Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

Located to W and S of a ruined medieval church (MA123-060002-) in the S half of an early medieval ecclesiastical enclosure (MA123-060001-).
The graveyard is shown on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as an enclosed or walled rectangular area extending to W and S of the church. The current extent (c. 50m N−S by 50m E−W) of the graveyard has changed little, but is no longer enclosed. The visible graves are 19th- and 20th–century in date. A pair of standing stones (MA123-060006-), located at the NW limits of the burial area, are of uncertain significance, but may mark an old entrance to the graveyard. There is a local tradition of carrying coffins between them en route to burial. In 1982 a narrow strip (Wth 3m) was archaeologically excavated around the perimeter of the graveyard, in advance of a proposed expansion of its area. In a cutting to S of the current burial area, a lintelled grave (L 1.84-1.9m; Wth c. 0.45m) of early medieval date was uncovered. The stone-lined grave, which was aligned E-W, was covered with flat slabs. It contained an extended skeleton, with head to W, and belonged to an individual of c. 15 years of age. Radiocarbon analysis of the bones produced at date of 1090 +/- 85 R.B.P. (Manning 1987, 50). Several other burials were uncovered. Most were in simple pits, but one group were buried in a mass grave; none of these burials could not be dated (ibid., 51-52).

Compiled by: Jane O’ Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 3 August 2017