Title: |
43 Queen Street, Hitchin, Herts. Archaeological Monitoring Report |
Series: |
Heritage Network unpublished report series
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Downloads: |
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Licence Type: |
ADS Terms of Use and Access
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DOI |
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Publication Type: |
Report (in Series)
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Abstract: |
In response to an archaeological condition placed on the planning permission for the construction of retirement apartments, the Heritage Network was commissioned by the developers to fulfil the requirements of the planning authority on their behalf. The commission extended to the clearance of a post-medieval and Victorian burial ground under the terms of a licence issued by the Home Office under the Disused Burial Grounds (Amendment) Act 1981. A desk-based archaeological assessment of the site carried out by the Heritage Network in September 2002 demonstrated that the site held a significant potential for preservation from the Anglo-Saxon period onwards. An archaeological evaluation carried out by the Heritage Network in August 2004 demonstrated that a number of post-medieval and Victorian burials survived intact across the site. In addition, the presence of sherds of 8th to 14th century pottery, in residual contexts, confirmed that there was late Saxon and medieval activity in the vicinity of the site, although no features attributable to these periods were identified. In the course of the project a total of 276 graves were identified and recorded, including 1 vault, 43 brick graves, and 232 simple inhumations. From these graves the remains of 344 individuals were exhumed. In addition, a mass grave that was created following the earlier clearance of the site, was found to contain the disarticulated remains of approximately 45 individuals, and a further two contained in lead coffins. All the investigation, recording and exhumation works were undertaken by Heritage Network staff in association with specialists from BGS UK Ltd. The work was carried out with due regard to the health, safety and welfare of individuals working on site and of the general public, under the supervision of the local authority's Environmental Health Officer. All the exhumed remains have been reburied in Hitchin's municipal cemetery located in St John's Road. |
Author: |
David Kaye
A Rothwell
C Turner
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Publisher: |
Heritage Network
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Other Person/Org: |
Historic England (OASIS Reviewer)
Hertfordshire HER (OASIS Reviewer)
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Year of Publication: |
2006
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Locations: |
Site: |
Land at 43 Queen Street |
Parish: |
HITCHIN |
District: |
North Hertfordshire |
County: |
Herefordshire |
Country: |
England |
Grid Reference: 518625, 228837 (Easting, Northing)
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Subjects / Periods: |
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Identifiers: |
OASIS Id: |
heritage1-12421 |
OBIB: |
Report number 304 |
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Note: |
A4 booklet, comb bound, green cover, 57 pages
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Source: |
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Relations: |
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Created Date: |
23 Nov 2016 |