Possible site of medieval cemetery at Hospital of St Mary and St Leonard (EHER 1939)

Watching briefs in July and September revealed medieval inhumations, possibly indicated the site of cemetery of the Hospital of St Mary and St Leonard. Further trial trenching later in 1985 found more human remains.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 1939 and 7305. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: July and September 1985. Watching brief. Human burials were revealed and recorded in sections of builder's trenches. The first burial, removed by the police, was about 10m east of the boundary wall fronting the main road and 4m from the site's northern boundary wall. No burials were noted to the north of it but four more were seen in section during machining. They seemed to be orientated east-west though one may have been disarticulated. The depth, about 0.5m below present day ground level, suggests that there has been much reduction in ground level in post-medieval times. Another burial was recorded in September to the south, during ground works on a house. A compacted gravel foundation, 0.4m wide, was seen to the north of the burial in Trench 1, running east-west, 0.5m below the ground surface. To the north a distinctive layer of chalky boulder clay and medium gravel may be a laid surface. Behind house 1, along the line of the rear wall, a large pit was cut through by the machine. Animal bone, shell, and two sherds of medieval grey ware were found. The foundations of the northern boundary wall were seen to include much reused dressed and moulded stone, presumed to come from the hospital buildings. Some moulded fragments were removed for study. <1> - <3> An investigation by D. Andrews for Essex County Council prior to and during the erection of houses on the north side of the town confirmed that this was within the graveyard of the medieval hospital of St Leonard. The position of the hospital remains a mystery since no trace of it was evident, but it is presumed to be located further to the south. Only two sherds of medieval pottery were found, and the building debris recovered seemed to be entirely from the post-medieval farmhouse known as Hospital Farm. <4> Later in 1985. Trial trenching. The number of individuals represented by the human bone found is between 8-15. Eight skulls were found. No signs of leprosy were found in any of the bones, interesting in view of the legend of the 'leper stone' at Newport and documentary evidence for lepers. <5> <6>