Archaeology in the Public Eye: Excavations at the Tron Kirk, Edinburgh
On public display since the 1980s, the archaeology of the Tron Kirk has proved a popular tourist attraction, providing a rare opportunity to view a section of post-medieval Edinburgh. As part of the proposed redevelopment of the Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, AOC Archaeology Group and the City of Edinburgh Archaeology Service were given the opportunity to re-analyse and complete the excavations of the structures within the existing building. Due to the popularity of the Tron exhibition it was decided that the excavations should be open to the public, allowing them the chance to view archaeology in action right in the heart of Edinburgh.
The Tron Kirk, one of the more prominent buildings on the Royal Mile, was originally constructed between 1637 and 1655 in order the house the dispossessed congregation of St Giles when the latter became a cathedral. Two seasons of excavation in the central area of the interior of the church during the 1970s and early 1980s demonstrated that the Tron Kirk sealed the remains of post-medieval tenements either side of Marlyns Wynd. Architectural analysis of the buildings demonstrated that at least one of them was constructed no earlier than 1600 AD, while the artefact assemblage provided an important and rare opportunity to study from an urban context a tightly dated and sealed assemblage of late 1630’s domestic artefacts.
The aim of the recent 2006 excavation, led by AOC Project Officer Martin Cook, was to examine the unexcavated peripheral sections of the building, which were previously unavailable for analysis. The excavation identified at least five separate tenement cellars and their associated internal furniture, in situ floor surfaces and occupation deposits. A section of one the walls, which survived up to 2 m in height, contained surviving plaster decorated with geometric designs on it. However, more surprisingly was the identification of a three metre section of the High Street and associated shop frontage, perhaps one of the earliest surviving streets in Edinburgh. The recovery of a series of eight coins including Charles 1 ‘taylor’ coins and a rare English royal farthing token of Charles I, dating from the period 1625-34, may represent a small hoard, possibly lost from a purse or pocket. On completion of the excavation, the entire site was subject to a Laser Scan by AOC Archaeology Group, which surveyed both the archaeological deposits and the surrounding church structure to millimetre accuracy to give a highly accurate digital 3D record representation.
A programme of post-excavation analyses is currently underway and will comprise a re-analysis of some of the material recovered from the original excavation and a full analysis of all the artefacts recovered in the most recent works. The completed analyses have already provided interesting information suggesting that the inhabitants of the houses were able to afford prestige glass and ceramic ware imported from Europe.
The opening of the Tron Kirk excavations to the public proved to be a huge success attracting over 1500 visitors as well as the Midlothian Young Archaeologists Club. Even after the Tron Kirk is redeveloped, the majority of the excavation will still be on view to the public, through 3D plans of the structures generated by AOC Archaeology Group’s laser scan survey. This will form part of an interpretation scheme which will not only explore the history of the site but also provide an opportunity to interpret the wider archaeology of Edinburgh’s Old Town. It is hoped that many more visitors will be able to enjoy the Tron Kirk and its surprising contents in the future.
AOC Excavation Director: Martin Cook
Client: City of Edinburgh Council Archaeology Service
