Monument record 9640/1 - Probable Saxon cemetery, Seaton Road

Extensive cemetery of intercutting graves, likely to be of Anglo-Saxon Christians, dating between the 7th and 11th centuries

{1} A cemetery was found with some 30 burials being exposed by the excavation. They formed part of a substantial cemetery probably of Christian rite. Its southern extent was exposed in 1967 adjacent to the present development (2001), but was not documented. The burials in the excavation were exposed over a distance of at least 18m and were laid out in at least three rows, 0.7m apart. A possible mortuary structure was suggested by three postholes adjacent to one of the interments. The burials were orientated with the head to the west and none had grave goods. Carbon dating suggests that the earlier burials were interred at 365-640 AD. The cemetery had clearly fallen out of use by the early medieval period as the southern burials had been cut by pits dated by pottery to the 1150-1225.

Development for a new barn in 1967 just to the south of the present development area resulted in human bone being found. It appears that several burials were lifted in the development and reburied in St. John’s Church, Harringworth. In the register of burials for the parish of Harringworth dated 25th July 1967 it records, “Certain unidentified male bones discovered during building excavations for Mr. Conant’s barn in field No.246. Stamford Museum dated them about 1250 AD and
suggested they might be from a monastic burial ground.”

Unfortunately, the discovery does not appear to have been otherwise recorded and only a few local residents still remembered the event. According to them, the burials were only located in the north-east corner of the shed. Some of these burials were apparently unusual, for example some burial pits contained several heads only. There were also unsubstantiated comments that Roman pottery was found to the west of the shed.

{3} Trial trench excavation was undertaken in order to determine the extent of the cemetery. The graves were aligned west to east and were laid out in six rows, aligned north to south, although it is likely that more are present. Where observed, the individuals had been buried in a supine position with their heads to the west. Investigation of the graves was confined to establishing their extent and positioning. It is likely that the graves contain Anglo-Saxon Christians, dating between the 7th and 11th centuries. The original cemetery covered an area at least 47m by 30m and is likely to have contained a minimum of one thousand individuals, and possibly significantly more. Single late Saxon gully and a large 12th century rubbish pit were the only other features encountered within the evaluation, the pit truncated several graves and provides the terminus ante quem for the disuse of the cemetery.

{4} Photographs and plan of unmonitored cable trench excavated through the cemetery. No features visible, although human remains had been disturbed during the works.

<1> Chapman A , Chapman P, 2000-01, Harringworth, Seaton Road, (unchecked) (Note). SNN103998.

<2> Atkins R., 2001, Archaeological Excavations On Land Off Seaton Road, Harringworth, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101222.

<2> Atkins R., 2004, A Middle to Late Saxon cemetery at Seaton Road, Harringworth, (unchecked) (Article). SNN112186.

<3> Muldowney L., 2013, Archaeological Evaluation on land at Seaton Road, Harringworth, Northamptonshire, February 2013, checked (Report). SNN109888.

<4> Various, 2017, Harringworth West, 2017 (Notes). SNN110654.

Record last edited

Nov 13 2020 2:52PM