Archaeologists uncovered rare and remarkably well‑preserved medieval remains beneath Glasgow city center, offering new insight into the city’s earliest phases of expansion beyond its medieval core.
The discovery was made by Guard Archaeology at the Spoutmouth site in the Gallowgate, an area now being redeveloped for social housing.
Excavated 14 feet below street level, the remains include 63 upright wooden posts arranged in three parallel lines, alongside sections of woven wattle fencing. Wood material of this kind rarely survives in urban environments, making the find exceptional. The constant flooding of the deeply buried site has created waterlogged conditions that preserved the wood for centuries, protecting it from decay despite extensive later building activity.
Entangled within the fencing were fragments of medieval pottery and animal bone. Analysis of the pottery dates it primarily in the 13th and 14th centuries. According to Guard Archaeology’s specialists, the fencing appears to represent part of an early eastward expansion of the medieval burgh of Glasgow.
This is a remarkable survival of organic archaeology in an area of the city that has witnessed substantial development over the many years since Glasgow was first established.
Thomas Muir – Lead Archaeologist
The site lies close to the historic course of the Molendinar Burn, a waterway closely associated with Glasgow’s origins and with St Mungo, who founded his church nearby in the late 6th century. By the late 12th century, the cathedral and bishopric had been established, and in 1175 Glasgow was granted burgh status by King William the Lion.
Once fully recorded, the wooden posts and pottery will be carefully removed for conservation and study before being given to museums. The archaeologists are expected to complete their work by November.
