Monument record MDO19870 - Sherborne Abbey, Sherborne; early Christian burials

Two sets of early Christian extended inhumation burials have been identified in the area to the north of the Abbey Church of St. Mary, cut into a layer of natural tufa. Three E-W oriented skeletons were recorded during observations of groundworks for the Medlycott Building, Sherborne School in 1955. Nine burials were also recorded during excavations at The Slype, to the north of the Church’s north transept, during 1974-6. Radiocarbon dates for five of the skeletons suggested the existence of 7th-8th century cemetery possibly pertaining to a Christian British settlement predating the foundation of the Saxon cathedral.

Evidence for an early Christian cemetery to the north of the Abbey Church of St. Mary has been revealed during observations at the Medlycott Building in 1955 and excavations at the Slype in 1974-6. The records have been published in PDNHAS monograph 16 (1). Numbers in square brackets refer to context numbers in this publication.

C.E. Bean recorded three E-W oriented skeletons in 1955 during observations on groundworks for the Medlycott Building, Sherborne School. All three were cut into a white deposit (probably tufa). Skeleton [098] in grave [F142] was of a male aged 30-50 and estimated at 1.74m tall. This skeleteon was radiocarbon dated at 590-770 cal AD. Grave [F143] contained just the feet of a skeleton. The skeleton of an adult [011] in grave [F144] was cut by a wall foundation and was dated by radiocarbon to 650-890 cal AD. A ditch [F140], of uncertain alignment, was recorded 7m north of these burials. It was 1.5m deep and of sharp v-profile with a stepped section on the west side. It too appears to be cut from the tufa and might be part of an enclosure associated with the burials (1).

Keen and Gem found nine burials in very small excavations in the slype between 1974-6, immediately north of the church’s north transept. Again they were all cut into the tufa and many were intercutting, suggesting burial over a long period. Three of them were radiocarbon dated. Skeleton 1 in grave [F907] was dated 770-1130 cal AD, skeleton 2a in grave [F910] was dated 660-890 cal AD, and skeleton 5 in grave [F904] was dated 630-780 cal AD.

This dating evidence may suggest that these two groups of burials are part of a 7th-8th century cemetery although a later date is possible. When gender could be determined, males only were recognised. An infant/ adolescent was also recorded. The cemetery may pre-date the foundation of the Saxon cathedral and see in AD 705 and might represent burial from an earlier Christian British settlement. Keen also suggests that the estate of Lanprobus may have been multifocal with settlements at the Abbey site and Pinford Lane.

<1> Keen, L, and Ellis, P, 2005, Sherborne Abbey and School (Monograph). SDO10263.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 1:08PM