St Nicholas' Church, Chadlington, Oxfordshire

In October and November 2007, Oxford Archaeology (OA) carried out an archaeological watching brief at St Nicholas’ Church, Chadlington, Oxfordshire (NGR: SP332211). The work was commissioned by Acanthus Clews Architects on behalf of the Incumbent and Church Wardens and was carried out during the installation of a disabled lavatory and mezzanine floor in the tower, under floor heating and wall lights throughout the church and the digging of service trenches in the churchyard.
The watching brief within the church revealed a series of limestone footings for wooden beam floor supports of Victorian or earlier date. A tunnel of unknown function was revealed at the eastern end of the central aisle, running below the chancel and down to the crypt/current boiler room. This had been used during the Victorian period as a heating pipe conduit.
The service trench on the eastern side of the churchyard revealed no in situ archaeology, but within the service trench on the western side of the church, 14 medieval earth-cut graves were revealed. From these, 11 skeletons (5 adults and 6 subadults) were excavated. In addition, a probable post-medieval, earth cut grave and an 18th - early 19th century stone lined shaft grave were revealed. Although not excavated, adult skeletal remains and the remains of a coffin were visible within the shaft grave.