original base over which it is built, nor with the buildin f whicgo t formhi a parts . Angle.buttresses have been always troublesome. ... In connection with the transept a small door is notice wese th tn di side-wall , facin e belfrth g y tower, buil p closelu t y with dressed masonry. " The walls have all been grouted most effectually, some places so muc thawits o t i lookinh s whethe y t no i ht sa s difficult i n ge ca h r e on y on solid stone rather tha a conglomeratn e mass. Many oyster shells were dug up and river sand, and these shells seem to have been freely used in the mortar and grouting." r MackisoM n took accurate measurement e buildingth f o s s (anda reduced copy of his plan is given in Plate IV.) "nave Parth ef to wal l exposed, toward smale sth l cemetery goof o s d,i "Heiigri "•" the stone seats"ancl"bases of TouFof ~ihe sicle piers areTtcTBe seen,, ACCOUNT OF EXCAVATIONS AT CAMBUSE.ENNETH ABBEY. 23

givin ggooa d ide whaf a o appearance th t interioe th f eo r must have been. mouldingse Th , trefoi n outline i le shafth f t o , column failn basei e - sar preservation soute Th nav e hbee.s th walha enf o ltrace de westh o t t wall which surround e buriath s l enclosure d froan m, wha e graveth t - digger state e basedth f pillaro s r e pierse see (o th sb e als n ni ar o ) ot grave-yard. The enclosure at the high altar is formed by dressed stones, having a check for covers much decayed." A casual observer may not remark a massive pinnacle with a finial like a human head which no doubt belonged to the old church ; it is now placed soute th n he grave-yardo th wald verf a en o ls ys o ha nit weather t i ; - beaten appearance, still, however, retaining its original form.

r EocheadM e architec th ,Wallac e th f o t e Monument, com&c.a n i , - munication to Mr J. M. Mitchell, F.S.A. Scot., Belgian Consul-General, thus writes :—"The area of the building at Cambuskenneth, as far as dis- excavationse th f mose o - th e firs y vier f closein th t o da t ou n ws o i , o dt teresting description, and exhibits the splayed base lines of the north side abbeye oth f , being perfectly shar fresd pwhean s ha earln a n f builtyo d ,an though somewhat curious character e insertio th ovoloe y th B f a ,.o n curved characte e uppeth f e o rsplar th membe f yo base ) e rolr(A th , l mouldin ) jusg(B t abov vera s i ey conclusive evidence, along wite th h other parts below f earlo , y pointed work, having quit a edifferen t character, so to speak, from that known as early English pointed G-othic. The Cambuskenneth Abbey ruins, as indee dI wil l ventur froy sa m o et my intimate acquaintance with Continental pointed architecture, partake e Frencoth f h model largely s indeea , d doe e wholth s e ecclesiastical architecture of our country; hence the blending of the baronial character in our abbeys and churches; and in illustration of this fact I would point to Stirling High Church, part f Dunfermlinso e Abbey, Inchcolme Abbey and Monastery (Firt f e Forth)deeplho th d yan , interesting remainf so Inchmahome Prior r Monasteryo y , founded 1328 t ,a Por f Mono t - teath; and let me add one other instance, the old church of Linlithgow, as strongly corroborative example f homogeneitso f stylyo f Frenco e h exampl extractiond ean . base "Th e line Cambuskennetf so h Abbe froe yar m thre threo et e feet inchex si e surface th sfres o e stons highe th d ar h f seo an , splayed faces, 4 2 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F SO , DECEMBER 1864.

that they carr incisee yth d masonid an ct e artisacu mark th o f o wh sn fashione stonee dth , as perfectl f doni t yesterdays ya ebu . "A firsr ou tt visit portion greae th f tso piere stoolth f s so tha t carried havy oma re carrie imposinn da g towe spird ran e were uncovered, exhibit- ing a very peculiar formation and character of base moulding, in most excellent preservation, section and plan thus (see Plate IV., No. 2) ; the base moulding above is all that is left, that is, so far as was uncovered at the first visit. " The pavement of the area of the nave was partially laid bare, and near discoveree w t i sectioe dth n lin f someo e fou fivr o r e steps, leading from the nave of the western portion of the abbey into the choir, close to the entranc whicf eo h stands what seem havo st e bee magnificenna t sepulchral vault, the cell of which, roughly speaking, may be about from seven to eight feet long fouy b , r feet broa therebyr do , having thick wall l roundsal , carefully built d throwinan , g projection t froou sm these line f wallo s s as if light buttresses had formed a portion of the design of the elaborate shrine that undoubtedly must have surmounted-the whole tomb ; if we o judgt e ar e fro large mth e mas f fragmentarso smashed-ud an y p heaps of foliated capitals d six-incan , h diameter shafting, moulded based san mid-shaft clasps that were dug up all around the fine tomb, out of which, and at about three or four feet deep (from base lines of tomb), was exca- vated the remains of at least one male skeleton having a finely developed skull, thigh bones higa ,n h i &c. l statal , f preservationo e . Near o o t r around this tomb were found some four or five elongated encaustic tiles, blue d reyellod dan an , w glazed abouy sa , t eigh ninr o t e inches long, five inche thred an s e broad quarteron y incn b ,a f hso thick. specime"A fragmentarf no y stained glass, bearing mark partiallf i s sa y fused by fire, was found, likewise a silver sixpence of the time of Edward mornine visitth r II. n I ou hopo , f . go e stil progrese l th furthee se so t r witneso t d e finisan sth f thio h s most interesting wor f researcko d han discovery."

Finally, it is gratifying to know that Her Majesty's Government and the Trustee f Cowan'so s Hospital will cause these most interesting founda- enclosede tion b royae o th st d l tomban , s preserved from desecrationt I . ——mightlbe useful also" to fuU^lSsprTaif over the remains onbTPwalls, and" ACCOUNT OF EXCAVATIONS AT OAMBUSKENNETH ABBEY. 25

paiu delicate t witth l hoi e carved wor preveno kt t injury from the weather. After more trenching, but without disturbing the bones, the area of the building might be covered with sand or gravel to keep down the grass.

Mr JOSEPH BOBERTSON suggested a doubt whether there was any evi- dence to show that either the Abbey or most of our ecclesiastical buildings beed ha n ruine s followers Knohi y db d x an states paper e a ,th n di . n thiI s supportes wa vie e wh y Professo b d r STEVENSO d otheNan r Members.

View of Beaton's Mill, where King James III. was slain.1

Mr LAING said, that having prepared some notices connected with the intermen f Kino t g Jame s Queeshi IIIt d Cambuskennetha n an . e h , would submit them to the present meeting, us a suitable addition to Sir James Alexander's very interesting communication.

1 See notice of the house on the following page.