Burgess, Merchant and Priest: The Medieval Scottish Town [Paperback]

Derek Hall (Author), Christina Unwin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2002 | Series: Making of Scotland

This work examines what life was like in the new communities founded by David I in the 12th century, such as Perth, Aberdeen, Elgin, Edinburgh and Glasgow. It looks at houses, clothes and lifestyles, and also in relation to the religious houses which played such an important part in their life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Derek Hall lives in Perth where he is deputy director of SUAT (derived from the old Urban Archaeology Unit). He was educated at Elgin and in Weymouth and has worked for a variety of archaeological bodies including Historic Scotland where he was an Inspector. He is currently chairman of the Council for Scottish Archaeology Churches Committee. He has written numerous articles and reports and contributed a chapter to The Perthshire Book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Birlinn Ltd (October 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184158147X
• ISBN-13: 978-1841581477
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,511,527 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good background material on Medieval Scotland...., November 27, 2002

By 

Dianne Foster "Di" (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Burgess, Merchant and Priest: The Medieval Scottish Town (Paperback)

BURGESS, MERCHANT AND PRIEST is a relatively new addition to the series of monographs on The Making of Modern Scotland published by Scotland House. This monograph (55 pages) contains a distillation of archeological material gleaned over the past 25+ years about burgh life in Scottish Medieval settlements. Sites listed include Perth and Stirling, plus the deserted burgh of Rattray and the essentially unaltered burgh of Clackmannan.

Settlers in the Scottish burghs appear to have been relatively religious, as shown by material from Christian churches, old grave sites, and miscellaneous items. For me the most intriguing site is Elgin in the Northeast and the Highlands. Elgin was founded by David I in the 12th Century, and wonderful ruins still stand in the heart of the old burgh, including `the Elgin Piller' in the graveyard and the Main Door to the church.

Many other structures have been uncovered by archeologists, from blacksmiths workshops to hospitals for lepers and pilgrims, to farm enclosures. Merchant's seal, old shoes, bits of fabric including the remnants of Spanish silk, a knife handle engraved with a green man, bread ovens, bell molds, and Medieval corn dryers add to the list of "finds". In one of the burghs, Ayr, a Medieval bridge still stands. The monograph includes maps of the burghs, diagrams of the excavation sites, photographs of excavated areas, and a list of places to visit in Scotland where archeological investigations continue.