NHER 65454 (Monument record) - Churchyard of St Nicholas' Church

Churchyard of St Nicholas' Church (NHER 4329). Previously recorded under NHER 4329.

Churchyard is graded Two Star (regional importance) as an example of a churchyard taken over and extended as a park by the local council.
See (S1) for details.
E. Rose (NLA), 26 February 1998.

Churchyard level lowered "two to four feet", March 1883.
See (S2).
K. Hamilton (NLA), 26 June 2006.

April 1997. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of pipe trench dug to south, west and north of the church.
Two very fragmentary lumps of in-situ masonry seen to the west of the church were inline with the north and south walls and were probably part of the former west transept or 'Bachelors Aisle'.
Much human skeletal material was disturbed in all of the pipe trenches, none of which was kept. These remains were particularly numerous within the Town Walls, while the area to the east of their line contained fewer graves, with these associated primarily with wholly articulated skeleton. It has been suggested that the 'missing' section of wall between King Henry's Tower and Priory Plain was deliberately demolished (presumably in the 19th century) to allow the extension of the graveyard. The evidence uncovered is consistent with the area east of the Town Walls being a more recent extension to the churchyard.
A section of walling that was almost certainly the internal corner of an octagonal defensive tower was exposed on the line of the demolished section of Town Wall. This corner was formed by 'dog-legged' arrangement of cut limestone blocks. It is suggested that this tower may have been associated with a relatively early phase in the construction of the walls - potentially being erected during the late 13th or very early 14th century.
Three barrel vaulted brick tombs dated to around the 18th/19th century were also disturbed.
See report (S3) for further details. This work is also noted in (S4).
Previous recorded under NHER 4329.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2022.

In 1998 a number of 18th- and 19th-century tombs and memorials within the churchyard were listed Grade II, all of which are now recorded individually. These are as follows:
- Early 18th-century headstone to north-east of church (NHER 65458)
- Memorial to David Barleman west of church. 1781. With inscription referring to pirate attack (NHER 65456).
- Palmer tomb 18m west of church. 1834 (NHER 65455).
- Headstone to George Beloe south of church. 1845. Killed when the Yarmouth suspension bridge collapsed (NHER 65457).
- Group of seven chest tombs within eastern extension to churchyard, dating to between 1854 and 1875 (NHER 65459).
The churchyard gates, gate piers and railings were also list Grade II at this time (NHER 65460).
P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2022.

October 2006. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of excavation of service trench to south of church.
The remains of a structural wall was observed, possibly relating to the cloister building of the Priory of St Nicholas (NHER 4295).
A stone slab, possibly originating from a tomb, and an in-situ tomb were also present.
A flint and lime mortar feature, probably forming part of the south aisle foundation was seen at the west end of the trench.
See report (S5) for further details. This work is also noted in (S6).
Previous recorded under NHER 4329.
J. Allen (NLA), 6 March 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2022.

October 2016. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with installation of floodlight to east of St Nicholas' Church.
The narrow cable trench excavated uncovered a previously damaged, brick-lined grave of 18th- or 19th-century date containing a well-preserved adult skeleton. This potentially represented the remnants of a brick vaulted tomb or the base of a former table tomb. The fact the skeletal remains lay only 0.45m below the present ground surface suggests the area had seem significant past ground reduction – possibly during landscape works known to have taken place in 1883. Excavations at the site of new floodlight itself uncovered a gravestone that had possibly been deliberately buried at this time. Numerous fragmentary disarticulated human bones were collected during the excavation of the trench (some identifiable as being from children), further demonstrating the degree of previous disturbance. These remains were reburied within a deeper part of the trench before it was backfilled.
Unstratified finds included single late medieval/early post-medieval and post-medieval pottery sherds; medieval roof tile fragments (some with glaze) and a post-medieval lead musket ball. It was also noted that the soils below the turf contained frequent 18th- to 19th-century brick fragments as well as building flints and occasional mortar lumps.
See report (S7) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 31 March 2025.