Roman or medieval inhumation burial in a lead coffin, in a garden near the British School, Friars Place, Chelmsford (EHER 83172)

In 1898 a lead coffin (measuring around 1.8 m long) containing a human skeleton was discovered. It was assumed to be Roman as a quantity of Roman tegulae or tiles were found to have been placed upon it, but Drury suggested in 1972 that it may in fact be medieval and belong to the Chelmsford Dominican Priory. Its present whereabouts is unknown.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. During the excavation of a garden near the British School, Friars Place, on August 19th 1898, an 'ancient leaden coffin' about six feet in length (around 1.8m), and containing a human skeleton was discovered. A quantity of Roman tegulae or tiles were found to have been placed upon the coffin. Present whereabouts unknown. <1> <2> The lead coffin found near the British School in Friar's Place in 1898, should be medieval, for the area is that of the Dominican Priory Church and cemetery, which stood on silt of late or post-Roman origin. <3> Source <4> has a map showing the possible location of the find. <4> Note: This find was formerly recorded in EHER 5874 but has been given its own record due to some conjecture over the date of the find.