Monument record 1160/14/2 - Churchyard at Holy Sepulchre

Graveyard of the Holy Sepulchre bounded to the south by Church Lane and east by Sheep Street. Archaeological watching briefs have identified post-medieval burials.

{1} Foundation trenches revealed "post medieval burials, walls and garden soils"; no finds were recovered.

{2} Development scheme watched at St Sepulchre's Parish Hall extension; no certain pre C19th features or finds; no further details given.

{3} Current is modern copy of C13th font in Hildesheim Cathedral and replaced a smaller one of circa 1660 shaft of which is now in churchyard.

{4} Burials at St Sepulchre's; no finds.

{7} During the excavation of a trench for the rebuilding of the cemetery wall three burials from the Victorian period were found, cut through 4ft to 5ft of imported burial soil. The cemetery is reputed to have been closed in the mid C19th, so it may be that existing family plots and pre-booked plots continued in use to the latter C19th.

{9} Ground penetrating radar survey. Several profiles showed near-surface features, but this is not extraordinary for a graveyard.

{10} During a watching brief it was noted that a deliberate layer of up to 1m, which contains a quantity of mid 19th century domestic rubbish, was present. It may relate to levelling of the ground as the church is probably located on a hillock.

{11} No archaeological deposits were seen in the churchyard although this is not surprising given the narrow and shallow nature of the trench.

<1> Shaw M.; Williams J., 1971-1981, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Record Cards, M169 (checked) (Index). SNN133.

<2> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1976, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1975, p.207 (checked) (Journal). SNN169.

<3> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire- The Borough of Northampton, p.48 (checked) (Series). SNN100370.

<4> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M169 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<5> Shaw M.; Williams J., 1971-1981, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Record Cards, M158 (checked) (Index). SNN133.

<6> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M158 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<7> Cinquini P.; Thorne A., 2003, Excavations in The Churchyard at The Holy Sepulchre Church, Northampton, p.8 (checked) (Report). SNN103863.

<8> Northamptonshire Archaeological Unit, 1978, Graveyard Survey - Holy Sepulchre, Northampton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101010.

<9> Spurgeon, B. & Kightley, P., 2007, Results of a Ground Probing Radar Survey: Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Northampton, p.3 (checked) (Report). SNN107327.

<10> Ivens R.J., 2011, An Archaeological Watching Brief at The Church of The Holy Sepulchre, Northampton, p.8 (checked) (Report). SNN107263.

<11> Ivens R.J., 2014, An Archaeological Watching Brief at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Northampton, Northamptonshire, (checked) (Report). SNN109453.

<12> Ivens, R.J., 2014, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN109465.

<13> Northampton Development Corporation Archaeology Unit, 1975, St Sepulchre's Lane, 1975 (Archive). SNN116741.

Record last edited

May 8 2025 8:37PM