Monument record 4745/3/3 - St. Margaret's churchyard

Burials found outside the current boundary of the churchyard suggest that its area has been reduced in the past.

{1} Drive widening to cottage adjacent churchyard revealed human skeletal remains within bank set against outside of churchyard wall. Remains c.1.49m below top of wall and c.0.69m below top of bank. Remains may have been articulated before removal by police. Burial appeared to run back under churchyard wall. Lay atop natural and overlaid by dark soil containing 19th and early 20th century pottery. No sign of recent burial and must be of 19th century or earlier date. Presence may result from burial outside churchyard but more likely represents shrinkage of churchyard when cottages were built.

{3} Present boundary shown but may have changed over time.

{4} Archaeological observation undertaken during the excavation and installation of external and internal water supply and drainage within the churchyard. Twenty-five articulated burials orientated east-west were observed were observed, cleaned and recorded before removal. All likely to form one of the final phases of burial, probably in the Victorian period. A brick-lined tomb was identified but not disturbed. All human remains were re-interred within the trench backfill.

<1> Cadman, G., 1988, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN51811.

<2> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, P120 (Checked) (Article). SNN104441.

<3> 1978, Graveyard Survey - St Margaret's, Alderton, (checked) (Report). SNN100819.

<4> Thompson, P, 2022, Archaeological observation, investigation, recording, analysis and publication at St Margaret's Church, Alderton, Northamptonshire, April 2022, https://doi.org/10.5284/1113658 (Report). SNN115361.

<5> Crank, N. (Editor), 2023, South Midlands Archaeology (53), P. 64 (Journal). SNN116414.

Record last edited

Jun 26 2024 3:05PM