Monument record MLI70126 - St Michael at Gowts Church and Churchyard

Summary

Site of St Michael at Gowts church and churchyard.

Type and Period (4)

  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1000 AD? to 1535 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1000 AD? to 1535 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1000 AD? to 1535 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1000 AD? to 1535 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

Little is known about this church, which is situated within the Lower Wigford market area. Its foundation date is uncertain and could lie anywhere between the mid 10th and late 11th centuries. The church had fallen into decay by the 14th century and Bishop Dalderby granted an indulgance for the repair of the church and steeple in 1318. There were fewer than 10 parishioners in 1428, and the church fabric was sold by the City Council in 1535. Some of the stones were used for paving the street and for work on South Common. The church was reported to be 'in clene ruin' c. 1540. {1}{2}{3}{4}{5} The church is first mentioned in documentary sources in 1147-8. {6} Nine burials were recorded during a watching brief on Pennell Street in 1994. The burials were well preserved but disturbed. Only one appeared to be formally laid out, and was orientated east to west, with the head to the west. {7} The easterly and westerly extents of the cemetery of St Michael in Wigford were identified in 1997, during a watching brief on a water pipeline on Pennell Street. Between 130 and 140 individuals were identified. This is not considered to be a meaningful sample of the burials in the cemetery, although they do provide useful demographic information. It would seem that there were at least four phases of burials present, although it is not possible to put these in their historical context. The majority of the burials were found to be contained within simple earth graves with no signs of coffins or stone cists. The only clothing or accoutrements were a fragment of textile in grave 20 and a 13th-14th century copper alloy belt buckle in grave 22. Pottery and tile from all over the site date from the 9th to the 16th century, which suggests abandonment in the 15th or 16th century. There were two burials with positively identified stone cists. {8}{9}{10} A watching brief was conducted at St Peter at Gowt's school in 2003 after workmen found human bone. The watching brief found a single disarticulated human femur and eleven animal bone fragments. The human bone fragment probably represents remains disturbed by the original works to the school, suggesting that the medieval cemetery may have extended further north than originally suspected. {11}{12}

Sources/Archives (12)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: Jones, Michael, J; Stocker, D.; and Vince, A.. 2003. The City by the Pool including LARA. RAZ 9.60.27, 10.60.27.
  •  Article in Serial: Edmund Venables. 1888. 'A list and brief description of the churches of Lincoln previous to the period of the Reformation' in Associated Architectural and Archaeological Societies’ Reports and Papers. p.331, no.5.
  •  Article in Serial: Stocker, D.A.. 1990. ‘The archaeology of the Reformation in Lincoln’ in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. p.20.
  •  Index: Ordnance Survey. OS card index for Lincoln. LINCOLN. SK 97 SE; 47.
  •  Index: SMR file cards for Lincoln. LINCOLN. SK 97 SE; DY.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Kenneth Cameron. 1984. The Place-Names of Lincolnshire, Part 1. 1. p.129.
  •  Report: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. 1994. Sincil Bank West (Watermains Relay): Archaeological Recording. SWW92.
  •  Report: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. 1997. Lincoln, Southern Subsidiary Sewers: Archaeological Watching Brief. SUS96.
  •  Archive: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. 1997. Lincoln, Southern Subsidiary Sewers: Archaeological Watching Brief. LCNCC 11.96.
  •  Report: University of Bradford. 1997. Medieval Cemetery of Pennell Street, Lincoln. SUS96.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. May 2004. St. Peter at Gowt's School, High Street, Lincoln, Archaeological Watching Brief. LSP03.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. May 2004. St. Peter at Gowt's School, High Street, Lincoln, Archaeological Watching Brief. LCNCC 2003.313.

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Grid reference Centred SK 9729 7023 (60m by 60m) Estimated from sources
Civil Parish PARK, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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