See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Church burials identified during work in the churchyard.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS40NE/11/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• INHUMATION (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

Fletcher, M. J., 1995, Report on the Archaeological Monitoring of the Excavations of a Trench in St. Mary's Churchyard, Black Torrington, Devon (Un-published). SDV10301.

Archaeological monitoring of excavation of a trench around the school room, which lies within the churchyard, identified a number of burials:.
A) Two upright thin slate slabs 0.2 metre high, exposed in section at 0.9 metre deep. They represent the upper east end of a grave which was not disturbed, and therefore not investigated.
B) Grave marked by inscribed slate gravestone dated 1828, cut at east end by trench. Two small slabs each tooled on one side and laid flat formed part of the surface markers for the grave. Nothing visible in section to a depth of 1.2 metres, except line of loose soil representing redeposition by gravedigger. This burial lay below the level of the trench bottom, and was therefore left untouched.
C) Burial identified at 0.7 metre in centre of trench. It comprised a coffin-shaped cist formed by an unmortared 'wall' of natural and uncut stones, 0.3 metre high forming a 'coffin' 1.9 metres long internally, 0.3 metre wide at each end and 0.6 metre at the widest point. It was covered by a layer of thin slates (similar to broken roofing slate). A thin layer of lime covered the slates. The cist contained a considerable quantity of white ash, the major part of a human femur and burnt fragments of other human bone. This burial was recorded and removed.
D) A cist burial similar to 'C' exposed in section, again at 0.8 metre deep. As only part of this burial was exposed it was left intact and not investigated. The new concrete retaining wall will be built around it. The side wall is 0.3 metre high, topped by slates. The dates of cist burials 'C' + 'D' were not established, but they could date to the medieval period by reason of their construction and lack of evidence of wooden coffins.
E) A disarticulated group of previously broken human bones including parts of a skull and ? arm bones were encountered at a depth of 0.6 metre. The context and date of this burial are unknown. No trace of coffin or stone lining associated with the deposit, which probably represents redeposition from a burial elsewhere. All bone was bagged for reinterment.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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