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Dumfries, Greyfriars Church

Figurine (Bronze), Hoard (Bronze)(Bronze Age), Unidentified Pottery (Medieval)

Site Name Dumfries, Greyfriars Church

Classification Figurine (Bronze), Hoard (Bronze)(Bronze Age), Unidentified Pottery (Medieval)

Canmore ID 65553

Site Number NX97NE 24

NGR NX 9712 7629

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/65553

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Dumfries And Galloway
  • Parish Dumfries
  • Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
  • Former District Nithsdale
  • Former County Dumfries-shire

Archaeology Notes

NX97NE 24 9712 7629.

(NX 9712 7629) A Middle Bronze Age hoard was found in 1866 during excavations for the foundations of Greyfriars Church. The hoard was placed in the Crichton Royal Institution, and recently four axes from the Institution have been given to Dumfries Museum. Casts of two spearheads are also in Dumfries Museum, the originals in the Crichton having been lost. There is some evidence that the Institution possessed two axes and one spearhead before the hoard was placed there. It is therefore possible that the original Greyfriars hoard consisted of only two axes and one spearhead, but, if so, which of the six objects mentioned above is not known.

The total material consisted of three palstaves, one flanged axe, and two spearheads. One of the latter is re-classified by Coles (J M Coles 1971) as Early Bronze Age (Class B).

J M Coles 1966; J M Corrie 1926; J G Callander 1925; A E Truckell 1964.

(Socketed spearhead of Gerloff's class II - Arreton type). Spearhead with ogival blade, keeled midrib and bevelled edges, 2 'mock rivets' on socket. Found with looped spearhead, three palstaves and flanged axe (associations not absolutely certain); spearheads lost but casts in Dumfries Museum.

S Gerloff 1975.

A bronze figure of Christ was also found during the excavations. Medieval pottery from here is also in Dumfries Museum.

Information from OS Recorder (IF) 14 June 1979.

Hoard found in 1866 when excavating the foundations of the church. Associated finds: the exact content of the hoard is not known. The original material was given to the Crichton Royal Institution and then passed to Dumfries Museum without exact provenance. The Crichton Institution possessed other material besides the Greyfriars hoard, which may originally have comprised only two axes and one spearhead.

(529. Short-flanged axe of Cargill type). Flanged axe, slightly corroded, brown, sharp butt and cutting edge, bar-stop, septum above it thinner than below. Length 105mm, butt 25mm, cutting edge 40mm, weight 200 gms. Dumfries Museum 1964.15.

(801. Low-flanged palstave of Wantage type). Palstave, rough cast, cleaned (?), black, butt incomplete. Length 160mm, butt 19mm, stop-height 8mm, cutting edge 62mm, weight 520 gms. Dumfries Museum 1964.16.

(841. Palstave of South-Western type). Palstave, rough, black, cutting edge incomplete. Length 128mm, butt 20mm, stop-height 7mm, cutting edge 47mm, weight 300 gms. Dumfries Museum 1964.15.

(958. Irish palstave of group C1). Palstave, smooth, black, slightly asymmetrical casting seam, undercut stop. Length 81mm, butt 17mm, cutting edge 36mm, stop-height 11mm, weight 110 gms. Dumfries Museum 1964.15.

The spearheads have been lost; only casts remain.

P K Schmidt and C B Burgess 1981.

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