Ancient Monuments

History on the Ground

This site is entirely user-supported. See how you can help.

Coldingham Priory, claustral remains

A Scheduled Monument in East Berwickshire, Scottish Borders

We don't have any photos of this monument yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?

Upload Photo »

Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

If Google Street View is available, the image is from the best available vantage point looking, if possible, towards the location of the monument. Where it is not available, the satellite view is shown instead.

Coordinates

Latitude: 55.8865 / 55°53'11"N

Longitude: -2.1549 / 2°9'17"W

OS Eastings: 390407

OS Northings: 665940

OS Grid: NT904659

Mapcode National: GBR F0DC.8P

Mapcode Global: WH9XW.W90N

Entry Name: Coldingham Priory, claustral remains

Scheduled Date: 9 November 1937

Last Amended: 19 May 2017

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM383

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Crosses and carved stones: tombstone; Ecclesiastical: burial ground, cemetery, graveyard

Location: Coldingham

County: Scottish Borders

Electoral Ward: East Berwickshire

Traditional County: Berwickshire

Description

The monument consists of the known site of the conventual buildings around the cloister of Coldingham Benedictine Priory, and an area likely to have been occupied by a number of the outlying monastic buildings to the east of the church and cloister.

Since the priory of Coldingham was unique in Scotland in having the cloister against the flank of the monastic choir rather than the nave, the main nucleus of conventual buildings was further east in relation to the church than was usually the case. The walls of the refectory (traditionally known as 'Edgar's Walls') still partly stand to the south of the monastic choir, and parts of the east range have been located through excavation to the south-east of the monastic choir.

The area over which scheduling is now extended was probably originally occupied by a number of those buildings most commonly associated with the area to the east of the church and cloister, including the infirmary, and perhaps also the residence of the prior.

The monument was first scheduled in 1937, at which time the area scheduled was closely limited to areas to the south and west of the upstanding remains of the church, where it was assumed that the main core of conventual buildings and the nave of the priory church was likely to be. It is now considered important to extend the scheduling to cover those areas that would have been occupied by the monastic buildings customarily located to the east of the main conventual complex. The area now to be scheduled is an irregular polygon with extreme measurements of 150m from east to west and 67m from north to south.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance for encompassing the existing and potential remains of a uniquely located conventual complex. The archaeological potential of the area over which scheduling is now extended for clarifying our understanding of the wider complex is particularly high.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Berwickshire, 'Inventory of Berwickshire', 1915, 35-43.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Other nearby scheduled monuments

AncientMonuments.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact AncientMonuments.uk for any queries related to any individual ancient or schedued monument, planning permission related to scheduled monuments or the scheduling process itself.

AncientMonuments.uk is a Good Stuff website.