Medieval Pottery found at Dalrymple
Exterior of pottery sherd, image copyright Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
A programme of evaluation trenching carried out by Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services in advance of an extension to the existing cemetery at Dalrymple Church in East Ayrshire has recovered a fragment of medieval redware. The proposed cemetery extension would be located in the area to the north-west of the existing parish church, which was erected in 1849; however, this building sits within a churchyard of earlier date, while 'Dalrymple Kirk' was depicted on Roy's Military Survey of Scotland, indicating that a church was present on the site prior to the erection of the existing building.
Fourteen trenches were excavated during the course of the evaluation, with the fragment of medieval pottery being found in the trench adjacent to the north-western corner of the original churchyard. This sherd has been analysed by Derek Hall, who identified it as coming from a splash-glazed jug. It is a body sherd of a fine redware farbric with with quartz inclusions (including at least one white one), coloured red / brown internally with a grey core. Its external surface has a purple heat skin and traces of a green splashed glaze
Interior of pottery sherd, image copyright Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
This sherd fits the defined parameters of the Scottish medieval Redware industry and would therefore date to between the late 12th and 15th centuries. Analysis of the excavated pottery assemblages from the medieval burgh of Ayr suggested that such Redware fabrics were not locally produced but possibly imported from the Scottish East Coast and this may also be the case with this sherd.