| Summary: | This report presents the results of archaeological monitoring and recording carried out at St James’s Church, Jacobstowe. The groundworks were associated with the construction of an out-building to the west of the church and related services/drainage running along the south side of the church. The current church is 12th century with 15th-20th century rebuilds and extensions. Archaeological works at the church in 2015 revealed a probable pre-conquest apsidal wall below the present nave.
The monitoring and recording revealed four archaeological features. A 19th-20th century gravel footpath that was probably created after 1838 and removed between 1904 and 1946, possibly during works associated with the construction of the vestry. Two stone wall foundations that possibly equate to two sides of the same structure. These walls were morphologically comparable to the probable pre-conquest apsidal wall excavated inside the nave and were ostensibly cut by the 15th/16th tower. Human bone recovered from one of these wall foundations provided a radiocarbon determination of the early 11th or late 10th century. The final feature encountered was a probable grave-cut, which was cut by one of the wall foundations and hints that the site was subject to activity, probably as a burial/holy site prior to-, or contemporary with the pre-conquest structures/apsidal church ‘complex’.
The presence of a western apsidal, pre-conquest church at Jacobstowe is rare in-of itself and of significance. The potential expansion of this phase of activity to a complex of multiple structures increases this significance and demonstrates the potential of the site- and of similar sites at rural churches to yield significant archaeological data/resources. The nature of the groundworks means that the site potentially contains a large amount of surviving remains associated with the features identified in this trench work. In future, geophysical survey (Ground Penetrating Radar) or sampling of deeper sealed contexts on the site has the potential to greatly increase our understanding of the early ecclesiastical history of Jacobstowe. |
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