Monument record MDO7922 - Cist Burials including a decapitated woman, St Nicholas Churchyard, Studland

Found in the Churchyard at Studland in 1952 a Romano- British cist containing the skeleton of a decapitated woman. The site where the cist was found was pointed out by the Rectors wife an was surveyed at SZ 03638255. The area is under closely cropped turf and nothing was visible of the cist. <2>

SZ 036825 A further burial of the Roman period was found in November in the extension to the graveyard at Studland church. Mr J B Calkin reports that the full particulars available are that the skeleton was in a cist of Purbeck marble slabs, a few yards north of the burial excavated by him in 1952. <3>

Roman inhumation burials have been found in rebuilding St Nicholas Church, Studland and in digging graves in the churchyard extension to the north. A number of burials in stone cists and a rotary quern were recorded by W M Hardy during renovations in 1881.

Indications of others were followed by the discovery in 1951, at a depth of some 3 ½ feet of a covered cist of weathered Purbeck marble slabs aligned north-west, south-east, partly floored with limestones and containing remains of an extended skeleton probably of a female aged 30 – 40 with the severed head and detached mandible placed near the left foot at the north-west end of the cist. The grave was not wholly cleared but a turned shale spindle whorl was found in the pelvic region. <4>

<1> Masters Hardy, W, 1891, Study on the Work of Preservation of the Church of St Nicholas, Studland, Dorset (Article in serial). SWX4513.

<2> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 01-SEP-52 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<2.1> Calkin, J B, Annotated Record Map Corr 6, 1952 (Map). SWX8214.

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1953, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1952, 51-4 (Serial). SDO52.

<4> Farrar, R A H, 1955, Archaeological Fieldwork in Dorset 1955. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 156 (Article in serial). SWX1552.

‘A Romano-British burial in Studland churchyard; SZ 036825. A further burial of the Roman period was found in November in the extension to the graveyard at Studland Church. Mr. J. B. Calkin reports that the full particulars available are that the skeleton was in a cist of Purbeck Marble slabs, a few yards north of the burial excavated by him in 1952.’

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 611 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(47) ST. NICHOLAS' CHURCH (SZ 80 SW). Inhumation Burials have been found about 100 ft. above sea level in rebuilding the church and in digging graves in the churchyard extension to N. A number of burials in stone cists and a rotary quern were recorded by W. M. Hardy during renovations in 1881. Indications of others in the churchyard, not examined, were followed by the discovery in 1951 at a depth of some 3½ ft. of a covered cist of weathered Purbeck marble slabs aligned N.W.-S.E. (03638254), partly floored with limestones and containing remains of an extended skeleton probably of a female aged 30–40 with the severed head and detached mandible placed near the left foot at the N.W. end of the cist. The grave was not wholly cleared but a turned shale spindle-whorl was found in the pelvic region. Another cist of Purbeck marble was found a few yards to N. in 1955. (Dorset Procs. XII (1891), 177–8; LXXIV (1952), 51–4; LXXVII (1955), 126.)’

<6> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 116 (Index). SDO147.

‘Site lies in Studland churchyard and churchyard extension. 7/7/D.’

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457598 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 3:10PM