St Nicholas Square: archaeology and the former churchyard

Archaeological investigations were carried out by Colchester Archaeological Trust at St Nicholas Square, Colchester, Essex, between October 2023 and June 2025, as part of groundworks for the redevelopment of the square into a new public space in the heart of the city.

The northern part of St Nicholas Square occupies the former site of St Nicholas church and its surrounding churchyard, which served the local community for many centuries. The church was declared redundant in the early 1950s and was demolished in 1955, when the churchyard was formally cleared and the area redeveloped. As part of that process, memorials and surface features were removed, and it was thought at the time that this clearance may also have extended to below-ground remains.

St Nicholas Church as it was prior to its demolition in 1955

A small archaeological evaluation carried out in December 2020, in advance of the proposed landscaping works, confirmed the survival of burials and burial structures associated with the former churchyard, along with redeposited human bone. This early work demonstrated that less of the burial ground had been removed during the 1950s clearance than had previously been assumed, and that the former graveyard had been extensively disturbed during later redevelopment of the town centre. The evaluation also confirmed the depth of made ground above the level of the surviving burials, helping to inform the design of the later programme of archaeological investigation and ensuring that the site was approached with appropriate care and understanding.

First image: St Nicholas Square during the Evaluation by CAT in December 2020

Second image: CAT archaeologist, Megan, recording during the groundworks

As part of the recent redevelopment of the square, archaeological work was required through the planning process to ensure that the history of the site was properly understood and recorded before change took place. The work formed part of a wider programme of investigation and recording across the site and was carried out to nationally recognised professional standards and under appropriate archaeological oversight.

The archaeological investigation confirmed the presence of burials associated with the former churchyard. The majority of these were left undisturbed and remain in situ beneath the completed square. In limited areas where groundworks made this unavoidable, burials were carefully excavated to facilitate the construction works. Where remains were removed, they were treated with dignity and respect, fully recorded in line with professional guidance, and will be reburied at Colchester Cemetery.

This approach reflects long-established legal and ethical practice for managing historic burial grounds in town and city centres across England. It ensured that the site’s history was properly respected while enabling improvements to be made for the benefit of the modern city and its communities.

The completed project  (Image courtesy of HAT Projects)