Churches and ditches

The Kilwinning dig has continued their excavations over the past week and have for the first time revealed traces of the first reformed church in Kilwinning, proving its location.

During the reformation, 450 years ago, Kilwinning Abbey was cast down on the instruction of John Knox by the Earls of Glencairn and Argyll. The fifteenth century had seen a steady decline in the fortunes of the Abbey, so it is uncertain as to whether the buildings were actually destroyed in 1562 or if already dilapidated structures were finally abandoned through the attention of the Earls.

The loss of the Abbey left the town without a place of worship, and the first reformed church was thought to have been formed within the ruins of the Nave of the Abbey Church. A note of continuity came from the first minister of the parish, William Kilpatrick, who was a former Tironensian monk from the Abbey.

Excavations over the past week have uncovered several stretches of walling in the south aisle of the Nave that are not medieval, but infill between the piers of the south aisle. These, and a raised internal floor, are all elements of the first reformed church that was formed within the derelict Abbey Church. This church used much of the surviving medieval fabric within its walls to retain the height of the original Abbey, but was of a much more modest size in plan.

This was also the week the project escaped the confines of the Abbey grounds to start hunting for a medieval ditch that is thought to run to the south of Vaults Lane. If the ditch can be located it would prove the location of the outer boundary of the Abbey. In the coming week more work will be conducted outside the Abbey grounds with the start of test-pits in local gardens to look for artefacts that may relate to the Abbey and the medieval burgh.

One last week of excavation is ahead of the volunteer team who are hoping for many more exciting finds from the trenches. Throughout the excavations the public are welcome to visit, explore the Abbey, discover the past of Kilwinning in the Heritage Centre and climb the tower for a stunning view of the town and Ayrshire.

You can also follow the project and ask questions of the team on their Facebook page.

Find out more on the Kilwinning Community Archaeology project page.