| Summary : Early Medieval and Medieval chapel and inhumation cemetery. The chapel was of three phases dating to 730 +/-80 AD, Late Saxon, and 13th century. It appears to have been served as a minor monastic site, and to have been associated with a shrine or oratory to St Mary Magdalene. The latter is noted by William of Malmesbury at Beckery in the mid-11th century, and by John of Glastonbury circa 1400. Late prehistoric flints, Iron Age and Roman pottery were also found during excavation. The cemetery comprises sixty-three inhumations, which were orientated west-east, with most being supine. All except three were male burials, the others were of a female and two children. All the graves were unfurnished, with no evidence of coffins, wooden linings or pillow stones being used. The timber chapel and the burial within it are thought to be associated with the cemetery. Radio cardon dating of one of the burials indicate a Middle Saxon date for the cemetery which when combined with stratigraphic evidence suggests the cemetery was in use during the eighth and nineth century. |
More information : [Area: ST 48433830] (3) St. Bridget's Chapel was situated on the highest part of Beckery Hill, or 'island', in a field called Chamberlain's Hill. The foundations were explored in 1889-8 and proved to be those of two chapels, one within the other Finds of tiles and two silver coins suggest a 13th century date for the outer and later chapel, and although nothing was found to test the age of the inner foundations, the extremely massive walls of this tiny chapel would be compatible with Saxon work. One inhumation oriented with head to the W and without a coffin,
appeared to pre-date both the chapels. About 20 feet to the northeast are the foundations of an apparently later building with a hearth at its east end (1).
Photo. plan: AO/64/289/1 (2). (1-3)
There is no visible indication of the site of this chapel, which was said to be "in ruins" in 1791. (a) However, Moorland (1-2) states that it stood on the highest part of Beckery Hill and this is at ST 48393830. (4)
An initial re-excavation by P.A.Rahtz in August 1967 revealed the whole of the Medieval chapel and the probable contemporary inner walling of what Morland assumed to have been an earlier chapel (see ground photographs). No Saxon work has been found. A 12th century window head is some evidence of an earlier stone building and a few post holes suggest a wooden structure preceeding this and further excavation to define it is being considered.
Surveyed at 1/2500 at ST 48403830. (5)
The excavation of a Dark Age/Saxon cemetery with 54 graves was completed by P.A.Rahtz at Beckery Chapel. (6)
A detailed monograph on the Chapel and its history, and in particular on its excavation in 1967-8. There were three phases:- In the first there seems to have been a timber structure which contained a cist grave and could have been either a chapel or merely a tombshrine. The grave gave a radio carbon dating of AD 730 plus or minus 80, which would probably apply also to any housing structure, and to contemporary wattle-and-daub buildings around it, of which there was some evidence. The Chapel/Tomb-shrine was succeeded on the same site in late Saxon or early medieval times by a stone-built two-cell chapel, with which were associated subsidiary stone and timber structures and ditches. In the late 13th century this chapel was rebuilt on an enlarged scale as the final edifice. To the northeast of the chapel was a stone building identified as the Priest's house (not excavated in 1967-8). Mostly to north and east of the Chapel site was a cemetery of over 64 inhumations, nearly all male. There were no datable features, but it is thought to have been in use throughout the three phases, and certainly to have originated before the two latter, in which some of the graves were disturbed. The general conclusion is that this was a minor monastic site, possibly with a holy shrine, which existed from Saxon times to the dissolution. It is identifiable with a legendary oratory of St Mary
Magdalene recorded as at Beckley by William of Malmesbury (circa 1135) and John of Glastonbury (circa 1400). This is supposed to have been visited by St Brigid (circa 450-523) who left some relics there - though not her bones. Some flints, Iron Age pottery sherds and Romano British items were found during the excavation and are thought to have derived simply from 'frequentation'. See Illustration. (7)
Scheduled. (8)
ST 484 384: A bank and ditch were noted 35 metres east of the chapel during water pipeline construction 1978. Medieval and Romano-British pottery,glazed floor and roof tiles were present in the topsoil. (9)
Additional reference. (10)
The cemetery comprises sixty-three inhumations, which were orientated west-east, with most being supine. All except three were male burials, the others were of a female and two children. All the graves were unfurnished, with no evidence of coffins, wooden linings or pillow stones being used. The timber chapel and the burial within it are thought to be associated with the cemetery. Radio cardon dating of one of the burials indicate a Middle Saxon date for the cemetery which when combined with stratigraphic evidence suggests the cemetery was in use during the eighth and nineth century. (11) |