Probably medieval human remains, Beeleigh Abbey (EHER 82031)

A watching brief in 2002 for a service trench encountered part of an inhumation burial which comprised the partial skull, probably of a reasonably mature young male. The front of the skull was destroyed but the back remained in situ. The fragments were photographed including the atlas and axis. Other vertebrae remained in the section indicating the rest of the body lying in an east-west orientation under the existing path. The remains were reburied.

March 2002. Watching brief. Just north of the brick footing (EHER 32030), and as the trench turned the corner northwards, a skull was uncovered by the machine bucket. Unfortunately the face was destroyed but the back of the head remained in situ. This was cleaned up, photographed and removed. The dentition was smashed but indicated a reasonably mature young male with worn teeth. The fragments were photographed including the atlas and axis. Other vertebrae remained in the section indicating the rest of the body lying in an east-west orientation under the existing path. The skull was reburied where it was found with a 2001 coin to date the intrusion. <1>