1957–65 Excavations in the Priory

During repairs to the crypts in 1957, workmen accidentally discovered a medieval burial which included a remarkable collection of grave goods.

This surprising find sparked a ten year series of excavations at the east end of the church, close to the site of the high altar which fronted Saint Ninian’s shrine chapel.


This was the most favoured place to be buried within the cathedral.

Excavations between 1957 and 1965 revealed the graves and skeletons of Whithorn’s medieval bishops, priors and patrons of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

Many had been entombed wearing fine vestments, with ceremonial jewellery and liturgical objects used during mass. The most impressive discovery was the twelfth century bishop’s crozier that was probably a 200 year old antique when it was placed in the grave of its owner.





Parts of older church structures were also uncovered, including what appears to be the apsidal (curved) east end of an earlier church.

The excavations also revealed the extent to which the hilltop had been raised up to create a large platform upon which the cathedral could be enlarged at its east end in the thirteenth century. A much earlier group of burials came to light beneath the burials of the bishops.

These excavations demonstrated

• the priory site’s long and complicated history of use and
• that pockets of early archaeology have survived.

Across the site, archaeologists found that earlier burials had been disturbed or even destroyed by new graves and work on the later medieval buildings.

The findings of these excavations were never properly analysed or published. Historic Scotland is currently undertaking this work, due to be completed in 2007.