Sunday 2 to Tuesday 4 September 2012

Sunday 2 September 2012

The archaeologists uncover more of the medieval tile pavement in Trench 3. It appears to have been made re-using medieval tiles from the friary and is perhaps a path in the garden of Robert Herrick’s mansion which occupied the site after the friary was demolished.

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  Archaeologist Kim Sidwell uncovers paving (I), which appears to be made from re-used medieval floor tiles and might be part of a path in Robert Herrick’s garden.

Monday 3 September 2012

The Ministry of Justice grants a licence (PDF) for the removal of human remains. (Cover letter - PDF)

Tuesday 4 September 2012

A small area above the human remains in Trench 1 is carefully widened with a digger to give archaeologists better access to the burial. Jo Appleby and Turi King begin to carefully remove the grave soil by hand. Work is slow to avoid damage to the skeleton and by mid-afternoon it is clear that the skeleton will not be exhumed before nightfall. Work is halted for the day.

Archaeologists excavate a small group of disarticulated human bones in Trench 3 (G-H)

Site director Mathew Morris widens trench 1 around the human remains (A).

Meanwhile, archaeologists begin to widen Trench 3 between walls G and H, hoping to uncover more of the church floor and determine whether the burial is indeed in the church’s choir. While removing rubble from this area, a small group of disarticulated human (female) bones is discovered, apparently disturbed when the church was demolished and then reburied in a small pit.