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A mission in Santa Catalina is destroyed in Guale

Source: Situado and Sabana #82

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…Leaving the church excavation, we crossed the shell-covered subplaza, an atrio probably enclosed by a low wall demarcating the public entrance to the church. Walking eastward across the plaza, I showed Dr. Bushnell our excavations in the convento and cocina complex. At least two superimposed conventos (usually translated as monasteries, convents, or friaries) existed at Santa Catalina. The earlier structure was probably built in the late 1580s shortly after the Franciscans arrived. Second only in size to the church itself, this earlier convento was probably burnt by rebellious Guale in the fall of 1597.

…Immediately behind the convento, we recovered nearly four dozen bronze bell fragments. When examined microscopically, punch and axe marks left little doubt that these bells had been deliberately destroyed. Could these be fragments of bells broken by rebellious Guale during the uprising of 1597? Were the bell fragments deliberately saved, perhaps to be later recycled into new bells? What was the role of the bell in daily mission life? Did it just call people to Mass, or was it used to structure other aspects of mission life? Where did the mission bells come from?

(Bushnell-SS)