| Title: |
The Anglian monastery and medieval priory of Coldingham: Urbs Coludi revisited
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| Subtitle: |
Urbs Coludi revisited |
| Issue: |
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 135 |
| Series: |
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
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| Volume: |
135
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| Page Start/End: |
395 - 422 |
| Downloads: |
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| Licence Type: |
ADS Terms of Use and Access
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| Publication Type: |
Journal
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| Abstract: |
Report of an excavation undertaken in the north of Abbey Yards Field, adjacent to Coldingham Priory, in the Scottish Borders. Three ditches crossed the area on the same alignment and one was wood-lined. Radiocarbon dating indicated that this boundary had been created in the seventh or early-eighth century AD. Several patches of midden were preserved within adjacent hollows in the subsoil. Finds were scarce but a similarly dated fragment of antler comb and an assemblage of pre-medieval animal bone were recovered from the fills and midden. Bede referred to an Urbs Coludi as the location of a monastery and nunnery presided over by St Æbbe in the mid-seventh century. The location of this foundation has been identified as Kirk Hill, situated on the coast to the north of Coldingham. The evidence is reviewed and it is concluded that Coldingham is as likely a location for the ecclesiastical site, with Kirk Hill a contemporary secular fort. There may have been some form of continuing settlement at the site, as suggested by later medieval historians, before the founding of a new church by Edgar King of Scots at the very end of the eleventh century. By the middle of the twelfth century this had developed into a priory dependent on Durham. The edge of the church graveyard was identified, with several industrial features immediately outside. A second late medieval phase of cemetery was also excavated. It is suggested that the edge of the graveyard was an area used to bury marginalised members of society, with ill health and disability commonly evident among the skeletons. Animal bone associated with the industrial features indicated that activities such as production of glue or tallow and tanning were undertaken in the vicinity. Includes separately authored contributions on: The human remains; The finds; The faunal remains; The insect remains. |
| Year of Publication: |
2005
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| Subjects / Periods: |
| Anglian (Auto Detected Temporal) |
| Midseventh Century (Auto Detected Temporal) |
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| Eleventh Century (Auto Detected Temporal) |
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CEMETERY
(Monument Type England)
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| Monastery (Auto Detected Subject) |
| Midden (Auto Detected Subject) |
| Skeletons Animal Bone (Auto Detected Subject) |
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SETTLEMENT
(Monument Type England)
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| Church Graveyard (Auto Detected Subject) |
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DITCH
(Monument Type England)
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| Animal Bone (Auto Detected Subject) |
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| Note: |
[OS NT 9042 6604]
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| Source: |
ADS Archive
(ADS Archive)
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| Relations: |
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| Created Date: |
11 Sep 2006 |
