Monument record 130/5/2 - St Peter's Churchyard

{1} A medieval grave slab in churchyard to north of tower depicts a prostrate figure. It probably represents a priest or knight. The stone is badly weathered.

{2} 30 articulated human skeletons found in Trench A; earliest may be Saxon-Norman and early Norman. C11th and C12th pottery found with some burials; burial thereafter continued throughout medieval and post medieval periods into the C19th. Evaluation trenches dug by Oxford Archaeology Unit to south of church revealed that area had been intensively used as a cemetery. Burial from Saxo-Norman period onwards. Estimated that 2.5m x 3m trenches would each have contained between 150-210 burials if fully excavated. Graves were on average 0.75m below current ground level. 30 graves identified in Trench 1. At least four and probably six distinct layers of burials identified stratigraphically and by depth. Also evidence of burial in plots and the cemetery here is densley packed both horizontally and vertically. Most had hands by pelvis. All were arranged east-west. Some evidence for coffins. Many more burials than were seen. Trench 2 similar. 11 graves at top level and many more underneath. The earliest graves dated C11th-12th and burial continued throughout medieval period up to the C19th. Each trench probably had between 150-210 burials suggesting many thousands in whole churchyard. Residual prehistoric and Roman pottery also found with some Roman brick and tile; the box flue tiles suggest a bath suite nearby.

{5} The deposits identified during this watching brief are identical to those that were seen in 1993. The concentration of the charnel around the modern services would appear to argue for their disturbance and reburial during re excavation of these service trenches. Stray human bone was found throughtout the layer (201) which is thought to represent cemetery soil but no articulated human bones or grave cuts were seen in the area examined by this watching brief.

{6} The ground where the watching brief was taking place revealed the roofs of two brick built vaults cutting what was thought to be the cemetery soil (201). Both buildings have been recorded as much as possible and then left in the ground undisturbed. Two pieces of an inscribed gravestone were also discovered during the watching brief.

{7} Thirty graves were identified in Trench A, seventeen of these lay at a typical level of 114.85m and formed the first level of burials to be encountered. Up to six distinct burial layers were notes. The earliest graves were cut into the natural subsoil by up to 0.15m. All of the graves had been arranged by rows in E/W orientation. This area of the cemetery is densely packed with burials both horizontally and vertically. All of the skeletons were supine and most had the hands by the pelvis. Evidence for the use of coffins consisted of fixtures such as handles and nails. A glassy substance at the base of Grave 7 which perfectly preserved the shape of the coffin may represent body composition deposits. The earliest graves in this trench date possibly to the 11th to 12th century.
Trench B was not excavated as extensively as Trench A, however the density of burial was expected to be the same as Trench A.
A coffin plate was found over the chest of skeleton 134, the plate was fragile and was left in situ.
Burial continued at the site until the 19th century.
No pre cemetery archaeology was discovered.

{8} Present Boundary shown but may have altered over time

{9} The excavation of a new foundation trench for reconstructing the boundary wall allowed a complete stratigraphy of that area of the churchyard to be compiled. The boundary wall was 1.4m high, constructed using roughly dressed limestone blocks bonded with a light yellow-brown sandy mortar. No finds were recovered and no inhumations were disturbed.

<1> Kidd A., 1993, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN48892.

<2> KEEVIL G.D.;, 1994, Evaluation at St. Peter's Church, Brackley, p.180-81 (part checked) (Notes). SNN40360.

<3> KEEVIL G.D.; HARDY A.; UNDERWOOD-KEEVIL C.; BOYLE A., 1994, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter, p.27-9 (unchecked) (Note). SNN39906.

<4> 1994, Post Medieval Pot Shapes: A Quantative Analysis, p.121 (checked) (Note). SNN3280.

<5> DALTON J.; NEWELL K., 1998, St Peter's Church, Brackley, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Watching Brief, (unchecked) (Report). SNN47307.

<6> Keevil GD, Hardy A, Underwood-Keevil C & Boyle A, 1993-4, Evaluation at St Peter's Church Brackley, p.181 (checked) (Note). SNN104122.

<7> Keevill G.D., 1993, St Peter's Church, Brackley: Archaeological Evaluation Report, Section 2 (checked) (Report). SNN69533.

<8> 1978, Graveyard Survey - St Peter Brackley, (unchecked) (Report). SNN100844.

<9> Sims, M., 2009, Boundary wall repairs at St. Peter's church, Brackley, Northamptonshire: Archaeological watching brief report, (checked) (Report). SNN108070.

<10> PONSFORD M., 1994, Post-medieval Britain and Ireland in 1993, 28/121 (unchecked) (Notes). SNN107512.

Record last edited

Aug 15 2018 11:01AM