Monument record FSG 034 - Saxon cemetery and inhumations

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Summary

Cemetery. Formerly recorded as FSG MISC

Location

Grid reference TL 838 693 (point) Centred on
Map sheet TL86NW
Civil Parish FORNHAM ST GENEVIEVE, ST EDMUNDSBURY, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Cemetery found (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s). (S1)(S2) quote (S5) where Barker adds "This was during the occupation of Fornham Hall by the Duke of Norfolk, who, according to my informant, inspected the discovery, and took possession of the antiquities found. The site of this cemetery could not be far removed from the `Kingsbury Hill' referred to by the late Mr Gage as `the burial place, according to popular tradition of three British kings'". Note Barker also adds part of the account in (S3) under Fornham St Martin and adds `in a field bordering the Barton Road, in the occupation of Walton Burrell Esq ... a number of ... were found ... in 1888- 9' as the findspot (S5). Together this suggests two separate cemeteries as the Duke of Norfolk sold the Fornham estate in July 1843 (S5, 144). Also see FSM Misc.
Moyses Hall Museum attribute finds to Fornham St Martin. "Mr Walton Burrell exhibited a collection of spearheads, knives etc, found at Fornham St Martin in 1888-9, while digging for gravel, about 18 inches from the surface. Upon the site were also discovered many skeletons, the place being apparently an ancient burial ground. There were also found with the above, two shield bosses and a bronze pan or bowl, which was found resting on the leg bones of a skeleton" (S3).
VCH lists "At Moyses Hall... a series of iron spear and lance-heads, knives and strike-a-light, shield bosses of various patterns, glass beads, both variegated and plain dark blue, and the rim of a bronze bowl, from Fornham St Martin, all having been deposited in graves with unburnt bodies about 18 in from the surface" (S4). Also refers to (R1).
Note: area of woodland in (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) shows evidence for extensive 'gravel' diggings so may be the area of the 1888-9 finds (though not mapped by OS in 1900s!).

Formerly recorded as FSG MISC

Sources/Archives (7)

  • <R1> (No record type): Proc Bury & West Suffolk Society, 6, 53.
  • <S1> Index: OS. OS Card. OS, card TL86NW9.
  • <M1> Unpublished document: Basil Brown. Basil Brown Archive. Basil Brown archive: card index.
  • <S2> Unpublished document: Basil Brown. Basil Brown Archive. Brown B, card index 135 (sketch).
  • <S3> Bibliographic reference: Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. PSIA, 7, 1890, (2), 214.
  • <S4> Bibliographic reference: 1911. Victoria County History, Suffolk (VCH). 338.
  • <S5> Bibliographic reference: Barker, H. R.. 1907. West Suffolk Illustrated. 146-147.

Finds (4)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Aug 22 2018 3:33PM

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