Reoent Excavations at Holy Island Priory. 229 



After the Union of the Crowns of England and Scotland, on 

 the accession of James the 1st in 1603, these military storehouses 

 were no longer required, aud no doubt were allowed to fall into 

 decay ; and in course of time, after having been dismantled and 

 used as a quarry by the Islanders for the stone they wanted for. 

 building, became covered with disintegrated masonry and soil, 

 and so remained without disturbance until 1888, when, with 

 the permission of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, 

 excavations were made. 



The base of a column built into the wall of the south transeut 



NOTICE. 



Correct Part I, Page 229, line 24— for 12th read 14tb. 



beginning of the 12th century, and is perhaps the earliest of the 

 remains now existing. Mixed with the debris in the bays of the 

 cloister were found voussoirs of the arches, and in one the whole 

 of the groining could be traced; the stones are left on the 

 ground ; they are carefully and sharply cut — masons' marks of 

 a simple character, such as irregular crosses and parallel lines 

 are inscribed on many of them.* 



Over the cloisters was in all probability the dormitory of the 

 monks ; on the face of the wall of the South Transept of the 

 church can be seen grooves showing where the gable of the 

 roof of the dormitory abutted against it. With the exception of 

 the most southern column which is still standing, all traces of 



* The tine close-grained white sandstone used in the church and other 

 buildings comes from near the Coves on the north side of the island. 

 Raine, on the antliority of Eeginald, a monk of Durham, who wrote in 

 1165, says that the stone came from the mainland, but there is also red 

 sandstone on the east side of the island, between the Castle and Emman- 

 u,el Head; aud the remains of a quarry can be seen near Sheldrake Bay. 



