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Archaeologists believe they may have uncovered remnants of a medieval monastery established nearly 470 years ago by King James I of Scotland. The find emerged during recent excavations in Perth, where the Charterhouse once stood. This monastery was built for monks of the Carthusian Order and featured a richly ornamented church at its center. Over time, the site was demolished and eventually covered by a hospital and residential buildings, obscuring its historical footprint.
During a dig conducted last month, an 18th-century culvert was discovered beneath a grassy area that formerly belonged to King James VI Hospital, constructed around 1749-1750 and later converted into flats in the 1970s. The culvert was utilized to channel wastewater from the hospital. Archaeologists found that parts of this drain appeared to incorporate stonework salvaged from the original monastery ruins. Notably, flat stones capping the drain showed medieval characteristics, with carefully chiseled edges indicating significant craftsmanship far beyond what would have been typical for 18th-century construction.
Dr Gavin Lindsay, one of the archaeologists on the project, described the masonry as having “clear chisel marks” that revealed the extensive effort invested in shaping these stones. Among the materials discovered were stone floor slabs, believed to have been worn smooth by centuries of foot traffic — potentially by monks themselves, and perhaps even by King James I. A stonemason who visited the site supported this theory, attributing the slabs’ polished surfaces to long-term use.
The Perth Charterhouse Project also involves Dr Lucy Dean from the University of Highlands and Islands Centre for History, who highlighted the role of volunteers in sorting through the excavated soil. Alongside numerous 19th- and 20th-century pottery shards and glass fragments, several pieces likely date back to the medieval period. Both the masonry fragments and pottery finds will undergo detailed examination by experts. The archaeologists plan to study historical archives to deepen understanding of the monastery and intend to engage the local community with information about their discoveries. Future excavations may occur, and residents of Perth have been encouraged to watch for other reused medieval masonry that has been incorporated into local structures, such as the retaining wall of Perth Station and garden boundary walls. This project has the backing of the University of Stirling and the Perthshire Society of Natural Science, with funding provided by the trustees of King James VI Hospital and The Guildry Incorporation of Perth
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