Exciting find at Fetternear – and plea for help
The 15th field season of an archaeological dig took place during the month of July at Fetternear, near Kemnay, the site of a medieval bishop’s palace and the post-medieval mansion of the Leslies of Balquhain. It attracted a large number of volunteers. People came to Fetternear from near and wide, from the local area and also from countries such as the USA, Canada, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Australia and Chile.
Please may I use the letters page to thank everyone for their participation and excellent team spirit under changing weather conditions?
One of the most surprising and exciting finds from this season’s work was the discovery of the sole plate of a medieval trestle bridge which originally spanned the water channelled round the medieval bishop’s palace in a system consisting of a moat and ditches. It was placed to face the direction of the former parish kirk of Fetternear, the now ruined St Ninian’s, about one mile distant from the site.
This discovery provides us with an excellent example of medieval carpentry – the makers’ marks are still clearly visible in the well preserved oak beam. The position of the bridge will also provide us with a strong basis for understanding the medieval landscape.
The beam has been transported to the University of Wales, Lampeter for study and we wish to thank Mike Taitt of Oyne and the staff of Bon Accord Landscapes (Fetternear) and Jewson (Lampeter) for their help in lifting the heavy oak beam safely before and after transportation. It measures 4.32 metres long (14.17 feet) and presents us with unusual logistical problems for storage until it can be studied by a specialist in tree-ring dating.
The work at Fetternear forms part of a community project; we do not receive funds from central government and we are largely reliant on donations. We would be extremely grateful to receive financial assistance to help us store and study this unusual archaeological find, the investigation of which will provide a richly detailed insight into Fetternear’s cultural history.
Dr Penny Dransart,
Dept of Archaeology, University of Wales, Lampeter, Ceredigion SA48 7ED