| Summary : Site of an Anglo Saxon church and inhumation cemetries dating to the Saxon and Medieval periods recorded during excavations in 1971-2 and 1976 on the site of St Mary Major Church, which was erected in 1865 on the site of the earlier 14th/15th century church of the same dedication. The Saxon church was found to be at least 35 metres in length with an apse 9.5 metres in diameter at the east end. This building `represents the "Abbey Church" appropriated by Bishop Leofric in 1050 to serve as his cathedral'. Demolition of the church could be dated to the 12th century. The earliest burials comprise six unfurnished burials cut into the remains of the Roman forum and basilica, two of the burials were radiocarbon dated to the 5th century and are thought to be part of a much larger cemetery destroyed by grave digging. Four of the graves were arranged in a row indicating they were part of a well laid out cemetery. All were orientated northwest to southeast, the same alignment as the demolished Roman buildings. It is possible that grave orientation was determined by extant features or structures outside the excavated area. Later inhumations included 107 burials dating from the 7th-12th century. These were orientated west-east and a number contained evidence for the use of coffins with nails or coffin fittings. Only one grave good, a gold ring, was recorded. Charcoal of varying depths were found in the bottom of some of the graves indicating charcoal burials. |
More information : [SX 9201 9254] St. Mary Major Church (NAT) (1)
Excavations made in 1971-2 and 1976 on the site of the recently
demolished St. Mary Major Church, which was erected in 1865 on the site of the earlier 14th/15th century church of the same dedication, revealed the remains of an Anglo Saxon church at least 35m in length with an apse 9.5m in diameter at the east end. This building 'represents the "Abbey Church" appropriated by Bishop Leofric in 1050 to serve as his cathedral' (3). Demolition of the church could be dated to the 12th century. Excavations in the cemetery show that the earliest building dated back to the 7th century. (2-4)
Three superimposed cemeteries were found, the earliest being 5th century and aligned on the Roman street plan. 53 inhumations are of the Conversion Period, late 7th century-850, and differ from both the earlier and later inhumations in being on a different alignment to either. Charcoal burials were found in all three cemeteries. (5-7)
The earliest burials comprises six unfurnished burials cut into the remains of the Roman forum and basilica, two of the burials were radiocarbon dated to the 5th century and are thought to be part of a much larger cemetery destroyed by grave digging. Four of the graves were arranged in a row indicating they were part of a well laid out cemetery. All were orientated northwest to southeast, the same alignment as the demolished Roman buildings, it is possible that grave orientation was determined by extant features or structures outside the excavated area. Later inhumations included 107 burials dating from the 7th-12th century. These were orientated west-east and a number contained evidence for the use of coffins with nails or coffin fittings. Charcoal of varying depths were found in the bottom of some of the graves. Only one grave good, a gold ring, was recorded. (8-12) |