Monument record MDO19447 - Two possible medieval or late Saxon rubble cist burials, Priory Church, Christchurch

The corners of two possible rubble cists of 9th-13th century date were revealed during an archaeological watching brief on the second stage of geotechnical pits on the buttresses of the north choir ailse of Christchurch Priory in January 2007

ASI Heritage Consultants recorded tow possible medieval or late Saxon cist burials during an archaeological watching brief during the second stage of geotechnic investigations at the base of the central buttress of the north choir aisle of the Priory Church at Christchurch in January 2007.

An abnormally raked buttress foundation of rubble concrete lying over two cist type burials was revealed. The burials were in rubble sarcophagi of 9th-13th century form at a depth of c. 1.8m below ground level. The report concludes that the buttress is later than the burials and that all the ground within the vicinity of the buttress is likely to have been intensively disturbed by recurrent overlapping graves.

The two rubble structures[1] and [2] lacked mortar or any form of bonding and may be the outer faces of the corner of rubble cists or stone lined graves. Both are oriented E-W.

Notable artefacts included residual mesolithic worked flint.

Heaton, M, 2007, Christchurch Priory, Christchurch, Dorset; Buttress Investigations January 2007 (Unpublished document). SDO10211.

Record last edited

Sep 20 2012 10:42AM