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Summary

Church of St Peter Stanthaket and associated graveyard, west of Michaelgate

Full description

PRN 70208
The name element 'Stanthaket' means 'stone-thatched' or 'stone-roofed'. The church is also referred to as 'ad Vincula' or 'Hungate'. The foundation date of the church is uncertain, although it may be relatively early as it is referred to as a 'monastarium' in a document of 1155-75 (which is also the earliest documentary reference to this church). It was connected to the market in this area of the city, particularly with the skin or parchment market. The Guild of St Anne was founded at the church in 1344. By 1428, there were less than 10 parishioners in the parish and shortly afterwards, in 1437, it was reported that the church had been destroyed by the Precentor. By 1461, the churchyard was been used as a rubbish dump. {5}{6}{7}
Apparently, there was a holy well on the south side of the church. During the construction of houses on the site in the 19th century, many skeletons and stone coffins were discovered. {6}{8}
During a watching brief in 1983, numerous burials were found, prompting a small-scale excavation to be carried out in 1983-4. During this investigation, structural remains of the western end of the church were uncovered. These consisted of a western tower and parts of the nave and south aisle. The nave was the earliest phase of the church encountered, and dated to the mid 11th century. More burials were also uncovered including both simple and stone-lined graves. {3}{4}
Evaluation of the site in 1997 further defined the limits of the graveyard. During the watching brief burials were identified at a much shallower depth, which appears to show that the graveyard continued to the north on a higher level, the church itself being on a lower terrace. Possible extents of the graveyard have been identified on the north and western edges of the site, the western boundary appearing to be a reused Roman wall. Previous observations on the site indicate that the graveyard extended into the area of modern gardens of properties fronting onto Michaelgate to the east. 15 burials were identified during the Stanthaket Court watching brief. Twelve east-west orientated burials were identified in ten graves in the combined service trench, and three further burials were identified in house plot 6, on a slightly different alignment, which suggests that they were of a different phase. Skeletal analysis was carried out on the human remains from the site. {1}{2}
The plan of the excavated western tower foundations suggest that it may have been of the late 11th century 'Lincolnshire Tower' type although it is an unusual example as it was built to the west of the existing nave, which was extended to meet it, rather than directly onto the nave as is usual. Nothing is known of the appearance or architectural features of the tower. {10}

<1> City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit, 1999, Residential Development, Michaelgate, Lincoln, SPMC97 (Report). SLI6015.

<2> City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit, 1999, Residential Development, Michaelgate, Lincoln, LCNCC 134.99 (Archive). SLI6016.

<3> Jones, M and Stocker, D and Trueman, M, 1983, Archaeology in Lincoln 1982-1983, pp 27-28 (Article in Serial). SLI11204.

<4> Snell, Andrew, 1984, Archaeology in Lincoln 1983-1984, pp 9-11 (Article in Serial). SLI11205.

<5> Jones, Michael, J; Stocker, D.; and Vince, A., 2003, The City by the Pool including LARA, RAZ 9.60.36, 10.60.36 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI9142.

<6> Edmund Venables, 1888, 'A list and brief description of the churches of Lincoln previous to the period of the Reformation' in Associated Architectural and Archaeological Societies’ Reports and Papers, p 338, no. 25 (Article in Serial). SLI11158.

<7> Kenneth Cameron, 1984, The Place-Names of Lincolnshire, Part 1, pp 133-34 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI6442.

<8> Ordnance Survey, OS card index for Lincoln, SK 97 SE; 63 (Index). SLI2604.

<9> SMR file cards for Lincoln, SK 97 SE; EN (Index). SLI3134.

<10> Paul Everson and David Stocker, 2006, Summoning St Michael: Early Romanesque Towers in Lincolnshire, No 38 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI11230.

Monument Types

• BURIAL (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1050 AD to 1437 AD)
• CHURCH (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1050 AD to 1437 AD)
• CHURCHYARD (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1050 AD to 1437 AD)

Associated Finds

• HUMAN REMAINS (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1050 AD to 1437 AD)

Associated Events

• Watching brief at Stanthaket Court
• Watching brief at Spring Hill/Michaelgate, 1983
• Archaeological excavation at Spring Hill/Michaelgate, 1983-4

Protected Status

• Conservation Area

Sources and further reading

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.