Monument MPM2157 - Grave cuts, Portsmouth Cathedral, Old Portsmouth

Grave cuts and a brick vault observed in an area of former churchyard on the north side of Portsmouth Cathedral during an archaeological evaluation in 2004. The vault and at least one of the graves were thought to be of a later post-medieval date. The remaining graves were also thought to have probably dated to the post-medieval period.

At least four grave cuts were observed in an area of former churchyard on the north side of Portsmouth Cathedral during an archaeological evaluation in 2004. The cuts were encountered approximately 700mm below the present ground surface in undisturbed gravel. One contained traces of a wooden coffin and may have been Victorian or 20th century in date. A later post-medieval brick vault was also observed. The vault appeared to have been truncated being only 650mm deep. The graves and the vault intercut each other.

The relatively shallow depth of the graves and the vault suggested ground levels may have been reduced when the cathedral was extended and the green laid out in the 1930s, or that there had been less intensive burial activity within the north west area of the churchyard. No further datable evidence for the grave cuts was found, although they were thought to have probably dated to the post-medieval period. The disturbed soils above the cuts contained occasional unmarked clay pipe stems. Disarticulated human bone was seen in disturbed soils across the whole of the trench.

Currie, Christopher, K, 2004, An archaeological evaluation of a proposal for new visitor facilities at Portsmouth Cathedral, Portsmouth, Hants (Unpublished document). SPM676.