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| HER Number | MWB22416 |
|---|
| Record Type | Landscape |
|---|
| Name | Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin Church, Speen |
|---|
Summary
Churchyard surrounding a church of medieval origins
Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status
Monument Type(s):
- CHURCHYARD (14th century to Early 21st century - 1301 AD? to 2050 AD)
Full Description
A church at this location is mentioned in Domesday Book <1>. The churchyard surrounding the church of St Mary's is shown on the First Edition OS map of 1880 <2> and had been extended east by the Second Edition map of 1899 <3>. Its south-east corner had been extended further east at some time between the Third and Fifth Edition maps of 1911 <4> and 1969 <5>, respectively, and this extension was extended to the north in the 1990s <6>.
The churchyard contains many listed chest tombs <7> and the oldest burial recorded on one website dates to 1544 <8>. It also has four Commonwealth War Graves <9>.
A planning application submitted in 1975 for the removal and relocation of some of the tombstones in order to create a parking area for 20-30 cars was rejected <10>, but an application in 2008 to construct a small toilet block was approved <11>. The subsequent watching brief carried out in 2011 <13> uncovered a number of graves, including four vaults, and the disarticulated remains of at least 23 people (who were reburied within the churchyard). Three in situ gravestones also had to be removed.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | Morgan, P (ed). 1979. Domesday Book - Berkshire. DB5. [Monograph / SWB14587]
https://opendomesday.org/ (Accessed 11/01/2023) |
| <02> | Landmark. 1872-85. Digital Ordnance Survey Mapping Epoch 1, 1:2500 (25 inch). Digital. 1:2500. Marked 'Grave Yard'. [Map / SWB14341] |
| <03> | Landmark. 1899-1900. Digital Ordnance Survey Mapping Epoch 2, 1:2500 (25 inch). Digital. 1:2500. Marked 'Grave Yard'. [Map / SWB14455] |
| <04> | Landmark. 1912-24. Digital Ordnance Survey Mapping Epoch 3, 1:2500 (25 inch). Digital. 25 inches to a mile. Marked 'Grave Yard'. [Map / SWB14456] |
| <05> | Ordnance Survey. 1962-1981. Ordnance Survey Epoch 5, 1:2500. 1:2500. [Map / SWB14665] |
| <06> | Newbury District Council. 1974-2000. Newbury District Council Planning Applications 1974-2000. 91/40269/ADD. [Index / SWB148104] |
| <07> | Pevsner, N. 1966. The Buildings of England (Berkshire). p224. [Monograph / SWB10024] |
| <08> | 1995. Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/. 06/01/2021. [Website / SWB149832]
https://www.findagrave.com/ (Accessed on 06/01/2021) |
| <09> | Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2021. Commonwealth War Graves. https://www.cwgc.org/. 11/01/2021. [Website / SWB149840]
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/ (Accessed on 11/01/2021) |
| <10> | Newbury District Council. 1974-2000. Newbury District Council Planning Applications 1974-2000. 75/03131/ADD. [Index / SWB148104] |
| <11> | West Berkshire Council. 2000-present. West Berkshire Planning Applications 2000 onwards. online. 08/01886/FUL. [Unpublished document / SWB147564]
http://planning.westberks.gov.uk/rpp/index.asp?caseref= (initial string - planning application number to be added after this) |
| <12> | Wessex Archaeology. 2010. St Mary's Church, Church Lane, Speen, Berkshire - Archaeological Desk-based Assessment. 74370.02. WBC Network. [Unpublished document / SWB148978] |
| <13> | Wessex Archaeology. 2011. St Mary's Church, Church Lane, Speen, Berkshire - Archaeological Watching Brief. 74371.01. WBC Network. [Unpublished document / SWB148979] |
Related Monuments
| MWB19409 | ADNAMS TOMB APPROXIMATELY 10 METRES TO SOUTH OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB18810 | EYLES TOMB APPROXIMATELY 6 METRES TO NORTH OF NORTH AISLE OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB19412 | HANSOM TOMB APPROXIMATELY 6 METRES TO SOUTH OF PORCH OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB19419 | HEMSTED TOMB APPROXIMATELY 13 METRES TO NORTH OF VESTRY OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB21547 | Lych gate to St Mary's Church, Speen (Monument) |
| MWB19416 | MAJENDIE TOMB APPROXIMATELY 14 METRES TO SOUTH OF CHANCEL OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB19417 | NORRIS TOMB APPROXIMATELY 7 METRES TO NORTH OF VESTRY OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB19414 | TOMB APPROXIMATELY 12 METRES TO SOUTH OF NAVE OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB18808 | TOMB APPROXIMATELY 20 METRES TO SOUTH OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB19413 | TOMB APPROXIMATELY 7 METRES TO SOUTH OF NAVE OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB19418 | TOMB APPROXIMATELY 8 METRES TO EAST OF CHANCEL OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB19415 | TOMB APPROXIMATELY 8 METRES TO SOUTH OF CHANCEL OF CHURCH OF ST MARY (Monument) |
| MWB4831 | SPEEN VILLAGE (Monument) |
| MWB4834 | St Mary the Virgin Church, Speen (Building) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
| EWB1484 | St Mary's Church, Church Lane, Speen, Berkshire - Archaeological Watching Brief (Ref: 74371.01) |
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