MEM24827 - St Petrock's Churchyard, Timberscombe (Monument)

[SS 9559 4205] St. Petrock's Church [NAT] [1] St. Petrock's Church, formerly St. Michael's is in normal use. There must have been an earlier church on the site of the present one, which is predominantly 15th century. [2-5] Graveyard in use since at least medieval times. [6] The churchyard is visible on 2018 MasterMap data. [7] A watching brief was undertaken in 2019 during the installation of new drainage and facilities in St Petrock's Churchyard to the south of the church. The excavations revealed a number of burials, dating to the medieval and early post-medival periods (supine and apparently without coffins), and several later post-medieval burials with coffins, one of which included a fragmentary creamware plate on its lid. A deposit was noted that included charcoal, a number of associated slots and a possible post hole, possibly representing the remains of timber structures; charcoal from the latest feature was dated to the mid 8th Century. The foundation for the existing boundary wall was also examined and was suggested to be of 18th Century date. [8]