SDO21642 - St Mary Magdalene Church, Thornford, Dorset Archaeological Monitoring and Recording during Minor Drainage Works, October 2025

OASIS: Project Methodology: Terrain Archaeology carried out a programme of archaeological monitoring during mechanical excavation of a new soakaway pit and associated drain trench within the churchyard of St Mary Magdelene parish church, Thornford, Dorset. Project Results: Four unmarked grave cuts were recorded in the soakaway trench within the churchyard. The graves were regularly spaced and in the same alignment –perpendicular to the churchyard boundary. One grave revealed the remains of a coffin, including iron nails and parts of two decorative pressed white metal plates, of probable 19th century date.