Talk set to reveal recent archaeological finds at Marischal College
07/10/08
Recent archaeological work at Marischal College which has take place prior to the conversion of the buildings into the new headquarters of Aberdeen City Council will be the subject of a free talk on Wednesday, 15 October at the Maritime Museum, Shiprow.
The talk starts at 12.30pm and will last approximately 30 minutes.
Aberdeen City Council’s assistant archaeologist Alison Cameron will present the illustrated talk. So far findings have revealed the remains of the medieval Greyfriars Church, walls probably belonging to other friary buildings and substantial remains of the early College buildings.
Artefacts discovered have included two whole 16th to 17th century pots buried in a small pit as well as many building fragments such as window glass, floor and roof tiles.
The Franciscan or Greyfriars monastery, one of Aberdeen’s major medieval religious centres, was located at this site from the late 1460’s. Following the Reformation in 1560, the buildings and grounds became the property of the town council and eventually formed the nucleus of Marischal College, founded in 1593.
The friary church which dated back to the 16th century remained largely intact until the early years of the 20th century, when it was demolished to make way for Marischal College’s Broad Street frontage.
Alison Cameron, assistant archaeologist, Aberdeen City Council said: “We have been pleasantly surprised by the excellent standard of preservation of these important archaeological remains, which we feared might have been destroyed by later 19th and 20th century developments at the site.”
Booking is essential. Telephone (01224) 337714 to reserve a place on this very interesting talk.
If you have any queries regarding this, or any other news story, please contact Aberdeen City Council on: 08456 080910.
