In June 2001 a team from Archenfield Archaeology and the University of Birmingham excavated human remains at Dewsall, Herefordshire.  These bones represented at least 11 individuals and included both sexes and a range of ages from children to adults.  Carbon 14 indicated a likely date in the 7^th to 9^th centuries for two of the burials.  Charcoal from the base of another grave suggested a date between the 2^nd and 4^th centuries.  It is likely that the cemetery contained a significantly greater number of individuals.

The burials were towards the southern edge of a large oval enclosure measuring approximately 270 metres east to west and 150 metres north to south.  A stream bisected this enclosure.

Also within this enclosure, against its northern boundary, is the parish church of St Michael.  The northern boundary of the present graveyard forms part of the larger enclosure.

Dewsall was within the Welsh kingdom of Ergyng in the late 6^th and earlier 7^th century.  This had passed into the control of the kings of Glywysing in the mid 7^th century.  Some time in the 9^th century the area became part of the English kingdom of Mercia.  The cemetery, or at least part of it, may have survived all these changes, to continue in use up to the present time.

The context of the early Christian cemeteries in Herefordshire.  Black squares mark the cemeteries with early dates.  White squares are suspected cemeteries of the period.  Yellow circles are Roman Towns.  The red line connects Llanfrother, via Dewsall and Madley, with Moccas.

The early churches, taken from the Llandaff charters are marked by red circles.  The identifications are from Coplestone-Crow, 1989.

The site, when first archaeologically examined, consisted of a machine-dug trench measuring 13 metres by 8 metres.  In the centre of the south-western end of the trench was a hole some 3 metres deep, excavated for the insertion of the drainage system of the proposed swimming pool.  Most of the rest of the area had been excavated to a depth of 1.25 metres below the contemporary ground surface.  Along the south-eastern edge of the trench, strip 1.5 metres wide had only been excavated to a depth of 0.6 metres.

Approximately 120 metres to the east of the site was the spoil-heap containing the material excavated from the trench.  This heap, of between 160 and 180 cubic metres, contained visible human bones and was allocated the context number 1.

Immediately prior to the cutting for the proposed swimming pool being excavated, the area of the site had been a yard with comparatively recent hard standing.  The north-western boundary of the trench was formed by a mortared stone wall foundations (10) apparently dating to the 19^th century, and the south-eastern one by matching wall foundations (11).

Reporting

Unpublished report - The First Millennium Cemetery at Dewsall Court, Herefordshire - Huw Sherlock and P J Pikes.

This report is available at the Archaeological Data Service site

To view or download the report click here

A copy of this report is held in the reference section of Hereford City Library