The archaeological site. Note two excavated graves in the bottom right corner.
A site in the centre of Gloucester, behind the former Debenhams building, is being redeveloped into a university campus by the University of Gloucestershire and has revealed consecrated ground. Adam Klups, Care of Churches and DAC Team Leader, was brought in to survey the site.
Two churches dedicated to St Aldate stood on this site over the centuries. The medieval church was demolished in the 17th century and rebuilt in 1750. The second church was demolished in 1963.
The construction team working on site came across human remains and that is when the Gloucester City Archaeologist approached the diocesan team to clarify whether the ground was still consecrated. The Diocesan Registry carried out necessary archival research and confirmed that was the case, and that diocesan involvement will be required. An interim faculty has been granted by the Chancellor, allowing for human remains to be excavated pending reverent reinterment.
Adam, who himself worked on a number of archaeological digs before joining the Churches Team, says, “Part of the construction site is still consecrated ground and it remains subject to Faculty Jurisdiction. The Diocesan Registry and Gloucester DAC are working closely with the project team and Cotswold Archaeology to ensure that conditions attached to the faculty granted by the Chancellor of the Diocese, dealing with the necessary excavations and development, are complied with.
Post-medieval pottery sherd found on site.
“This was a slightly different site visit compared to what I am used to on a daily basis. It was a pleasure to be talked through what has been exposed so far (including articulated burials and the footings of the west wall of the 18th century church – the second church on this site) and discuss next steps. I was also shown around the new campus building site, which was quite a treat!”
One of the conditions the Chancellor attached to the faculty is for a permanent marker to the memory of those interred in the churchyard of St Aldate to be installed on site.
A full archaeological report describing the finds and what has been learnt during the excavation will be available once the project has been completed.
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