Monument record MLI60697 - Site of the medieval church of St Giles, Old Sleaford

Summary

Site of the medieval church of St Giles, Old Sleaford

Type and Period (7)

  • (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 800 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 800 AD? to 1065 AD?)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

PRN 60697 [Note - this record includes information from PRN 60694, now deleted.] Excavations during the 1950s and 1960s have revealed that the nave and chancel of St Giles were about 22 metres in length with a possible north aisle. The tower may have been separate, measuring 33 by 13 metres. Glazed floor tiles, fragments of grisaille window glass and lead calmes were found in the vicinity. The main churchyard is thought to be to the south of the church and numerous burials have been recorded. A stone lined well, pit and oven found in the churchyard area, could indicate that a parsonage may have stood in the south-east corner. {1}{9}{11} Excavations in 1996 revealed more remains of the former medieval church of St Giles. Stone wall foundations (many of which were robbed) were uncovered along with many burials, including some stone-lined graves. Some burials had been truncated by the mechanical excavator prior to archaeological work beginning, however some intact inhumations were also encountered. Apart from a few exceptions, grave cuts were not visible due to the soil being extensively disturbed by prolonged use as a burial ground. A lime making pit and a deposit made up of debris and casting splash were also encountered, the former to aid with the building of the church and the latter to cast bells on the site, as this was easier due to the considerable weight of the bells.{2}{3} The same excavation revealed the possible foundations of an earlier church on the site. These consisted of robbed stone foundations dated by a small amount of 9th century pottery found within them. The walls appear to represent the western end of a small masonry building, suggested to be an Anglo-Saxon precursor to the medieval church. An early church on this site is also suggested by the original dedication to All Saints (changed later to St Giles) as many churches with this dedication have a pre-Conquest foundation date. A single inhumation of probable Anglo-Saxon date was also found. This burial was cut by the lime pit which is presumed to have been made during the construction of the medieval church (see above). {2}{3} Burials from the churchyard of St Giles were found throughout the investigation area during an evaluation near St Giles Avenue (TF 07725 45920) in 2006. Rows of east-west aligned burials were seen, often intercutting at the heads and feet. The foundations of stone structures which may be related to the church were also observed. {4}{5} A fragment of a carved grave-cover of mid 10th-early 11th century date was found during excavations on the church site in around 1960. The fragment has interlace decoration on one side, and is typical of the mid-Kesteven type. {6} Inhumation burials with traces of a 'rough coffin' and 14 spike nails about 6 inches long have been reported from Old Place (an exact location is not given). It is suggested that they may be Roman, however they could be associated with this church, and no dating evidence is given. {7}{10} Pieces of medieval ecclesiastical stonework, presumably from this church, including mouldings, window heads and carvings have been been built into the garden wall of Old Place (PRN 64681). {7} Skeletons and a skull were found in this area in the 19th or early 20th century. 'Various stone moulds' are also reported from Old Place - presumably these are medieval moulded stones similar to those built into the garden wall. {8}

Sources/Archives (14)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: Shelia M. Elsdon. 1997. Old Sleaford Revealed: A Lincolnshire Settlement in Iron Age, Roman, Saxon and Medieval Times: Excavations 1882-1995. p43.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 1997. Archaeological Investigation of a Pipeline along St Giles' Avenue, Sleaford. SSG96.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 1997. Archaeological Investigation of a Pipeline along St Giles' Avenue, Sleaford. LCNCC 137.96.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. Nov 2006. Archaeological Evaluation on land at St Giles Avenue, Sleaford. SHSG06.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Nov 2006. Archaeological Evaluation on land at St Giles Avenue, Sleaford. LCNCC 2006.239.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Paul Everson and David Stocker. 1999. Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture. Lincolnshire. pp 247-48; illus. 334.
  •  Index: Sleaford SMR cards. SLEAFORD. TF 04 NE; BQ, D, E.
  •  Correspondence: 1936-1964. Letters and other material relating to the Stubley Collection. Nos. 1, 3, 4, 11.
  •  Report: FENNELL, K.R.. 1955. Excavations at Old Place, Sleaford (July-October 1955). -.
  •  Index: 1959. EAST MIDLANDS ARCHAEOLOGICAL BULLETIN. Vol 2, p9.
  •  Correspondence: City and County Museum. 1960 onwards. Letters, notes and other material relating to the 1960s excavations at Old Sleaford. -.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram. 1989. Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition). p 657.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: William White. 1856. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire - Second Edition. pp 438-39.
  •  Index: Ordnance Survey. Sleaford O.S. cards. SLEAFORD. TF 04 NE; 19.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 0770 4596 (72m by 51m)
Civil Parish SLEAFORD, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (6)

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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