Dundrennan Abbey Archaeological investigation within the south range of a Cistercian house in Kirkcudbrightshire (Dumfries & Galloway), Scotland by Gordon Ewart Kirkdale Archaeology, 4 Western Terrace, Murrayfield, Edinburgh EH12 5QF, Scotland with contributions by S Carter, R Céron Carrasco, N Crowley, A Dunn, H Kenward, C Mills, T O’Sullivan, A Radley, D Rankin, B Will and GeoQuest Associates, and illustrations by D Connolly Scottish Archaeological Internet Report 1, 2001 www.sair.org.uk Published by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland with Historic Scotland and the Council for British Archaeology Editor Jerry O’Sullivan Internet version produced by Archetype Information Technology Ltd, www.archetype-it.com ISBN: 0 903903 70 9 ISSN: 1473-3803 Contents List of illustrations by David Connolly . iv List of Tables . v 1 Summary. 1 2 Introduction by Gordon Ewart . 3 3 Historical context by Gordon Ewart . 7 4 Archaeological stratigraphy by Gordon Ewart . 9 5 Geophysics and trial trenches by Gordon Ewart with GeoQuest . 37 6 Ceramics by Alan Radley & Bob Will . 39 7 Small finds by Andrew Dunn . 42 8 Window glass by Andrew Dunn . 48 9 Architectural fragments by Andrew Dunn . 50 10 Mortar and plaster by Naomi Crowley . 52 11 Plant remains by Dorothy Rankin . 53 12 Mammals and birds by Tanya O’Sullivan. 57 13 Fish and crustaceans by Ruby Céron Carrasco. 75 14 Molluscs by Stephen Carter . 77 15 Insects by Harry Kenward . 80 16 Burnt fuel remains by Ruby Céron Carrasco & Coralie Mills . 81 17 General discussion by Gordon Ewart . 82 18 Acknowledgements by Gordon Ewart . 87 19 Bibliography . 88 20 Index . 90 iii List of illustrations 1 Site location map (Based on the Ordnance Survey map © Crown copyright). 2 2View of the site from south-east . 3 . 3 Dundrennan Abbey and environs (Based on the Ordnance Survey of 1908) . 4 4 Room 4 under excavation, from west. 5 5 Principal rooms of the abbey and the area of excavation . 6 6 Periods I and II . 10 7 Periods III and IV . 11 8 Period V . 12 9 The excavation area, all periods, showing doorways mentioned in the text . 13 10 Period I features . 14 11 The great drain below a buttress (context 056), from east. 15 12Period II features, west . 16 . 13 Period II features, east . 17 14 Elevations of the west door, room 5/6. 19 15 Period III features, west. 21 16 Period III features, east . 22 17 Elevation of the south façade of the room 4 and room 5/6 complex . 23 18 The south wall of room 5/6, showing Period II and III buttresses. 24 19 Elevation of the east-facing end-wall of Room 6 . .25 20 Period IV features, west . 27 21 Period IV features, east . 28 22 Period IV garderobe (context 089) . 29 23 Period IV garderobe (context 090) . 29 24 Re-used grave slabs over the great drain. 30 25 Period V features, west . 32 26 Period V features, east . 33 27 Midden group, plans and section . 34 28 Great drain fills . 35 29 Great drain fills . 35 30 East end of the great drain, before excavation . 35 31 The chapter house . 36 32Contour survey and test-trenches east of the abbey . 38 33 Pie-chart of ceramic sherds by period. 40 34 Selected ceramics . 41 35 Silver spoon; copper-alloy fish-hook, needle & pin . .43 36 Compound ingot and iron belt loop . 44 37 Iron quoit and key . 45 38 Stone counter, lead stylus and window cames . 45 39 Stone cross . 46 40 Painted window glass . 48 41 Masons’ marks . 51 iv List of tables 1 Architectural fragments: frequency of different elements in the assemblage . 50 2Type and frequency of masons’ marks . 50 . 3 Plant remains . 54 4 Mammal bones. 58 5 Fusion of cattle and sheep bones . 72 6 Bird bones . 73 7 Fish bones . 75 8 Marine molluscs . 77 9 Non-marine molluscs . ..