Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM9858_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013604)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the excavated footings of the conventual buildings of the Observanat Franciscan Friary and of the adjoining parts of the church.

The friary was founded at a date before 1505, and may have been defunct before the Reformation, having been badly damaged in the English attacks of 1544 and 1545, and possibly earlier in that of 1523. The site was excavated in 1983-85 and 1991-92, and the lower walls of the greater part of the conventual buildings have been laid out within a formal garden, with other known elements marked out in the ground surface of the Lothian and Borders Cooperative Society's car park.

Being a late foundation on a peripheral burgh site, the buildings could not be correctly orientated, being laid out instead on a south-east to north west axis, with the conventual buildings to the north-east of the church, presumably on the side away from the street. The evidence, which is the most complete of any of the Scottish mendicant houses so far investigated, indicated that the conventual buildings were laid out to the standard monastic plan, with three ranges around a square cloister garth and the church on the fourth side.

The footings of arcade walls enclosing walks were found around three sides of the cloister, and it seems from what can be understood of the plan that the chapter house and refectory were in the customary positions.

The area to be scheduled is marked in red on the accompanying map extract, and measures a maximum of 42m from the westernmost to the easternmost point, and 43m from the northwesternmost to the southernmost point.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as the most extensively investigated, and most completely displayed remains of the claustral buildings of a medieval friary in Scotland.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.