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Summary

The vault contained the burials of 2 adults and a baby (or very young child), each within a hardwood-cased lead coffin. The adult coffins are oriented e-w with heads to w. The small coffin lies diagonally across the upper part of the n coffin. It is unclear whether the small coffin was originally on a shelf, or moved to this position, or positioned across the heart of the adult.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX76NW/57/2/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BURIAL (Unknown date)

Full description

FLETCHER, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV10257.

A curled and eroded piece of metal on the small coffin may have been a nameplate, but is so fragile and decomposed that no detail is definable. No plates, inscriptions or features were located on either of the adult coffins. The n coffin comprises quite a substantial lead case. It is of a cruder build than its neighbour and has been badly crushed, preventing accurate measurement. This damage presumably occurred before or whilst the vault was being re-roofed. The lid is compressed into the coffin revealing stiffened side edges formed by extra strips of lead, red lead is visible in the soldered seams. An undecorated wrought iron handle or grip, found in debris near its w end, is a simple curved design set in a heart-shaped plain wrought iron plate. The contents of the coffin could not be inspected because it is so badly crushed and covered by debris. It is partially filled with stagnant water. The s coffin is well-constructed and is in a very good state of preservation although there are significant bulges in the top and sides. It had been punctured at some stage. It measures 1.79m long with a max width of 0.58m. The joints are finely soldered. A simple undecorated wrought iron handle or grip mounted on a square wrought iron plate was found in debris near its w end. The small coffin is intact and measures 0.71m long and up to 0.3m wide. All 3 coffins had been encased in hardwood boxes and this rotting wood lay around the sides of each coffin. They were therefore of the triple shell variety - an inner wooden shell covered in lead and boxed in a hardwood case. The rotted remnants of these outer cases were not disturbed during excavation. The 2 adult coffins almost completely occupy the available floor space and they are symmetrically arranged, which suggests that the vault was built specifically to house them (fletcher).

OR VERY YOUNG CHILD, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV293736.

The vault contained the burials of 2 adults and a baby (or very young child), each within a hardwood-cased lead coffin. The adult coffins are oriented e-w with heads to w. The small coffin lies diagonally across the upper part of the n coffin. It is unclear whether the small coffin was originally on a shelf, or moved to this position, or positioned across the heart of the adult.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV293738.

Des=fletcher, m. J. /archaeological recording of a burial vault at the church of the holy trinity, buckfastleigh, devon/(13/10/1995)/in pf.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7462 - 2002 Excavation at Holy Trinity Church, Buckfastleigh

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