North-east school pupils have joined a team of archaeologists in the hunt for Buchan’s lost monastery.
Experts from Aberdeen and local historians have descended on the sleepy village of Old Deer in an attempt to finally uncover the early medieval Monastery of Deer.
And yesterday they were joined by dozens of children from the surrounding area who helped with the excavation works.
The monastery is understood to have housed the Book of Deer – a small gospel book and Scotland’s oldest manuscript – before 1100AD.
It was located somewhere in central Buchan, and the first part of the project – which follows radar mapping of the area – involves digging at sites in nearby Aden Park.
Last night Derek Jennings from the Book of Deer project said the children from Pitfour, Longside, Maud and Mintlaw primary schools showed great enthusiasm for the dig.
“It was fantastic to see the kids taking part,” the local historian said.
“Afterwards their teachers took them to the museum service collection in Mintlaw to pull on their white gloves and handle some of the historical artifacts.”
Mr Jennings added that the early findings from the excavations were “exciting” and that the team will begin work at Old Deer Church today.
Besides the Book of Deer itself, no trace of the Pictish monastery has ever been uncovered. The book is now held at Cambridge University.
Pupils from Pitfour, Longside, Maud and Mintlaw primary schools took part.