ST Andrews Public Library DSR - RA03011

St Andrews Library:
Archaeological Excavation
Data Structure Report
February 2003
Rathmell
Archaeology Ltd
St Andrews Library Excavation – Data Structure Report
Overview
This Data Structure Report (DSR) presents the initial findings of an archaeological
excavation undertaken in connection with the redevelopment of the Public Library in St
Andrews, Fife (NGR ref: NO 5089 1667). The Public Library occupies an early nineteenth
century building that was constructed within the northwest corner of the then defunct
graveyard of the Holy Trinity Parish Church. These works were initiated in response to the
need to underpin the eastern gable of the library building and excavate a lift shaft pit adjacent
to the same wall.
Fife Council Technical Services were managing this redevelopment on behalf of Fife Council
Library Services and took advice and guidance from the Archaeological Unit within Fife
Council Development Services. Mr Douglas Speirs from the Archaeological Unit advised on
the scope and scale of archaeological works necessary to facilitate the necessary
redevelopment.
Rathmell Archaeology Ltd was appointed to act on behalf of Fife Council with regard to the
archaeological works. During July and August 2003 archaeological teams excavated the lift
shaft pit and adjacent underpin trenches to facilitate the building works. The majority of the
sediments excavated were from the graveyard, with elements of some seventy articulated
skeletons lifted as well as quantities of disarticulated human skeletal material and artefacts.
One distinct horizon was noted towards the base of the homogenised graveyard earth that
appeared to be construction debris. This included a considerable quantity of industrial
ceramics, slag and charcoal.
The whole of the lift shaft pit was excavated to natural sand sediments and all human
skeletal material removed from this area. The underpin trenches were cleared to the depth
necessary to facilitate the underpinning of the gable wall.
Fig 1: Geddy 1580
Project Works
The programme of works agreed with the Fife Council Archaeological Unit included an
archaeological desk-based assessment and the excavation of the Lift Shaft Pit (LSP) and the
Underpin Trench (UT). The LSP was 3m by 3m abutting the midpoint of the gable wall (Fig 4)
while the UT extended along the gable wall.
These works were undertaken in keeping with the agreed working protocol with on-site works
running from in two sessions from 2nd July 2003 to 15th July 2003 and from 11th August 2003
to 27th August 2003.
 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 1 of 24

All articulated skeletal material was excavated and recorded as individual contexts, with
skeletal material bagged in six elements, where present (skull, torso and four limbs).
Disarticulated skeletal material and small finds were recovered by excavation level, while
disarticulated skulls were located three dimensionally and assigned individual small find
numbers.
The site team was typically three archaeologists and included Mr Thomas Rees, Mr Ally
Stewart, Mr Joe Ansell and Ms Laura Little. Both Mr Douglas Speirs and Mr Alastair Rees
undertook site monitoring on behalf of Fife Council Development Service Archaeological
Unit. The Historic Scotland monument warden also visited the site during the course of the
works. This report was prepared by Mr Thomas Rees, Mr Alan Matthews and Mr Douglas
Gordon.
All works were conducted in accordance with the Institute of Field Archaeology’s Standards
and Policy Statements and Code of Conduct and Historic Scotland Policy Statements.
Rathmell Archaeology excavation procedures were followed throughout.
Findings: Desk based assessment and site inspection

A desk-based assessment was undertaken in the course of these works to inform the on-site
interpretation and to provide a base for the development of a post-excavation programme.
Presented below are the summary of the provisional findings against core issues.
Fig 2a: Ainslie 1775 Fig 2b: Wood 1820

The Holy Trinity
The original parish church built in 1112 by Bishop Turgot (Russell Walker 1888) and
subsequently dedicated to the Holy Trinity by Bishop Bernhome, lay within the cathedral
precinct. This building became inadequate by the late 14th century. The parish church was
relocated to the present position on South Street after the gift to the church of land from Sir
William Lindsay of Bynes in 1410, with the new church built between 1410 and 1412. The
land gifted in the ‘Golden Charter’ was described as :
All of his lands lying in the city of St Andrews in South Street on the north side
thereof, between the lands of the heirs of the deceased Rankin Braboner on the
west, and the common vennel leading to the Market Cross of the said city on the
east’ (Rankin 1955,22)
This ground is described as the southern half of six rigs, fronting onto South Street. A further
grant of land in 1430 by Bishop Wardlaw, a seventh half rig, allowed the expansion of the
graveyard. This seventh rig was acquired from Rankin Brabonere (Henry 1912, 62) and as
such must be the ground to the west of the Holy Trinity, fronting onto Logies Lane.
The graveyard was bounded by a row of houses to the north and enclosed by a wall on the
other three sides. Geddy’s 1580 plan of St Andrews illustrates the church and graveyard (Fig
1) at its probable full extent.

The closure of the graveyard to new inhumations has previously been suggested as
occurring around the reformation, circa 1560 (Mackenzie & Moloney 1997). Certainly this
was the first opportunity to access the later burial grounds within the Cathedral Precinct.
Examination of the monumental inscriptions in the eastern burial ground indicates that the
earliest surviving monuments derive from the early 1600s (Mitchell & Mitchell 1971). This
may suggest that the graveyard of the Holy Trinity continued in use for several decades
beyond 1560.
The church was substantially altered, rebuilt and expanded at the end of the 18th century to
provide accommodation for 2500 parishioners (Russell Walker 1888). Ainslie 1775 (Fig 2a)
shows the structure prior to this rebuild while Wood 1820 (Fig 2b) shows the finished plan,
continued in the historic Ordnance Survey plans (Fig 3a & b). A second rebuild at the start of
the twentieth century attempted to restore some of the medieval character of the church and
contract its size. In the course of these works excavations revealed ‘…roots of some size …
suggestive of pear trees’ (Henry 1912, Simpson & Stevenson 1981).
Fig 3a: Ordnance Survey 1854 Fig 3b: Ordnance Survey 1893
The 1988 and 1991 Graveyard Excavations
During December 1988 SUAT undertook evaluation and in 1991 subsequent excavation
works (Mackenzie & Moloney 1997) in support of an environmental improvements scheme
for Logies Lane and Church Square. These works excavated a series of linear trenches for
services and rectangular tree pits across areas of the graveyard of the Holy Trinity Parish
Church.
The excavations lifted elements of some 121 individuals, although due to the size of trenches
no whole skeletons were recovered. The vast majority of burials were aligned west to east
and buried in shrouds within a homogenised graveyard soil. Very rarely a slightly altered
alignment was noted or evidence of coffin furniture. Overall the evidence recovered allowed
the inference that highest concentration of inhumations was at the western porch of the
church with the balance of the graveyard being less intensively used. The maximum
graveyard depth was 1m and at most, the skeletons were buried eight deep.
Structural remains were located on the frontage onto South Street and Logies Lane that were
interpreted as pre-dating the construction of the church. In addition, a demolition, or
construction, horizon of shattered stone was located to the west of the Church. The
structures pre-dating the Church were dated based on the overlying graveyard. This omits to
recognise that the western limit of the graveyard is on the ground gifted by Bishop Wardlaw
in 1420, after the completion of the Holy Trinity. Consequently these structures can only be
inferred to pre-date circa 1420, contra Mackenzie & Moloney 1997.
The Library Building
The ground on which the Library stands was clearly an within the northwest corner of the
enclosed graveyard until at least 1580 (Geddy, Fig 1). By 1745 AD (Ainslie, Fig 2a) there are
small buildings lying along the northern boundary of the graveyard, on the site of the later
library, but these are replaced by 1820 (Wood, Fig 2b) by a large rectangular structure. Thus

the building that subsequently became the library was constructed in the early nineteenth
century, with one source proposing a construction date of 1811, which appears credible. In
1820 Wood (Fig 2b) identifies the main building as an English School, while the neighbouring
structure is identified as a Reservoir.
By the 1st edition Ordnance Survey (1854) the structure is labelled as City Hall, and an
internal ground plan is provided. Subsequently in the twentieth century the building was
reused as the burgh’s public library.
Findings: Excavation trenches

The Lift Shaft Pit (LSP) and the Underpin Trenches (UT) were opened within the Public
Library, at the eastern end of the main structure against the eastern gable wall. Full
descriptions of each context are contained in the appendices at the end of this report. These
findings are a synthesis of the findings from these excavations.
The library floor was floored with concrete slab (001) that surfaced a depth of hardcore and
rubble (002). The floor surface was at 21.75m Ordnance Datum. This hardcore buried the
remnants of two mortared walls (003), the former running parallel to the east gable wall with
the latter running perpendicular and abutting the west side of the former. To the east of the
north-south wall (003) was evidence for some floored surfaces and steps (007) within the
lower horizons of the rubble. Combined these layers amounted to some 0.4m of material.
Underlying the rubble and associated walls was a deep homogenised graveyard soil (004)
that contained numerous articulated and disarticulated skeletal material. The articulated
skeletons were generally all aligned with east to west, with their heads to the west. No grave
goods were recovered from association with the inhumations. Some of the basal skeletons
within the sequence appeared to be on a subtly different alignment, being slightly southwest
to northeast. The heights for skeletal material from the excavation range from 21.17m to
20.17m Ordnance Datum and in total elements of some 76 articulated skeletons were lifted.
No gravecuts were visible although there was clear evidence for the loss of some elements
of articulated skeletons from the insertion of later burials. There was no evidence of coffins or
gravegoods. A volume of broken shards of pottery, animal bone and occasional marine shell
was recovered from the graveyard soil.
Towards the base of the graveyard soil to layers of sand were noted (037 and 021) which
appeared at the same level as a stone rich layer of the graveyard soil (004). The sand layers
were clean orange sand that overlay the lower graveyard soil (067), the southern sand had
an upper surface of small pebbles (77). From this pebble surface a quantity of industrial
ceramics, slag, charcoal and domestic ceramics were recovered. The sand layers were
clearly truncated in their lateral spread by abrupt interfaces, matching the outlines of
articulated skeleton that lay at a deeper level.
The stone rich layer of the graveyard (004) was formed predominantly of sub-angular
sandstone fragments that proved moderately hard to excavate through. There were a limited
number of gravecuts visible through this stone rich layer, although the vast majority of
articulated skeletons lay above this layer. There was a notable absence of disarticulated
skeletal material within and below this layer. The only articulated skeletons that were located
could be matched to breaks in this stone rich layer, inferred as gravecuts showing they post-
dated this feature.
Beneath the lower graveyard soil (067) was the natural sand subsoil (085). The sand subsoil
was exposed across the bed of the LSP and on negative features were identified penetrating
to a greater depth.

Figure 4: Site Plan (Black - Library walls; Blue – Trench limits; Grey – Wall foundations)

Fig 5: Skeleton excavation in progress
Fig 6: General view of Lift Shaft Pit during excavation
Fig 7: Context ; Extended inhumation

Discussion
Post-graveyard encroachment
The graveyard is likely to have fallen out of use around 1600, although probably in the 1600
to 1620 period rather than 1560 as previously suggested. After this time it has been inferred
from cartographic records that the graveyard was rapidly expanded into by the burgh.
The structure that is used as the public library is known to have been constructed around
1811 as a school. It was later used as the City Hall before being converted into the public
library.
The walls (003) identified cutting into the upper surface of the graveyard soil is likely to relate
in part the standing building. The known preceding structure, see Ainslie 1745 (Fig 2a) would
not underlie the excavation area. Conversely, the 1st edition Ordnance Survey from 1854 (Fig
3a) shows the internal plan of the building which includes a strange internal wall at the
eastern end. These walls match well with the main north to south wall, suggesting this may
be the same structural features.
The graveyard
The graveyard is likely to have been active from 1410 (possibly 1412 when the Holy Trinity
was completed) to 1600 (possibly as late as 1620). During this time the graveyard would
have been the dominant burial site for the dead of the burgh. The area excavated is within
the northern portion of the graveyard as formed by the 1410 gift of land to the church, as
opposed to the 1412 expansion to the west.
The high volume of skeletal material recovered from such a limited area (3m by 3m)
contrasts with the suggestion from the earlier excavations that ‘the cemetery was used less
intensively further away from the western porch’ (Cardy within Mackenzie & Moloney 1997,
155). Of insight to the scarcity of skeletal material within these service trenches outside the
library may be an issue of survival of the graveyard soil. The heights for skeletal material
from the excavation range from 21.17m to 20.17m Ordnance Datum. In contrast the external
surface to the immediate south in Logies Lane / Church Square is at 21.29m Ordnance
Datum. The 0.1m depth between road surface and potential skeletal material may suggest
that the graveyard in this are may have been truncated during the early nineteenth century
development of this area. Contrastingly the 1m full depth of skeletal bearing graveyard soil
within the library may have been protected by the construction of the building in the early
nineteenth century.
The homogeneity of the graveyard soil and the lack of distinguishable grave cuts suggest a
high degree of turbation through the use of the graveyard. The close proximity of the
skeletons, both vertically and laterally, also reflects the high density of use. It was frequently
noted that the skeletal material from different individual articulated skeletons physically
touched. This close proximity of individuals has not been taken to suggest multiple
inhumations in a single grave but rather through the use of shrouds in a cramp graveyard
that necessitated excavating graves until human skeletal material was exposed.
No evidence was noted during the excavations for the use of coffins. There was no recovery
of metal coffin furniture; limbs appeared to have been tightly bound while feet bones were
commonly found to have survived as a vertical stack of bones. There were no shroud pins
recovered.
The sequencing of inhumations can be elucidated from a more detailed examination of the
stratigraphic record. In summary a vertical sequence of at least eight inhumations can be
identified covering a 1m depth of graveyard soil. The sequence of height ranged plans in
Appendix 1 show the density of skeletal material within a shallow depth.
Construction debris
The stone rubble towards the base of the graveyard soil appears to have acted as a layer
that was predominantly inimical to the grave diggers. This prevented the users of the
graveyard exploiting the full depth of available soft sediment, perhaps exaggerating the

density by volume of skeletal material in the upper graveyard soil.

The rubble and sand are likely to be associated with the construction or demolition of a
substantive stone building prior to the use of the graveyard. The rubble fragments are
sandstone and while medium sized stones were present, they were generally small
fragments and none appeared to have been sculpted.
The use of stone in the construction of buildings prior to 1410 is unusual within a burgh, and
typically would predominantly be limited to church buildings and wealthy merchants. Given
the location of the excavation, in the mid point of a rig that did not front onto a venal or wynd,
it is most likely to relate to the construction of the Holy Trinity.
The presence of industrial ceramics, slag and fuel suggest that this construction also
involved metal fittings or furnishings of some kind. The most obvious option would be that
this debris derives from the fitting out of the Holy Trinity Parish Church, although other urban
structures must be a possibility.
Pre-construction activity
There were no identified features pre-dating the construction horizon, although the ground
does lie within the early medieval burgh. The absence of features in such a small area
cannot be taken as suggestive or indicative of much, although it may suggest a generally
disused or horticultural use for this portion of the burgage plot.
This contrasts with the suggestion from the records of the renovation of the Holy Trinity
(Henry 1912, Simpson & Stevenson 1981) that the church overlay the site of an orchard.
Equally the studies associated with other excavations within the graveyard, particularly in
proximity to the South Street, have identified structures and pits pre-dating the arrival of the
church (Mackenzie & Moloney 1997). The dating of the latter should be viewed with some
caution, given that these excavations were within the rig acquired in 1420, a decade after the
construction of the Holy Trinity.
Conclusion
The excavations within the public library in St Andrews of the Lift Shaft Pit and Underpin
Trench excavated seventy articulated human skeletons and significant quantities of
disarticulated skeletal material from the graveyard of the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity.
The graveyard is known to have been active between circa 1410 and 1600.
A horizon of construction material, including industrial ceramics and slags, was identified pre-
dating the graveyard soil. The origin of these materials is uncertain, although they may well
derive from the 1400 construction of the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity. These sediments
all overlay the natural sands and gravels.
The excavations cleared all the human skeletal material from the areas affected by the
refurbishment of the public library.
References
Ainslie 1745 County of Fife
Anon 1920 The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, St Andrews ,
Edinburgh.
Geddy 1580 Plan of St Andrews
Henry, D 1912 The Knights of St John with other mediaeval
institutions and their buildings in St Andrews , St
Andrews.
Mackenzie, JR and Moloney, CJ 1997 ‘Medieval development and the cemetery of the
Church of the Holy Trinity, Logies Lane, St
Andrews’ Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal,

vol 3, 143-160.
Mitchell, JF and Mitchell, S 1971 Monumental Inscriptions (pre-1855) in East Fife,
unpublished archive report.
Ordnance Survey 1854 1st edition Ordnance Survey map
Ordnance Survey 1893 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map
Rankin, WEK 1955 The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, St Andrews ,
Edinburgh.
Russell Walker, J 1888 Pre-Reformation Churches in Fife and the
Lothians, Vol 1 Fifeshire, Edinburgh.
Simpson, AT and Stevenson, S 1981 Historic St Andrews, Scottish Burgh Survey
Wood, John 1820 Plan of the city of St Andrews

Appendix 1: Skeleton Layers
Figure 9: Skeleton Layer 21.70m to 20.82m OD



Appendix 2: Context Register

No. Location Description
1 All Concrete slab forming original floor
level within building
2 All Made ground of rubble comprising
brick, plaster, ceramic, slate and stone
3 LS A stone built wall aligned north to
south whose base cuts into the upper
surface of the underlying graveyard
earth [04] while the upper portion is
within made ground [02]
4 LS The graveyard earth
5 LS The foundation trench for the north-
south stone wall [03]
6 All The eastern gable wall of the Library
7 UP1 A potential surface within the made
ground [02]
8 UP1 The graveyard earth
10 LS Skeleton
11 LS Skeleton
12 UP1 Skeleton
13 UP1 Skeleton
14 LS Skeleton
15 LS Skeleton
16 UP1 Skeleton
17 UP1 Skeleton
18 LS Skeleton
19 LS Skeleton
20 LS Skeleton
21 LS Sand layer within [004]
22 LS Skeleton
23 LS Skeleton
24 LS Skeleton
25 LS Skeleton
26 LS Skeleton
27 LS Skeleton
28 LS Skeleton
29 LS Skeleton
30 UP1 (N) Skeleton
31 UP1 (N) Skeleton
32 UP1 (N) Skeleton
33 UP1 (N) Skeleton
34 UP1 (N) Skeleton
35 UP1 (N) Skeleton
36 UP1 (N) Skeleton
37 UP1 (N) Sand layer within [004]
38 UP1 (N) Skeleton
39 UP1 (N) Skeleton
40 UP1 (N) Skeleton
41 UP1 (N) Skeleton
42 LS Skeleton
43 LS Skeleton

44 LS Skeleton
45 LS Skeleton
46 LS Skeleton
47 LS Skeleton
48 LS Skeleton
49 LS Skeleton
50 LS Skeleton
51 LS Skeleton
52 LS Skeleton
53 LS Skeleton
54 LS Skeleton
55 LS Skeleton
56 LS Skeleton
57 LS Skeleton
58 LS Skeleton
59 LS Skeleton
60 LS Skeleton
61 LS Skeleton
62 LS Skeleton
63 LS Skeleton
64 LS Skeleton
65 LS Skeleton
66 LS Skeleton
67 LS Mid-brown soil horizon beneath [04]
68 LS Skeleton
69 LS Skeleton
70 LS Skeleton
71 LS Skeleton
72 LS Skeleton
73 LS Skeleton
74 LS Skeleton
75 LS Skeleton
76 LS Skeleton
77 LS Pebble layer overlying [21]
78 LS Sediment infilling pit in SW corner of
LS
79 LS Skeleton
80 LS Skeleton
81 LS Skeleton
82 LS Skeleton
83 LS Skeleton
84 LS Skeleton
85 LS Skeleton
86 LS Skeleton
87 LS Skeleton
88 LS Skeleton
89 LS Skeleton
90 LS Skeleton
Appendix 3: Photographic Record

Film No. Description From Date
1 00 View of Lift shaft pit upper surface graveyard soil NE 02/07/03

1 1 View of Lift shaft pit upper surface graveyard soil S 02/07/03

1 2 View of Lift shaft pit upper surface graveyard soil SW 02/07/03
1 6 Find No 11 S 04/07/03
1 7 Find no 12 SW 04/07/03
1 8 Find No 13 SW 04/07/03
1 9 Find No 13 SW 04/07/03
1 10 Skelton 10 & 11 SW 04/07/03
1 11 04/07/03
1 12 Skelton 10 & 11 SW 04/07/03
1 13 General shot of lift shaft pit W 08/07/03
1 14 General of UPI south after cleaning S
1 15 General of North side lift shaft pit S
1 16 General reduction SW
1 18 General Shot W
1 19
1 20 Views of Mezzanine wall W 08/07/03
1 21 Views of Mezzanine wall SW
1 23 Skeleton No 13 W
1 25 Skeleton No 13 N
1 29 Excavator working W
1 31 Skeleton No 18 S
1 32 General lift shaft S
1 33
1 34 General working shot W
2 0 Working Shot W
2 1 Skeleton No20 W
2 2 Working Shot
2 4 General working shot N
2 7 Working Shot S
2 8 Find 67 W
2 9 Find 70 S
2 10 Find 68 69 E
2 11 Skeleton 17 S
2 12 Skeleton 17 S
2 13 Skeleton 17 S
2 14 Skeleton 18 S
2 15 Skeleton 18 S

2 16 Skeleton 18 S
2 17 Detail of feet and ankle of Skeleton 18 S
2 18 Detail of left femur of Sk18 overlying next skeleton N
2 19 Skull of Sk 18 overlying Sk19 S
2 24
2 25 Skeleton No 22 SW
2 26 Skull of Skeleton No 24 S
2 32 Skeleton No 24 NW
2 35
2 36 Finds 119, 120 S
3 0 Find 119,120 S
3 1 Find 119,120 S
3 2 Find 119,120 S
3 5 Skeleton No 23 S 14/07/03
3 6 Skeleton No’s 23,29 S 14/07/03
3 7 Skeleton No’s 23,29 N 14/07/03
3 8 Skeleton No 30 S 14/07/03
3 9 Skeleton No 30 S 14/07/03
3 10 Skeleton No 34 S 14/07/03
3 11 Skeleton No 34 S 14/07/03
3 12 Skeleton No’s 31,32 W 14/07/03
3 13 Skeleton No’s 31,32 W
3 14 General shot of UP1 North Mid ex S
3 15 Skeleton No 37 E
3 16 Skeleton No 37
3 17
3 18
3 19
3 20
3 21
3 22
3 23
3 24
3 25
3 26
3 27
3 28
3 29

3 30
3 31
3 32
3 33
3 34
3 35
3 36
3 37
4 1
4 2
4 3
4 4
4 5
4 6
4 7
4 8
4 9
4 10
4 11
4 12
4 13
4 14
4 15
4 16
4 17
4 18
4 19
4 20
4 21
4 22
4 23
4 24
4 25
4 26
4 27
4 28
4 29
4 30
4 31
4 32
4 33
4 34
4 35
4 36
5 1
5 2
5 3
5 4
5 5
5 6
5 7

5 8
5 9
5 10
5 11
5 12
5 13
5 14
5 15
5 16
5 17
5 18
5 19
5 20
5 21
5 22
5 23
5 24
Appendix 4: Human Bone; disarticulated

Find No. Context No. Spit Concentration Assorted Skull Notes
001 04 x Initial Clean
004 09 x Initial lift slab
005 04 x
007 08 x Levelling for Spit 1
011 08 x x Levelling for Spit 1
012 08 x x x Levelling for Spit 1
018 09 x Sondage
027 08 2 x
029 04 2 x
030 08 Lift Slab UP1
032 08 2 x x
043 08 1 x
046 08 x
051 04 2 x
054 08 x Around [12]
058 04 2 x
060 08 2 x x
062 04 x
063 04 1 x
067 08 x To west [16]
068 04 x On top [18]
069 04 x To north [18]
070 04 x To south [18]
072 08 2 x
075 08 x Sondage

087 04 2 x
090 04 2 x
092 08 x
093 08 x
106 04 2 x
108 02 x
111 08 2 x
117 04 2 x
119 04 2 x
121 08 x Around [24]
127 04 x Next to [28]
128 08 x Broken in NE
corner
132 08 x x
139 08 x UP1 (n)
141 04 3 x
161 08 x On ribs [41]
170 08 x Infant
173 08 x Bottom N end UP1
(n)
174 08 x Lower 1/2 UP1 (n)
175 04 x Cleaning at restart
177 U/S x From underpin
178 04 4 x
180 04 4 x
226 04 4 x
228 04 4 x
229 04 4 x
230 04 4 x
231 04 4 x
248 04 4 x
254 04 4 x
270 04 4 x
272 04 5 x
273 04 5 x
321 04 x Child by [57]
322 04 x Adult on [64]
332 67 6 x
345 67 6 x
357 04 x
358 04 x
373 04 x
375 04 x
376 04 x Mandible
391 04 x UP1 (mid)
405 US x
407 04 x
Appendix 5: Human Bone; articulated

Context Area Description Skull Left Right Spine, Left Right Mixed
No. Arm Arm Pelvis, Leg Leg
Ribs

10 LS Skeleton 022 023 017

11 LS Skeleton 024 025
12 UP1 Skeleton 050 048 047 / 049 055 364
365
13 UP1 Skeleton 033 035 034 036 360 361 053
16 UP1 Skeleton 362 074
17 UP1 Skeleton 077 079 / 080 / 078 /- 372 371
369 368 370
18 LS Skeleton 081 083 084 082 085 086
19 LS Skeleton 112 114 113 115 116
20 LS Skeleton 065 064 066
22 LS Skeleton 094 095 096 098 097 109
23 LS Skeleton 133 134 099 100 / 135
24 LS Skeleton 101 102 103 105 104
25 LS Skeleton 110
26 LS Skeleton 118 / 213 214 215 216 217
212
27 LS Skeleton 120 186 185 187 188 189
28 LS Skeleton 123 124 125 129 126
30 UP1 Skeleton 136 137 138
(N)
31 UP1 Skeleton 143 / 142 / 377 210 / 378
(N) 198 197
32 UP1 Skeleton 145 144 396
(N)
33 UP1 Skeleton 150 152 151 153
(N)
34 UP1 Skeleton 146 147 148 149
(N)
35 UP1 Skeleton 157 268 156 / 394 395
(N) 269
36 UP1 Skeleton 218 219 220 221 154 / 155 / 223
(N) 222
(N)
39 UP1 Skeleton 160
(N)
40 UP1 Skeleton 164 163 162 166 165
(N)
41 UP1 Skeleton 167 169 168
(N)
42 LS Skeleton 181 183 182 184
44 LS Skeleton 193 192 196 195 194
46 LS Skeleton 245 246 247 243 244
47 LS Skeleton 256 259 258 257 260 261
48 LS Skeleton 199 200 201 202
49 LS Skeleton 049 203 204 205 206
50 LS Skeleton 239 240 238 241 242
52 LS Skeleton 208
53 LS Skeleton 262 264 265 263 266 267
54 LS Skeleton 253 252 250 251

55 LS Skeleton 232 234 235 233 236 237

56 LS Skeleton 276 277 278 279
57 LS Skeleton 280 281 282 283 284 285
58 LS Skeleton 286 287 288
60 LS Skeleton 289 290 291 292 293 294
61 LS Skeleton 295 296 297 298 299 300
62 LS Skeleton 301 302 303 304 305
64 LS Skeleton 308 309 310 311 312
65 LS Skeleton 313
66 LS Skeleton 316 314 315
68 LS Skeleton 317 318 319 320 / 397
69 LS Skeleton 326 327 328 331 329 330
71 LS Skeleton 323
73 LS Skeleton 337 339 340 338 341 342
74 LS Skeleton 336 334 335
75 LS Skeleton 351 354 353 352 401 402
76 LS Skeleton 347 349 348 350 / 399
80 LS Skeleton 374
81 LS Skeleton 385 388 389 390
82 LS Skeleton 379 381 382 380
83 LS Skeleton 384 386 387
85 Skeleton 363
86 Skeleton 38 37
87 Skeleton 394 395
88 Skeleton 396
89 Skeleton 356 355
90 Skeleton
Appendix 6: Artefact Record

Find Context Spit Pottery Shell Animal Other Notes
No. No.
002 02 1 x
003 04 1 x x
006 03 1 x Tile fragment
008 08 1 x x Fe
010 04 1 x x Glass; Flint
015 08 1 x x Fe
019 09 1 x x Tile fragment
020 03 1 x x Brick; Tile
021 04 1 x
026 08 2 x
028 04 2 x
031 08 0 x
040 04 1 x x
044 08 1 x
045 08 1 x Slag

052 04 2 x x x Fe
059 04 2 x
061 08 x
071 08 2 x
073 08 2 x x
076 08 x
088 04 2 x
089 04 2 x x x Mortar
091 04 2 x
107 04 2 x x
122 04 2 x x x
140 08 x x
171 08 x
172 08 x
176 04 x x
179 04 4 x x
227 04 4 x x x
249 04 4 x x x Flint; Coal
255 04 x x x Flint
271 04 5 x x x Coal
333 67 6 x
346 67 6 x
359 04 x x
383 04 x Shattered in-
situ
392 04 x
393 077 x x Crucible; Slag;
Fe
398 04 x
Fe
406 04 6 x x
Appendix 7: Drawing Record

No. Description Type Scale
1 Plan after initial clean of skeletons and post- Plan 1:20
grayeard wall
2 Plan of Upper Spit 2 skeletons Plan 1:20
3 Plan of base Spit 2 skeletons Plan 1:20
4 Plan of top surface Spit 3 skeletons Plan 1:20
5 Plans of UP1 (n) skeletons Plan 1:20
6 Section of UP1 (n) east face Section 1:20
7 Plan of upper Spit 4 skeletons Plan 1:20
8 Plan of mid Spit 4 skeletons Plan 1:20
10 Plan of top Spit 5 skeletons Plan 1:20
12 Sections, east and west, of Lift Shaft Pit Section 1:20
13 Sections, north and south, of Lift Shaft Pit Section 1:20
14 Plans of UP1 (mid) skeletons Plan 1:20

Appendix 8: Discovery & Excavation in Scotland

LOCAL AUTHORITY: Fife
PROJECT TITLE/SITE St Andrews Public Library
NAME:
PARISH: St Andrews
NAME OF Thomas Rees
CONTRIBUTOR:
NAME OF Rathmell Archaeology Limited
ORGANISATION:
TYPE(S) OF PROJECT: Excavation
NMRS NO(S):
SITE/MONUMENT Medieval graveyard
TYPE(S):
SIGNIFICANT FINDS:+ Human Skeletal Material; Animal Bone; Medieval & Post-
Medieval Pottery; Industrial Pottery; & Slag
NGR (2 letters, 6 figures) NO 5089 1667
START DATE (this season) 2nd July 2003
END DATE (this season) 27th August 2003
PREVIOUS WORK (incl. None
DES ref.)
PROPOSED FUTURE Post-excavation analysis and reporting of materials
WORK:
MAIN (NARRATIVE) The excavations within the public library in St Andrews of
DESCRIPTION: (may the Lift Shaft Pit and Underpin Trench excavated seventy
include information from articulated human skeletons and significant quantities of
other fields) disarticulated skeletal material from the graveyard of the
Parish Church of the Holy Trinity. The graveyard is known
to have been active between 1410AD and 1600AD.
A horizon of construction material, including industrial
ceramics and slags, was identified pre-dating the
graveyard soil. The origin of these materials is uncertain,
although they may well derive from the 1400AD
construction of the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity.
These sediments all overlay the natural sands and
gravels.
The excavations cleared all the human skeletal material
from the areas affected by the refurbishment of the public
library.
PROJECT CODE: 03011

SPONSOR OR FUNDING Fife Council Technical Services
BODY:
ADDRESS OF MAIN 8, Underwood, Kilwinning, Ayrshire KA13 7HR
CONTRIBUTOR:
E MAIL: admin@rathmell-arch.co.uk
ARCHIVE LOCATION Report to F Archaeology Service and archive to National
(intended/deposited) Monuments Record of Scotland.

Contact Details
Rathmell Archaeology can be contacted at its Registered Office or through the web:
Rathmell Archaeology Ltd
8, Underwood
Kilwinning
Ayrshire
KA13 7HR
www.rathmell-arch.co.uk
t.: 01294 542848 f.: 01294 542849

m.: 07817 334907 e.: admin@rathmell-arch.co.uk

St Andrews Library:
Archaeological Excavation
Data Structure Report
February 2003
Rathmell
Archaeology Ltd
Overview
This Data Structure Report (DSR) presents the initial findings of an archaeological
excavation undertaken in connection with the redevelopment of the Public Library in St
Andrews, Fife (NGR ref: NO 5089 1667). The Public Library occupies an early nineteenth
century building that was constructed within the northwest corner of the then defunct
graveyard of the Holy Trinity Parish Church. These works were initiated in response to the
need to underpin the eastern gable of the library building and excavate a lift shaft pit adjacent
to the same wall.
Fife Council Technical Services were managing this redevelopment on behalf of Fife Council
Library Services and took advice and guidance from the Archaeological Unit within Fife
Council Development Services. Mr Douglas Speirs from the Archaeological Unit advised on
the scope and scale of archaeological works necessary to facilitate the necessary
redevelopment.
Rathmell Archaeology Ltd was appointed to act on behalf of Fife Council with regard to the
archaeological works. During July and August 2003 archaeological teams excavated the lift
shaft pit and adjacent underpin trenches to facilitate the building works. The majority of the
sediments excavated were from the graveyard, with elements of some seventy articulated
skeletons lifted as well as quantities of disarticulated human skeletal material and artefacts.
One distinct horizon was noted towards the base of the homogenised graveyard earth that
appeared to be construction debris. This included a considerable quantity of industrial
ceramics, slag and charcoal.
The whole of the lift shaft pit was excavated to natural sand sediments and all human
skeletal material removed from this area. The underpin trenches were cleared to the depth
necessary to facilitate the underpinning of the gable wall.
Fig 1: Geddy 1580
Project Works
The programme of works agreed with the Fife Council Archaeological Unit included an
archaeological desk-based assessment and the excavation of the Lift Shaft Pit (LSP) and the
Underpin Trench (UT). The LSP was 3m by 3m abutting the midpoint of the gable wall (Fig 4)
while the UT extended along the gable wall.
These works were undertaken in keeping with the agreed working protocol with on-site works
running from in two sessions from 2nd July 2003 to 15th July 2003 and from 11th August 2003
to 27th August 2003.

All articulated skeletal material was excavated and recorded as individual contexts, with
skeletal material bagged in six elements, where present (skull, torso and four limbs).
Disarticulated skeletal material and small finds were recovered by excavation level, while
disarticulated skulls were located three dimensionally and assigned individual small find
numbers.
The site team was typically three archaeologists and included Mr Thomas Rees, Mr Ally
Stewart, Mr Joe Ansell and Ms Laura Little. Both Mr Douglas Speirs and Mr Alastair Rees
undertook site monitoring on behalf of Fife Council Development Service Archaeological
Unit. The Historic Scotland monument warden also visited the site during the course of the
works. This report was prepared by Mr Thomas Rees, Mr Alan Matthews and Mr Douglas
Gordon.
All works were conducted in accordance with the Institute of Field Archaeology’s Standards
and Policy Statements and Code of Conduct and Historic Scotland Policy Statements.
Rathmell Archaeology excavation procedures were followed throughout.
Findings: Desk based assessment and site inspection

A desk-based assessment was undertaken in the course of these works to inform the on-site
interpretation and to provide a base for the development of a post-excavation programme.
Presented below are the summary of the provisional findings against core issues.
Fig 2a: Ainslie 1775 Fig 2b: Wood 1820

The Holy Trinity
The original parish church built in 1112 by Bishop Turgot (Russell Walker 1888) and
subsequently dedicated to the Holy Trinity by Bishop Bernhome, lay within the cathedral
precinct. This building became inadequate by the late 14th century. The parish church was
relocated to the present position on South Street after the gift to the church of land from Sir
William Lindsay of Bynes in 1410, with the new church built between 1410 and 1412. The
land gifted in the ‘Golden Charter’ was described as :
All of his lands lying in the city of St Andrews in South Street on the north side
thereof, between the lands of the heirs of the deceased Rankin Braboner on the
west, and the common vennel leading to the Market Cross of the said city on the
east’ (Rankin 1955,22)
This ground is described as the southern half of six rigs, fronting onto South Street. A further
grant of land in 1430 by Bishop Wardlaw, a seventh half rig, allowed the expansion of the
graveyard. This seventh rig was acquired from Rankin Brabonere (Henry 1912, 62) and as
such must be the ground to the west of the Holy Trinity, fronting onto Logies Lane.
The graveyard was bounded by a row of houses to the north and enclosed by a wall on the
other three sides. Geddy’s 1580 plan of St Andrews illustrates the church and graveyard (Fig
1) at its probable full extent.

The closure of the graveyard to new inhumations has previously been suggested as
occurring around the reformation, circa 1560 (Mackenzie & Moloney 1997). Certainly this
was the first opportunity to access the later burial grounds within the Cathedral Precinct.
Examination of the monumental inscriptions in the eastern burial ground indicates that the
earliest surviving monuments derive from the early 1600s (Mitchell & Mitchell 1971). This
may suggest that the graveyard of the Holy Trinity continued in use for several decades
beyond 1560.
The church was substantially altered, rebuilt and expanded at the end of the 18th century to
provide accommodation for 2500 parishioners (Russell Walker 1888). Ainslie 1775 (Fig 2a)
shows the structure prior to this rebuild while Wood 1820 (Fig 2b) shows the finished plan,
continued in the historic Ordnance Survey plans (Fig 3a & b). A second rebuild at the start of
the twentieth century attempted to restore some of the medieval character of the church and
contract its size. In the course of these works excavations revealed ‘…roots of some size …
suggestive of pear trees’ (Henry 1912, Simpson & Stevenson 1981).
Fig 3a: Ordnance Survey 1854 Fig 3b: Ordnance Survey 1893
The 1988 and 1991 Graveyard Excavations
During December 1988 SUAT undertook evaluation and in 1991 subsequent excavation
works (Mackenzie & Moloney 1997) in support of an environmental improvements scheme
for Logies Lane and Church Square. These works excavated a series of linear trenches for
services and rectangular tree pits across areas of the graveyard of the Holy Trinity Parish
Church.
The excavations lifted elements of some 121 individuals, although due to the size of trenches
no whole skeletons were recovered. The vast majority of burials were aligned west to east
and buried in shrouds within a homogenised graveyard soil. Very rarely a slightly altered
alignment was noted or evidence of coffin furniture. Overall the evidence recovered allowed
the inference that highest concentration of inhumations was at the western porch of the
church with the balance of the graveyard being less intensively used. The maximum
graveyard depth was 1m and at most, the skeletons were buried eight deep.
Structural remains were located on the frontage onto South Street and Logies Lane that were
interpreted as pre-dating the construction of the church. In addition, a demolition, or
construction, horizon of shattered stone was located to the west of the Church. The
structures pre-dating the Church were dated based on the overlying graveyard. This omits to
recognise that the western limit of the graveyard is on the ground gifted by Bishop Wardlaw
in 1420, after the completion of the Holy Trinity. Consequently these structures can only be
inferred to pre-date circa 1420, contra Mackenzie & Moloney 1997.
The Library Building
The ground on which the Library stands was clearly an within the northwest corner of the
enclosed graveyard until at least 1580 (Geddy, Fig 1). By 1745 AD (Ainslie, Fig 2a) there are
small buildings lying along the northern boundary of the graveyard, on the site of the later
library, but these are replaced by 1820 (Wood, Fig 2b) by a large rectangular structure. Thus

the building that subsequently became the library was constructed in the early nineteenth
century, with one source proposing a construction date of 1811, which appears credible. In
1820 Wood (Fig 2b) identifies the main building as an English School, while the neighbouring
structure is identified as a Reservoir.
By the 1st edition Ordnance Survey (1854) the structure is labelled as City Hall, and an
internal ground plan is provided. Subsequently in the twentieth century the building was
reused as the burgh’s public library.
Findings: Excavation trenches

The Lift Shaft Pit (LSP) and the Underpin Trenches (UT) were opened within the Public
Library, at the eastern end of the main structure against the eastern gable wall. Full
descriptions of each context are contained in the appendices at the end of this report. These
findings are a synthesis of the findings from these excavations.
The library floor was floored with concrete slab (001) that surfaced a depth of hardcore and
rubble (002). The floor surface was at 21.75m Ordnance Datum. This hardcore buried the
remnants of two mortared walls (003), the former running parallel to the east gable wall with
the latter running perpendicular and abutting the west side of the former. To the east of the
north-south wall (003) was evidence for some floored surfaces and steps (007) within the
lower horizons of the rubble. Combined these layers amounted to some 0.4m of material.
Underlying the rubble and associated walls was a deep homogenised graveyard soil (004)
that contained numerous articulated and disarticulated skeletal material. The articulated
skeletons were generally all aligned with east to west, with their heads to the west. No grave
goods were recovered from association with the inhumations. Some of the basal skeletons
within the sequence appeared to be on a subtly different alignment, being slightly southwest
to northeast. The heights for skeletal material from the excavation range from 21.17m to
20.17m Ordnance Datum and in total elements of some 76 articulated skeletons were lifted.
No gravecuts were visible although there was clear evidence for the loss of some elements
of articulated skeletons from the insertion of later burials. There was no evidence of coffins or
gravegoods. A volume of broken shards of pottery, animal bone and occasional marine shell
was recovered from the graveyard soil.
Towards the base of the graveyard soil to layers of sand were noted (037 and 021) which
appeared at the same level as a stone rich layer of the graveyard soil (004). The sand layers
were clean orange sand that overlay the lower graveyard soil (067), the southern sand had
an upper surface of small pebbles (77). From this pebble surface a quantity of industrial
ceramics, slag, charcoal and domestic ceramics were recovered. The sand layers were
clearly truncated in their lateral spread by abrupt interfaces, matching the outlines of
articulated skeleton that lay at a deeper level.
The stone rich layer of the graveyard (004) was formed predominantly of sub-angular
sandstone fragments that proved moderately hard to excavate through. There were a limited
number of gravecuts visible through this stone rich layer, although the vast majority of
articulated skeletons lay above this layer. There was a notable absence of disarticulated
skeletal material within and below this layer. The only articulated skeletons that were located
could be matched to breaks in this stone rich layer, inferred as gravecuts showing they post-
dated this feature.
Beneath the lower graveyard soil (067) was the natural sand subsoil (085). The sand subsoil
was exposed across the bed of the LSP and on negative features were identified penetrating
to a greater depth.

Figure 4: Site Plan (Black - Library walls; Blue – Trench limits; Grey – Wall foundations)

Fig 5: Skeleton excavation in progress
Fig 6: General view of Lift Shaft Pit during excavation

Discussion
Post-graveyard encroachment
The graveyard is likely to have fallen out of use around 1600, although probably in the 1600
to 1620 period rather than 1560 as previously suggested. After this time it has been inferred
from cartographic records that the graveyard was rapidly expanded into by the burgh.
The structure that is used as the public library is known to have been constructed around
1811 as a school. It was later used as the City Hall before being converted into the public
library.
The walls (003) identified cutting into the upper surface of the graveyard soil is likely to relate
in part the standing building. The known preceding structure, see Ainslie 1745 (Fig 2a) would
not underlie the excavation area. Conversely, the 1st edition Ordnance Survey from 1854 (Fig
3a) shows the internal plan of the building which includes a strange internal wall at the
eastern end. These walls match well with the main north to south wall, suggesting this may
be the same structural features.
The graveyard
The graveyard is likely to have been active from 1410 (possibly 1412 when the Holy Trinity
was completed) to 1600 (possibly as late as 1620). During this time the graveyard would
have been the dominant burial site for the dead of the burgh. The area excavated is within
the northern portion of the graveyard as formed by the 1410 gift of land to the church, as
opposed to the 1412 expansion to the west.
The high volume of skeletal material recovered from such a limited area (3m by 3m)
contrasts with the suggestion from the earlier excavations that ‘the cemetery was used less
intensively further away from the western porch’ (Cardy within Mackenzie & Moloney 1997,
155). Of insight to the scarcity of skeletal material within these service trenches outside the
library may be an issue of survival of the graveyard soil. The heights for skeletal material
from the excavation range from 21.17m to 20.17m Ordnance Datum. In contrast the external
surface to the immediate south in Logies Lane / Church Square is at 21.29m Ordnance
Datum. The 0.1m depth between road surface and potential skeletal material may suggest
that the graveyard in this are may have been truncated during the early nineteenth century
development of this area. Contrastingly the 1m full depth of skeletal bearing graveyard soil
within the library may have been protected by the construction of the building in the early
nineteenth century.
The homogeneity of the graveyard soil and the lack of distinguishable grave cuts suggest a
high degree of turbation through the use of the graveyard. The close proximity of the
skeletons, both vertically and laterally, also reflects the high density of use. It was frequently
noted that the skeletal material from different individual articulated skeletons physically
touched. This close proximity of individuals has not been taken to suggest multiple
inhumations in a single grave but rather through the use of shrouds in a cramp graveyard
that necessitated excavating graves until human skeletal material was exposed.
No evidence was noted during the excavations for the use of coffins. There was no recovery
of metal coffin furniture; limbs appeared to have been tightly bound while feet bones were
commonly found to have survived as a vertical stack of bones. There were no shroud pins
recovered.
The sequencing of inhumations can be elucidated from a more detailed examination of the
stratigraphic record. In summary a vertical sequence of at least eight inhumations can be
identified covering a 1m depth of graveyard soil. The sequence of height ranged plans in
Appendix 1 show the density of skeletal material within a shallow depth.
Construction debris
The stone rubble towards the base of the graveyard soil appears to have acted as a layer
that was predominantly inimical to the grave diggers. This prevented the users of the
graveyard exploiting the full depth of available soft sediment, perhaps exaggerating the

density by volume of skeletal material in the upper graveyard soil.

The rubble and sand are likely to be associated with the construction or demolition of a
substantive stone building prior to the use of the graveyard. The rubble fragments are
sandstone and while medium sized stones were present, they were generally small
fragments and none appeared to have been sculpted.
The use of stone in the construction of buildings prior to 1410 is unusual within a burgh, and
typically would predominantly be limited to church buildings and wealthy merchants. Given
the location of the excavation, in the mid point of a rig that did not front onto a venal or wynd,
it is most likely to relate to the construction of the Holy Trinity.
The presence of industrial ceramics, slag and fuel suggest that this construction also
involved metal fittings or furnishings of some kind. The most obvious option would be that
this debris derives from the fitting out of the Holy Trinity Parish Church, although other urban
structures must be a possibility.
Pre-construction activity
There were no identified features pre-dating the construction horizon, although the ground
does lie within the early medieval burgh. The absence of features in such a small area
cannot be taken as suggestive or indicative of much, although it may suggest a generally
disused or horticultural use for this portion of the burgage plot.
This contrasts with the suggestion from the records of the renovation of the Holy Trinity
(Henry 1912, Simpson & Stevenson 1981) that the church overlay the site of an orchard.
Equally the studies associated with other excavations within the graveyard, particularly in
proximity to the South Street, have identified structures and pits pre-dating the arrival of the
church (Mackenzie & Moloney 1997). The dating of the latter should be viewed with some
caution, given that these excavations were within the rig acquired in 1420, a decade after the
construction of the Holy Trinity.
Conclusion
The excavations within the public library in St Andrews of the Lift Shaft Pit and Underpin
Trench excavated seventy articulated human skeletons and significant quantities of
disarticulated skeletal material from the graveyard of the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity.
The graveyard is known to have been active between circa 1410 and 1600.
A horizon of construction material, including industrial ceramics and slags, was identified pre-
dating the graveyard soil. The origin of these materials is uncertain, although they may well
derive from the 1400 construction of the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity. These sediments
all overlay the natural sands and gravels.
The excavations cleared all the human skeletal material from the areas affected by the
refurbishment of the public library.
References
Ainslie 1745 County of Fife
Anon 1920 The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, St Andrews ,
Edinburgh.
Geddy 1580 Plan of St Andrews
Henry, D 1912 The Knights of St John with other mediaeval
institutions and their buildings in St Andrews , St
Andrews.
Mackenzie, JR and Moloney, CJ 1997 ‘Medieval development and the cemetery of the
Church of the Holy Trinity, Logies Lane, St
Andrews’ Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal,

vol 3, 143-160.
Mitchell, JF and Mitchell, S 1971 Monumental Inscriptions (pre-1855) in East Fife,
unpublished archive report.
Ordnance Survey 1854 1st edition Ordnance Survey map
Ordnance Survey 1893 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map
Rankin, WEK 1955 The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, St Andrews ,
Edinburgh.
Russell Walker, J 1888 Pre-Reformation Churches in Fife and the
Lothians, Vol 1 Fifeshire, Edinburgh.
Simpson, AT and Stevenson, S 1981 Historic St Andrews, Scottish Burgh Survey
Wood, John 1820 Plan of the city of St Andrews

Appendix 1: Skeleton Layers



Appendix 2: Context Register

No. Location Description
1 All Concrete slab forming original floor
level within building
2 All Made ground of rubble comprising
brick, plaster, ceramic, slate and stone
3 LS A stone built wall aligned north to
south whose base cuts into the upper
surface of the underlying graveyard
earth [04] while the upper portion is
within made ground [02]
4 LS The graveyard earth
5 LS The foundation trench for the north-
south stone wall [03]
6 All The eastern gable wall of the Library
7 UP1 A potential surface within the made
ground [02]
10 LS Skeleton
11 LS Skeleton
12 UP1 Skeleton
13 UP1 Skeleton
14 LS Skeleton
15 LS Skeleton
16 UP1 Skeleton
17 UP1 Skeleton
18 LS Skeleton
19 LS Skeleton
20 LS Skeleton
21 LS Sand layer within [004]
22 LS Skeleton
23 LS Skeleton
24 LS Skeleton
25 LS Skeleton
26 LS Skeleton
27 LS Skeleton
28 LS Skeleton
29 LS Skeleton
30 UP1 (N) Skeleton
31 UP1 (N) Skeleton
32 UP1 (N) Skeleton
33 UP1 (N) Skeleton
34 UP1 (N) Skeleton
35 UP1 (N) Skeleton
36 UP1 (N) Skeleton
37 UP1 (N) Sand layer within [004]
38 UP1 (N) Skeleton
39 UP1 (N) Skeleton
40 UP1 (N) Skeleton
41 UP1 (N) Skeleton
42 LS Skeleton
43 LS Skeleton

44 LS Skeleton
45 LS Skeleton
46 LS Skeleton
47 LS Skeleton
48 LS Skeleton
49 LS Skeleton
50 LS Skeleton
51 LS Skeleton
52 LS Skeleton
53 LS Skeleton
54 LS Skeleton
55 LS Skeleton
56 LS Skeleton
57 LS Skeleton
58 LS Skeleton
59 LS Skeleton
60 LS Skeleton
61 LS Skeleton
62 LS Skeleton
63 LS Skeleton
64 LS Skeleton
65 LS Skeleton
66 LS Skeleton
67 LS Mid-brown soil horizon beneath [04]
68 LS Skeleton
69 LS Skeleton
70 LS Skeleton
71 LS Skeleton
72 LS Skeleton
73 LS Skeleton
74 LS Skeleton
75 LS Skeleton
76 LS Skeleton
77 LS Pebble layer overlying [21]
78 LS Sediment infilling pit in SW corner of
LS
79 LS Skeleton
80 LS Skeleton
81 LS Skeleton
82 LS Skeleton
83 LS Skeleton
84 LS Skeleton
85 LS Skeleton
86 LS Skeleton
87 LS Skeleton
88 LS Skeleton
89 LS Skeleton
90 LS Skeleton
Appendix 3: Photographic Record

Film No. Description From Date
1 00 View of Lift shaft pit upper surface graveyard soil NE 02/07/03


1 6 Find No 11 S 04/07/03
1 7 Find no 12 SW 04/07/03
1 8 Find No 13 SW 04/07/03
1 9 Find No 13 SW 04/07/03
1 10 Skelton 10 & 11 SW 04/07/03
1 11 04/07/03
1 12 Skelton 10 & 11 SW 04/07/03
1 13 General shot of lift shaft pit W 08/07/03
1 14 General of UPI south after cleaning S
1 15 General of North side lift shaft pit S
1 18 General Shot W
1 19
1 20 Views of Mezzanine wall W 08/07/03
1 32 General lift shaft S
1 33
1 34 General working shot W
2 0 Working Shot W
2 1 Skeleton No20 W
2 2 Working Shot
2 4 General working shot N
2 7 Working Shot S
2 8 Find 67 W
2 9 Find 70 S
2 10 Find 68 69 E
2 11 Skeleton 17 S
2 12 Skeleton 17 S
2 13 Skeleton 17 S
2 14 Skeleton 18 S
2 15 Skeleton 18 S

2 16 Skeleton 18 S
2 17 Detail of feet and ankle of Skeleton 18 S
2 18 Detail of left femur of Sk18 overlying next skeleton N
2 19 Skull of Sk 18 overlying Sk19 S
2 24
2 32 Skeleton No 24 NW
2 35
2 36 Finds 119, 120 S
3 0 Find 119,120 S
3 1 Find 119,120 S
3 2 Find 119,120 S
3 5 Skeleton No 23 S 14/07/03
3 6 Skeleton No’s 23,29 S 14/07/03
3 7 Skeleton No’s 23,29 N 14/07/03
3 8 Skeleton No 30 S 14/07/03
3 9 Skeleton No 30 S 14/07/03
3 10 Skeleton No 34 S 14/07/03
3 11 Skeleton No 34 S 14/07/03
3 12 Skeleton No’s 31,32 W 14/07/03
3 13 Skeleton No’s 31,32 W
3 14 General shot of UP1 North Mid ex S
3 15 Skeleton No 37 E
3 16 Skeleton No 37
3 17
3 18
3 19
3 20
3 21
3 22
3 23
3 24
3 25
3 26
3 27
3 28
3 29

3 30
3 31
3 32
3 33
3 34
3 35
3 36
3 37
4 1
4 2
4 3
4 4
4 5
4 6
4 7
4 8
4 9
4 10
4 11
4 12
4 13
4 14
4 15
4 16
4 17
4 18
4 19
4 20
4 21
4 22
4 23
4 24
4 25
4 26
4 27
4 28
4 29
4 30
4 31
4 32
4 33
4 34
4 35
4 36
5 1
5 2
5 3
5 4
5 5
5 6
5 7

5 8
5 9
5 10
5 11
5 12
5 13
5 14
5 15
5 16
5 17
5 18
5 19
5 20
5 21
5 22
5 23
5 24
Appendix 4: Human Bone; disarticulated

Find No. Context No. Spit Concentration Assorted Skull Notes
001 04 x Initial Clean
004 09 x Initial lift slab
005 04 x
011 08 x x Levelling for Spit 1
018 09 x Sondage
027 08 2 x
029 04 2 x
030 08 Lift Slab UP1
032 08 2 x x
043 08 1 x
046 08 x
051 04 2 x
054 08 x Around [12]
058 04 2 x
060 08 2 x x
062 04 x
063 04 1 x
067 08 x To west [16]
068 04 x On top [18]
069 04 x To north [18]
070 04 x To south [18]
072 08 2 x
075 08 x Sondage

087 04 2 x
090 04 2 x
092 08 x
093 08 x
106 04 2 x
108 02 x
111 08 2 x
117 04 2 x
119 04 2 x
121 08 x Around [24]
127 04 x Next to [28]
128 08 x Broken in NE
corner
132 08 x x
139 08 x UP1 (n)
141 04 3 x
161 08 x On ribs [41]
170 08 x Infant
173 08 x Bottom N end UP1
(n)
174 08 x Lower 1/2 UP1 (n)
175 04 x Cleaning at restart
177 U/S x From underpin
178 04 4 x
180 04 4 x
226 04 4 x
228 04 4 x
229 04 4 x
230 04 4 x
231 04 4 x
248 04 4 x
254 04 4 x
270 04 4 x
272 04 5 x
273 04 5 x
321 04 x Child by [57]
322 04 x Adult on [64]
332 67 6 x
345 67 6 x
357 04 x
358 04 x
373 04 x
375 04 x
376 04 x Mandible
391 04 x UP1 (mid)
405 US x
407 04 x
Appendix 5: Human Bone; articulated

Context Area Description Skull Left Right Spine, Left Right Mixed
No. Arm Arm Pelvis, Leg Leg
Ribs

10 LS Skeleton 022 023 017

12 UP1 Skeleton 050 048 047 / 049 055 364
365
13 UP1 Skeleton 033 035 034 036 360 361 053
17 UP1 Skeleton 077 079 / 080 / 078 /- 372 371
369 368 370
18 LS Skeleton 081 083 084 082 085 086
19 LS Skeleton 112 114 113 115 116
20 LS Skeleton 065 064 066
22 LS Skeleton 094 095 096 098 097 109
23 LS Skeleton 133 134 099 100 / 135
24 LS Skeleton 101 102 103 105 104
25 LS Skeleton 110
26 LS Skeleton 118 / 213 214 215 216 217
212
27 LS Skeleton 120 186 185 187 188 189
28 LS Skeleton 123 124 125 129 126
30 UP1 Skeleton 136 137 138
(N)
31 UP1 Skeleton 143 / 142 / 377 210 / 378
(N) 198 197
32 UP1 Skeleton 145 144 396
(N)
33 UP1 Skeleton 150 152 151 153
(N)
34 UP1 Skeleton 146 147 148 149
(N)
35 UP1 Skeleton 157 268 156 / 394 395
(N) 269
36 UP1 Skeleton 218 219 220 221 154 / 155 / 223
(N) 222
(N)
39 UP1 Skeleton 160
(N)
40 UP1 Skeleton 164 163 162 166 165
(N)
41 UP1 Skeleton 167 169 168
(N)
42 LS Skeleton 181 183 182 184
44 LS Skeleton 193 192 196 195 194
46 LS Skeleton 245 246 247 243 244
47 LS Skeleton 256 259 258 257 260 261
48 LS Skeleton 199 200 201 202
49 LS Skeleton 049 203 204 205 206
50 LS Skeleton 239 240 238 241 242
52 LS Skeleton 208
53 LS Skeleton 262 264 265 263 266 267
54 LS Skeleton 253 252 250 251

55 LS Skeleton 232 234 235 233 236 237

56 LS Skeleton 276 277 278 279
57 LS Skeleton 280 281 282 283 284 285
58 LS Skeleton 286 287 288
60 LS Skeleton 289 290 291 292 293 294
61 LS Skeleton 295 296 297 298 299 300
62 LS Skeleton 301 302 303 304 305
64 LS Skeleton 308 309 310 311 312
65 LS Skeleton 313
66 LS Skeleton 316 314 315
68 LS Skeleton 317 318 319 320 / 397
69 LS Skeleton 326 327 328 331 329 330
71 LS Skeleton 323
73 LS Skeleton 337 339 340 338 341 342
74 LS Skeleton 336 334 335
75 LS Skeleton 351 354 353 352 401 402
76 LS Skeleton 347 349 348 350 / 399
80 LS Skeleton 374
81 LS Skeleton 385 388 389 390
82 LS Skeleton 379 381 382 380
83 LS Skeleton 384 386 387
85 Skeleton 363
86 Skeleton 38 37
87 Skeleton 394 395
88 Skeleton 396
89 Skeleton 356 355
90 Skeleton
Appendix 6: Artefact Record

Find Context Spit Pottery Shell Animal Other Notes
No. No.
002 02 1 x
003 04 1 x x
006 03 1 x Tile fragment
008 08 1 x x Fe
010 04 1 x x Glass; Flint
015 08 1 x x Fe
019 09 1 x x Tile fragment
020 03 1 x x Brick; Tile
021 04 1 x
026 08 2 x
028 04 2 x
031 08 0 x
040 04 1 x x
044 08 1 x
045 08 1 x Slag

052 04 2 x x x Fe
059 04 2 x
061 08 x
071 08 2 x
073 08 2 x x
076 08 x
088 04 2 x
089 04 2 x x x Mortar
091 04 2 x
107 04 2 x x
122 04 2 x x x
140 08 x x
171 08 x
172 08 x
176 04 x x
179 04 4 x x
227 04 4 x x x
249 04 4 x x x Flint; Coal
255 04 x x x Flint
271 04 5 x x x Coal
333 67 6 x
346 67 6 x
359 04 x x
383 04 x Shattered in-
situ
392 04 x
Fe
398 04 x
Fe
406 04 6 x x
Appendix 7: Drawing Record

No. Description Type Scale
1 Plan after initial clean of skeletons and post- Plan 1:20
grayeard wall
2 Plan of Upper Spit 2 skeletons Plan 1:20
4 Plan of top surface Spit 3 skeletons Plan 1:20
5 Plans of UP1 (n) skeletons Plan 1:20
6 Section of UP1 (n) east face Section 1:20
7 Plan of upper Spit 4 skeletons Plan 1:20
8 Plan of mid Spit 4 skeletons Plan 1:20
12 Sections, east and west, of Lift Shaft Pit Section 1:20
13 Sections, north and south, of Lift Shaft Pit Section 1:20
14 Plans of UP1 (mid) skeletons Plan 1:20

Appendix 8: Discovery & Excavation in Scotland

LOCAL AUTHORITY: Fife
PROJECT TITLE/SITE St Andrews Public Library
NAME:
PARISH: St Andrews
NAME OF Thomas Rees
CONTRIBUTOR:
NAME OF Rathmell Archaeology Limited
ORGANISATION:
TYPE(S) OF PROJECT: Excavation
NMRS NO(S):
SITE/MONUMENT Medieval graveyard
TYPE(S):
SIGNIFICANT FINDS:+ Human Skeletal Material; Animal Bone; Medieval & Post-
Medieval Pottery; Industrial Pottery; & Slag
NGR (2 letters, 6 figures) NO 5089 1667
START DATE (this season) 2nd July 2003
END DATE (this season) 27th August 2003
PREVIOUS WORK (incl. None
DES ref.)
PROPOSED FUTURE Post-excavation analysis and reporting of materials
WORK:
MAIN (NARRATIVE) The excavations within the public library in St Andrews of
DESCRIPTION: (may the Lift Shaft Pit and Underpin Trench excavated seventy
include information from articulated human skeletons and significant quantities of
other fields) disarticulated skeletal material from the graveyard of the
Parish Church of the Holy Trinity. The graveyard is known
to have been active between 1410AD and 1600AD.
A horizon of construction material, including industrial
ceramics and slags, was identified pre-dating the
graveyard soil. The origin of these materials is uncertain,
although they may well derive from the 1400AD
construction of the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity.
These sediments all overlay the natural sands and
gravels.
The excavations cleared all the human skeletal material
from the areas affected by the refurbishment of the public
library.
PROJECT CODE: 03011

SPONSOR OR FUNDING Fife Council Technical Services
BODY:
ADDRESS OF MAIN 8, Underwood, Kilwinning, Ayrshire KA13 7HR
CONTRIBUTOR:
E MAIL: admin@rathmell-arch.co.uk
ARCHIVE LOCATION Report to F Archaeology Service and archive to National
(intended/deposited) Monuments Record of Scotland.

Contact Details
Rathmell Archaeology can be contacted at its Registered Office or through the web:
Rathmell Archaeology Ltd
8, Underwood
Kilwinning
Ayrshire
KA13 7HR
www.rathmell-arch.co.uk
t.: 01294 542848 f.: 01294 542849

m.: 07817 334907 e.: admin@rathmell-arch.co.uk

ST Andrews Public Library DSR - RA03011

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Data Structure Report

Fig 1: Geddy 1580

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 1 of 24

Findings: Desk based assessment and site inspection

Fig 2a: Ainslie 1775 Fig 2b: Wood 1820

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 2 of 24

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 3 of 24

Findings: Excavation trenches

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 4 of 24

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 5 of 24

Fig 5: Skeleton excavation in progress

Fig 6: General view of Lift Shaft Pit during excavation

Fig 7: Context ; Extended inhumation

Fig 8: Context ; Extended inhumation

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 6 of 24

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 7 of 24

density by volume of skeletal material in the upper graveyard soil.

Andrews’ Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal,

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 9 of 24

Appendix 1: Skeleton Layers

Figure 9: Skeleton Layer 21.70m to 20.82m OD

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 10 of 24

Figure 10: Skeleton Layer 20.81m to 20.61m OD

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 11 of 24

Figure 11: Skeleton Layer 20.60m to 19.72m OD

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 12 of 24

Appendix 2: Context Register

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 13 of 24

Appendix 3: Photographic Record

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 14 of 24

1 1 View of Lift shaft pit upper surface graveyard soil S 02/07/03

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 15 of 24

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 16 of 24

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 17 of 24

Appendix 4: Human Bone; disarticulated

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 18 of 24

Appendix 5: Human Bone; articulated

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 19 of 24

10 LS Skeleton 022 023 017

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 20 of 24

55 LS Skeleton 232 234 235 233 236 237

Appendix 6: Artefact Record

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 21 of 24

Appendix 7: Drawing Record

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 22 of 24

Appendix 8: Discovery & Excavation in Scotland

PROJECT CODE: 03011

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 23 of 24

t.: 01294 542848 f.: 01294 542849

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 24 of 24

Data Structure Report

Fig 1: Geddy 1580

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 1 of 24

Findings: Desk based assessment and site inspection

Fig 2a: Ainslie 1775 Fig 2b: Wood 1820

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 2 of 24

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 3 of 24

Findings: Excavation trenches

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 4 of 24

 Rathmell Archaeology Ltd, Page 5 of 24

Fig 5: Skeleton excavation in progress

Fig 6: General view of Lift Shaft Pit during excavation