The medieval/early post-medieval burials associated with the South Precincts of Canterbury Cathedral were excavated as part of an archaeological evaluation comprising 8 evaluation pits. Graves were excavated in pits 4, 8, and 9, and comprised 3 graves and 3 probable graves.

The burials comprised 2 juveniles and 1 adult. All burials were articulated, supine, and orientated along an E-W axis, with the head at the western end of the grave. One of the burials was exposed very close to the surface - only 0.12m below ground level. This burial was situated above an earlier grave fill and is suggested to have been an upper occupant of a family grave (suggesting the grave may have originally been associated with a form of marker). In the other burials, skeletal remains were located 1.05m and 0.50m below ground level.
Pit 4 contained the adult burial, pit 8 contained the juvenile shallow burial, and pit 9 contained the other juvenile burial of which the head and torso were excavated (with the legs extending past the trench edge (this burial was left intact after excavation and backfilled, alongside the disarticulated human bone which was part of the grave fill).

At least one of the grave fills contained disarticulated human remains alongside the articulated skeleton. No artefacts were listed as recovered from the burials, however, in the plan of the adult burial, a nail appears to have been located in the grave fill.

3 other possible grave cuts/fills were identified within excavation pits alongside the burials, the majority of these appear to be aligned E-W.

Other finds associated with the site include Roman tile and building material (thought to be residual), medieval/post-medieval pottery, tile, and brick, alongside silver, copper alloy, lead, iron, flint, and animal bone (all dating from various periods and frequently residual in character). (1)

102 further graves (containing 91 skeletons) were identified at the site during an excavation in 2016-2017. "15 graves were not excavated to sufficient depth to uncover skeletal remains, whilst four graves contained double burials" (from the original report, 2). All of the skeletal remains were aligned E-W, and the majority were supine - the exception being a grave containing several skeletons which were jumbled together due to post-burial disturbance. A borehole survey at the site undertaken alongside the excavation also identified a possible pit or grave fill. (2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd, 2016, Canterbury Cathedral Water management works: Investigations within the South Precincts Archaeological evaluation report (Unpublished document). SKE52681.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd., 2018, Canterbury Cathedral drainage works: Excavations within the South Precincts: Interim report on archaeological works (Unpublished document). SKE56177.