NHER 10896 (Monument record) - Undated human remains

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Summary

In 1956 undated human burials were found on the south side of Low Road, close to the entrance to the lane by the church. It was suggested that these might represent overflow from the adjacent churchyard of St John the Baptist’s Church (NHER 10912). However it is also recorded that skeletons had been uncovered within gardens on the opposite side of Low Road and in 2010 an east-to-west aligned burial was discovered beneath one of the walls of the Chequer’s Inn, along with disarticulated bones from at least one additional individual (NHER 67945). It is possible that some of these burials were individuals who had deliberately not been afforded a full Christian burial within the churchyard. However, an alternative possibility is that at least some lay within an older, Saxon cemetery – perhaps one associated with a precursor church in a slightly different location.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TM08SE
Civil Parish BRESSINGHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

June 1956.
Two human skeletons found by entrance to lane by church.
Hands to west and to sides.
More skeletons other side of road in gardens.
?Overflow from churchyard. Depth about 30cm below ground.
No associations.
See [1].

Remains of adult male preserved: 26 fragments of cranial vault, much damaged, no facial skeleton.
Post cranial skeleton substantially complete.
Long bones cleanly fractured post-mortem, otherwise in good condition.
A very powerfully built man, from [2].
R. R. Clarke (NCM).

The mapped extent of this record has been corrected to better reflect the reference to remains found on the other side of the road. [3].
P. Watkins (HES), 7 February 2024.

  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Human Skeletal Remains (HSR). Bressingham.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TM 08 SE 14.
  • --- Serial: 1956. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries. No 3. p 3.
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Undated)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Feb 7 2024 2:38PM

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