#ThrowbackThursday – St Nicholas Square

Today we are remembering our work at St Nicholas Square in Colchester for #ThrowbackThursday

In December 2020, we carried out an archaeological test pit evaluation in St Nicholas Square prior to exciting new redevelopments of the area. The site is located within the churchyard of St Nicholas church, which was demolished in 1955.

Our evaluation uncovered two inhumation BURIALS, three brick BURIAL VAULTS, and two probable pits containing disarticulated bone  were uncovered, this is unsurprising as the site lies on a known burial ground.

The burial vaults were post-medieval in date, and one of the two inhumations included fragments of post-medieval pottery and clay pipe in the back fill. Therefore, as the site has been a burial ground since the 12th century, it is unclear whether the burials were of a post-medieval date or earlier 

At least seven individuals were found, as a mix of articulated and disarticulated remains, which are all likely to be post-medieval, however, the graves without brick lining may be medieval. As the site was a burial ground not only were human remains found but also pieces of COFFIN FURNITURE! After the popularisation of coffin burial in the 17th century elaborate coffin decoration became more common with our team finding five coffin handles as well as ten coffin nails 

Everything found by our team showed that when the church was demolished in 1955, burials from the site were not cleared. It also suggests that a high number of burials survive in the vicinity.

To learn more about this site, check out CAT Report 1625: http://cat.essex.ac.uk/

Written by work experience students Adrienne and Kaitlyn