Site Event/Activity record ESF26368 - Monitoring - 25 Out Risbygate, Bury St Edmunds

The graves of at least twelve individuals were found during an archaeological monitoring of trenches excavated for an extension of the rear of 25 Out Risbygate. Unfortunately, excavation of the extension footings was carried out prior to planning permission being granted. SCCAS was informed that trenches were open and available for inspection. On visiting, it was found that several graves had been exposed in section, and that bones had clearly been removed with the spoil and disposed of in a skip. The graves were filled with mid brown clay/loam with occasional chalk and generally had shallow U-shaped sections with flat bases. The cuts were plainly visible where they cut the yellow chalky clay subsoil, but less so at the upper levels. A layer of mid brown clay loam with flints appeared to overlie them and probably represented an earlier garden soil. Several areas of modern disturbance, particularly along the fence lines in sections A and E, had resulted in the redeposition of human bone and suggested that further graves had been present (S1).