Rubicon Heritage are delighted to be working with The Greater Liberton Heritage Project, supported by Edinburgh City Council on a community excavation at Bridgend Farm, Old Dalkeith Road in Edinburgh. There are historical references to a Royal chapel being built at Bridgend in 1518 and it is thought that remains of the chapel may be incorporated into the present farm buildings. While the buildings have had many uses over the years, from labourer’s cottages to a pigsty, it is hoped that some structural elements which can reveal if they were originally a chapel will remain. A stone font was found at the site by the previous owner. This was confirmed as a medieval font by Edinburgh City Archaeologist, John Lawson and donated to the Edinburgh City museum in the 1990s.
Greater Liberton Heritage Project have been researching the chapel for some time and have been awarded a Sharing Heritage grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland to carry out excavations at Bridgend. The Sharing Heritage programme is a new funding programme to help people across the UK explore, conserve and share all aspects of the history and character of their local area. A series of public information meetings and visits to local schools and groups will also take place in addition to open days at the excavations in June 2014.
A public meeting will be held at 6:30pm on Wednesday 28th May in Inch House Community Centre, 225 Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5UF, Scotland where there will be a short presentation about the project and opportunities to become involved.
