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Aberdeen, 78 Schoolhill, Aberdeen Art Gallery, War Memorial And Cowdray Hall

Art Gallery (20th Century), Charnel House (19th Century), Commemorative Monument (20th Century), Museum (20th Century), School (19th Century), War Memorial (20th Century)

Site Name Aberdeen, 78 Schoolhill, Aberdeen Art Gallery, War Memorial And Cowdray Hall

Classification Art Gallery (20th Century), Charnel House (19th Century), Commemorative Monument (20th Century), Museum (20th Century), School (19th Century), War Memorial (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Robert Gordon's Institute Of Technology; Blackfriars Street; Robert Gordon University; Former Gray's School Of Art

Canmore ID 20087

Site Number NJ90NW 180

NGR NJ 93884 06372

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/20087

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

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Digital Images


First 100 images shown. See the Collections panel (below) for a link to all digital images.

Administrative Areas

  • Council Aberdeen, City Of
  • Parish Aberdeen
  • Former Region Grampian
  • Former District City Of Aberdeen
  • Former County Aberdeenshire

Archaeology Notes

NJ90NW 180 93884 06372

For cist found during the construction of this building, see NJ90NW 169.

Art Gallery built 1885, architect A Marshall Mackenzie; Sculpture Court added by him in 1905. War Memorial, Cowdray Hall etc by A Marshall Mackenzie and A G R Mackenzie 1923-5. Lion sculpture by W McMillan.

HBD List 1965 (Aberdeen).

Art Gallery and Regional Museum Buildings [NAT]

Memorial [NAT]

OS 1:1250 map, 1968.

Architecture Notes

NMRS REFERENCE:

Aberdeen, 78 Schoolhill, Aberdeen Art Gallery, War Memorial and Cowdray Hall.

Architect: A Marshall Mackenzie 1885.

A Marshall Mackenzie 1905 - Sculpture Court.

A Marshal Mackenzie 1923-5 - War Memorial and Cowdray Hall.

- Also James Matthews?.

Aberdeen, Sculture Gallery.

Photographs: Bedford Lemer Book 5 19061,19003 - Negatives.

Activities

Watching Brief (23 October 2012)

An archaeological watching brief on the digging of two engineers test pits at Robert Gordon’s College, Schoolhill was carried out for Aberdeen City Council to ensure that any archaeological deposits were monitored and recorded during the work. This work was undertaken to assess the nature of the foundations of Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Information from Oasis (derekhal1-136028) 2 November 2012

Watching Brief (11 February 2013 - 2 May 2013)

A watching brief was undertaken on the digging of engineers test pits inside and outside the Art Gallery and surrounding area in advance of a proposed refurbishment of the building. Most of the pits were in existing foundation trenches and did not encounter undisturbed archaeological deposits however test pitting against the external eastern wall of the gallery located a single fragment of human fibula in close proximity to the spot where a medieval floor tile fragment had been located.

Information from Oasis (derekhal1-143207) 23 September 2013

Project (February 2014 - July 2014)

A data upgrade project to record war memorials.

Watching Brief (19 January 2015 - 28 January 2015)

NJ 93881 06367 Ten trial pits, 8 interior and 2 exterior were observed, 19–28 January 2015, prior to the redevelopment of Aberdeen Art Gallery. Most were positioned along walls to inspect foundations of walls and pillars. No archaeological deposits or finds were recorded.

Archive: National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE)

Funder: Aberdeen City Council

Alison Cameron - Cameron Archaeology

(Source: DES, Volume 16)

Excavation (21 October 2015)

NJ 93884 06372 A watching brief began on groundwork associated with the redevelopment of the art gallery on 21 October 2015. The gallery had been constructed on the grounds of a Dominican friary, apparently founded by Alexander II sometime between 1230–1249.

Excavations outside the gallery uncovered a red brick charnel house containing three Victorian coffins, containing a mass of disarticulated human remains. The remains were from a minimum of 35 individuals, were probably medieval in date and associated with the Dominican friary.

Internally, two areas of excavation revealed in situ extended inhumations of 55 individuals, all on a roughly E/W orientation. The individuals vary in both age and gender, and were of varying condition across the site. In some instances, parts of individuals had been moved out to accommodate a new burial. A small selection of medieval ceramics, including tile fragments, and copper alloy shroud pins were retrieved from amongst the burials.

Archive: NRHE

Funder: Aberdeen City Council

Steven Watt – AOC Archaeology Group

(Source: DES 2016, Vol 17)

Watching Brief (22 October 2015 - 1 January 2018)

AOC Archaeology Group was commissioned by Gareth Hoskins Architects on behalf of their client Aberdeen City Council to carry out a watching brief on groundworks associated with the redevelopment of Aberdeen Art Gallery. The gallery has been constructed on the grounds of a Dominican friary, apparently founded by Alexander II sometime between 1230 - 1249. Excavations outside the gallery uncovered a red brick charnel house containing three Victorian coffins, containing a mass of disarticulated human remains. The remains were from a minimum of 35 individuals, and were likely medieval in date connected with the Dominican friary associated with this area. Internally two areas of excavation revealed in situ extended inhumations of 55 individuals. The individuals range in both age and gender, all on a roughly east-west orientation. The inhumations were of varying condition across the site, in some instances parts of individuals had been scarped out to accommodate a new burial. Amongst the burials a small selection of medieval ceramics, including tile fragments, and copper alloy shroud pins were retrieved. A fully PERD will be submitted in due course suggesting a suite of analysis to fully comprehend the remains found at the art gallery.

Information from OASIS ID: aocarcha1-242694 (S Watt) 2018

Archaeological Evaluation (10 August 2018 - 8 October 2018)

A Data Structure Report has been prepared for the Aberdeen City Council to report archaeological works undertaken at Schoolhill, Aberdeen. These works were in support of site investigation works to ascertain the nature of services with the planned area. The archaeological works were designed to mitigate any adverse impact on the archaeological remains within the affected areas.

Four test pits were excavated to identify the nature of services and any archaeological features in the form of inhumations associated with the Blackfriars church within the proposed development area.

No other features, artefacts or graves were identified during the monitoring. No significant archaeological features, artefacts or graves associated with Blackfriars were identified and as such it is recommended that no further work will be required .

Information from OASIS ID: rathmell1-248887 (J Portwood) 2018

Watching Brief (8 April 2019 - 10 September 2019)

This Data Structure Report has been prepared for the Aberdeen City Council to report on archaeological works undertaken at Schoolhill, Aberdeen. These works were in support of the construction of a new access ramp and were designed to mitigate any adverse impact on the archaeological remains within the affected areas. The works consisted of a watching brief of the excavation of a series of test pits (later widened into a track), the removal and replacement of curb stones, a track excavated for new ducting and the removal of a lightening column carried out to facilitate the construction of the new ramp. No significant archaeological features or inhumations associated with Blackfriars Church were identified during the watching brief.

Information from OASIS ID: rathmell1-348432 (J Portwood) 2019

References

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