York Historic Environment Record

In June 1998 York Archaeological Trust excavated seven trenches as part of the archaeological evaluation of the churchyard, and immediately adjacent areas, of St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York. Trench 1 produced evidence of pre-burial soil activity, tentatively identified as dumping, and information relating to the construction of the churchyard wall. Trench 2 revealed a complex sequence of up to thirteen intercutting burials. Above this horizon a series of deposits was seen to relate to the extensive reconstruction works of the church undertaken in the 1850’s. Trench 3 was abandoned after two attempts (in different locations) to excavate proved impractical due to the presence of tree root systems. Trench 4 revealed two burials, the line of a later land drain, foundations of the churchyard wall and a recent dog burial. Trench 5 produced evidence of a burial together with structural details of the churchyard wall. Trench 6 demonstrated the presence of an unexpected sequence of later medieval to post- medieval deposits of a secular backyard nature, rather than those of a churchyard. Trench 7 demonstrated the presence of burials beyond the limits of the existing churchyard and sealed by backyard type deposits of post-medieval date. Burials were shown in some instances to be present at depths of less than 1.0m. Of particular interest was the evidence demonstrating considerable movement of the churchyard boundaries.