Finds and features from churchyard of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, St Osyth (EHER 2907)

Archaeological investigations including test pits, trial trenches a watching brief and a geophysical survey within the churchyard have revealed features dating from the medieval and post-medieval periods. These investigations highlight the distinction between the consecrated area of the churchyard and the remains of post-medieval buildings further to the north. They also revealed a medieval cobbled surface and several undated features including a pit or ditch.

2002. Test-pitting evaluation. Fourteen test holes revealed that the concrete gutters mostly sit on concrete foundations except on the west side of the tower and the west end of the north aisle. <1> May 2004. Evaluation by Time Team included three test-pits (nos. 2, 11 and 16) and one trial trench (no. 17) within the churchyard, as well as a geophysical (resistivity) survey. Test pit 2 - Soil depth to 1.35m stopped excavation. A possible cobbled surface with medieval pottery was found. Test pit 11 - Possible pit or ditch terminal dated to the medieval or post-medieval period. Test pit 16 - A wall corner with modern pottery Trench 17 - Two post holes and a linear feature but no dating evidence. Brick wall at east end. A geophysical resistivity survey was carried out in an area of the churchyard east of the church. The boundary between unconsecrated and consecrated land areas was clearly visible in the results. High resistance responses, indicative of building remains, were dominant to the north of the boundary. Building rubble was recovered from the surface and excavated test pits. The northern section had high resistance indicative of building remains. <2> March 2023. Watching brief. The watching brief revealed three demolition layers of buildings known to be on or near the site as shown on the 1838 Tithe Map and the 1876 Ordnance Survey and the ground made up after the event. The earliest encountered deposit is attributed to the gardens of building plot 309 registered in the 1838 Tithe Award and yielded a Bank Token of 1811, a sherd of 17th century Metropolitan slipware, a piece of septaria like that used in the church wall and a variety of animal bone. Overlying this deposit was a thin layer of roof pegtiles, some of which are bonded together with sandy lime mortar. Also in the layer are dumps of ash, clinker and unburnt coal fragments from cleaning out the grates. It is possible this was a metalled layer but it is not compressed and is more likely to be the demolition remains of the cottage from when the roof was pulled off. The uppermost, latest encountered archaeological deposit was rich in building waste and included brick, tile, mortar and late 19th century pottery fragments as well as late 19th century black glazed pantile. This layer is the mixed soil and building waste from the demolition of the buildings between 1876 and 1896. <3> See EHER 25635 for details of the Church of St Peter and St Paul.