St Mary’s Church Aldworth West Berkshire

Between October 2012 and March 2013, Oxford Archaeology carried out an
archaeological watching brief at St Mary's Church, Aldsworth, West Berkshire (SU
554 793). The work was carried out on behalf of the Parochial Church Council
during the construction of a new kitchen and cloakroom attached on the north side
of the church, and associated works for a service trench, soakaway pit and a septic
tank.
The watching brief observed a number of burials adjacent to the north wall of the
nave. Dates could not be assigned to the burials, except for one which contained
18th/19th century coffin fittings. A fallen headstone, probably relating to this burial,
was recovered from below the present day turf line.
Excavations for the associated works showed that the southern and south-west
edges of the churchyard had not been ultilised for burials. Deep deposits of soil,
including construction debris and colluvium, were observed overlying the natural
chalk.
No evidence relating to any of the earlier phases of the church's construction was
encountered.
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