The Excavation
LUB 42 Graveyard earlier than or to the east of the site before the use of Structure 7. Inhumations
cut graveyard deposit cg149 (LUB 30) and were sealed/cut by the extended chancel cg850 (LUB 91).
LUB 43 Construction of Structure 5.1 (single-cell ?chapel) (Figs 9.31 and 9.74)
The foundation trench cg319 for the single-cell building cut into several inhumations cg168, cg231, cg236, cg250, cg262, cg264, cg265 and cg266 (LUB 32). Foundation trenches cg319 (top level OD ran-ged between 64.84–65.42m and bottom level be-tween 64.53–64.88m; 0.20–0.40m deep; 1.30–1.55m wide) were not on the square; the west side was 6.20m long, the east side 7.10m; the north side measured 9.60m and the south 8.50m (external dimensions). These trenches were filled with small limestone fragments, some larger stone and occa-sional opus signinum fragments together with loose dark brown gritty sandy loam with tile fragments and pebbles (Fig 9.74). This material possibly for-med the foundation for a single-cell structure of
either stone or wood. The internal measurements were approximately 4.2m north–south and 7m east–west.
The foundations for Structure 5.1 consisted of many reused Roman limestone fragments. Most pieces had traces of mortar on faces which would have been exposed in their original use. It is almost impossible, however, to tell how many times these pieces may have been reused. The only indications are where two or three different types of tooling cut each other, or there are obviously sequential layers of mortar.
The single-cell building may have been con-structed over the location of grave cg154 (LUB 24), which contained the hanging bowl; this grave certainly appears to be central to the building. It is also possible that the position of the building was due to its central location in the remains of the forum and that its relationship with grave cg154 was fortuitous.
The foundations can be related stratigraphically to the graveyard loams; they are earlier than LUB 30 and LUB 52 post-dates them. The strongest dating evidence is provided by inhumations which were cut by the structure. These might suggest that the single-cell building was either of Middle Saxon construction or later.
LUB 44 Use of Structure 5.1 (Figs 9.31 and 9.105) There was an internal surface cg230 to the single-celled structure, which may have post-dated its construction. It was a stone surface (OD 64.83–
Fig 9.31 Single-cell building (Structure 5.1) with surface, and location of cist burial: LUBs 43 and 44
163 St Paul-in-the-Bail (sp72 and sp84)
64.97m) consisting of brown silty sand with tightly packed limestone rubble and mortar flecks and a scatter of limestones, very loosely deposited, with some tile and pebbles. It was recovered over an area of 1.20m by 0.90m and 1.20m by 1.50m. Surface cg230 sealed cg229 and cg232 (both LUB 33) and was dated by the radiocarbon determination of cal AD 780–1180 from inhumation cg229 (Figs 9.30 and 9.105). This might suggest either that the surface was secondary to the construction of the single-cell building or that the building was late Saxon rather than middle Saxon.
Sealing inhumation cg219 (LUB 26) was a series of sandy loam layers cg507, preserved as a pillar amid the grave cuts. They may represent floor layers within the single-cell building.
Late Saxon to Saxo-Norman
Probably contemporary with the use of the single-cell building (LUB 44), either encroaching on the graveyard to the east, or to the east of the graveyard, was Structure 6.1 LUB 45, a sunken building among the ruins of Structure 2C (LUB 14); its construction was associated with late 10th-century pottery and its use LUB 46 dated from the late 10th century into the 11th century. This building collapsed LUB 47 and was rebuilt, Structure 6.2 LUB 48, in the 11th century, and later abandoned LUB 49 in the second half of the 11th century. Structure 6.1 was associated with metalworking. Pits, dumps and surfaces were contemporary with Structure 6 LUB 50.
Over LUB 49 were remains of surfaces or floors LUB 51, and metalworking surfaces LUB 52 dated by the pottery to the late 11th century. LUB 52 was cut by pits to the east of the site LUB 53. Over LUBs 52 and 53 was a cobbled surface LUB 54 associated with a large group of 11th-century pottery.
Associated with the single-cell building, Structure 5.1 were a number of inhumations and graveyard dumps LUB 55–69.
LUB 45 Construction of Structure 6.1 (Figs 9.32, 9.48 and 9.75–77)
Although interpreted as the result of collapse or robbing material, cg460 (LUB 18) might alternatively have served as a rough surface; it may be that it was used during the construction of Structure 6.
Cutting debris cg392 (LUB 19) was a large robber trench cg416 which removed part of the foundations of the Roman walls and apse; cg416 contained large, fresh sherds of 10th-century pottery (31 sherds). Set into the robber trench fill cg416 were large, vertically placed fragments of opus signinum, with their smooth (worn) face to the south; these provided the north wall of a sunken path beween the room and its entrance towards the Roman well-head (Fig 9.75).
The opus signinum blocks butted against the remains of Roman wall cg70 (LUB 8), which was reused as the east wall of the sunken room; its robbed remains had stood to an OD height of 66.15m and were supplemented by roughly dressed limestone blocks (reused Roman masonry) bonded with brown, very sandy, crumbly mortar with pebbles and small limestone flecks. This addition to the wall had added at least an extra 0.28m, giving a height at its top of 66.43m. The new passage-walls were used to retain the robbing debris to the east and north.
To the south of the reused opus signinum wall, running parallel was a wall of reused limestone masonry, tile and opus signinum fragments roughly bonded with a soft pale yellow sandy mortar (a length of 3.65m was visible in the section to a height of 1.35m; top 66.88m OD). This formed the south wall of the sunken path (Fig 9.76). At the west end of this area, between the two walls, was an apparent threshold (1.15m across) of small square stones loosely bonded with a pale brown soft sandy mortar (Fig 9.77).
The threshold provided a step down of 0.29m into the sunken room. The room itself cg423 cut through the robbing debris cg392 (LUB 19) of the Roman portico, from a height of at least c66.45m OD. The floor had been created by cutting into the Roman make-up dump cg71 (LUB 8); this dump had consisted of sandy clay with limestone and pebbles and had been trampled, creating a surface of rounded cobbles, closely packed in a pale brownish yellow clay (65.11–65.21m OD).
In surface cg423 were five postholes cg436 (Fig 9.48). They were placed round the edge of the cut of the room. They were 0.11–0.34m deep of various dimensions; two had packing of small flat stones set upright around the inside edge of the hole.
Fig 9.32 Structure 6.1 and contemporary pits: LUBs 45, 46 and 50
164 St Paul-in-the-Bail (sp72 and sp84) The depth of the sunken building below what
may have been the contemporary ground surface (robbing debris cg392; LUB 19) was c1.34m. The dimensions of the cut of the room were irregular:
the east–west dimensions against the north side measured c4.0m while immediately north of the entrance it measured c3.3m. The north–south extent was never fully determined as the southern end of the room lay outside the area of excavation; the area uncovered extended for 4.5m.
Single sherds each of LFS and LKT were found in cg423 and, if they are not intrusive, date this structure to the late 10th century at the earliest.
LUB 46 Use of Structure 6.1 (Figs 9.32, 9.33 and 9.48)
Sealing the robber trench cg416 (LUB 45) was debris cg422 which contained nine sherds of 10th- to 11th-century pottery.
Sealing the construction of the path from the sunken room cg423 (LUB 45) was a layer of compact brownish-yellow clay with small stones cg424 (0.19m thick; 65.13m OD); it was sealed by a clayish gritty deposit cg425 (0.09m thick; 65.35m OD). Over this was clay with mortar lumps, tile and some limestone fragments cg426 (0.08m thick; 65.38m OD). The northern limit of this layer defines the line of the path.
There seems to have been a subsequent alteration or addition to the path leading to the sunken room.
To the east of the opus signinum retaining wall cg423 was horizontally laid limestone rubble bonded with loose greyish-yellow mortar with small pebbles, limestone fragments and broken tile cg431. It had been set into the west side of a pit, the bottom of which went as low as 65.06m OD to the west and
as high as 65.81m to the east. There would have been a slope up from the room towards the east.
The maximum remaining height of the revetment was 0.62m; it was on average 0.25m thick. It curved north-east and then north, away from the line followed by the opus signinum retaining wall; it then appeared to peter out.
With the addition of this revetment there were different deposits to the west and east of the path.
To the west, clay layer cg426 was sealed by a layer of reddish-yellow sand cg427 (0.05m thick; 65.39m OD), over which was a layer of hard, pale, yellowish-brown sandy clay with small pebbles cg428 (0.05m thick; 65.39m OD). It was sealed by a spread of pale yellowish-brown clay with occasional pebbles cg429 (0.05m thick; 65.45m OD). These layers possibly represent a series of surfaces.
To the east of the path clay layer cg426 was sealed by dark brown silty loam with lumps of opus signinum, tile, mortar fragments, pebbles and lime-stone chips cg432 (0.07m thick; 65.77m OD). In turn it was sealed by a layer of very compact, dark-brown, silty sandy loam with many small pebbles cg433 (0.06m thick; ODs 65.31m west–65.69m east). This layer was noted as running along the south face of revetting wall cg431. It was sealed by a layer of very compact silty sandy clay with pebbles, limestone fragments and tile fragments cg434 (0.04m thick;
65.53m OD). Over it was a compact brown sandy silt with pebbles, limestone chips and fragments cg435 (0.05m thick; 65.54m OD). These layers were probably path surfaces, some with evidence of use.
The sloping nature of these deposits probably indicates that the path led from the sunken room, up to the well-head.
Sealing two of the postholes cg436 (LUB 45) was a bank of sandy material cg437 (0.10m thick) against the east side of the room. Against the step it was very dark brownish-grey with ash, but to the north it was more sandy. It was sealed by a concentrated spread of charcoal cg438, which was more hard and clayey in the north-west corner of the room (0.03–0.07m; 65.00m OD).
In charcoal layer cg438 were two postholes cg439, 0.80m apart (only seen in plan). They were cut by two later postholes cg446, 0.25m to the south-west.
Also cutting charcoal cg438 was a shallow posthole cg479, located in the north-west corner of the room.
One of the postholes cg446 (LUB 45) was sealed by clay cg440, possibly the remaining fragment of a clay floor (65.17m OD). Over this and sealing the other two postholes was a thin deposit of very dark grey ash and charcoal lumps cg441, containing some clay (65.17m OD).
Deposits cg437, cg438, cg441 and cg446 contained evidence of metalworking within Structure 6.1 or the adjacent area; seven sherds of Stamford ware Fig 9.33 Structure 6.1 and contemporary pits and
surfaces: LUB 46 and 50
165 St Paul-in-the-Bail (sp72 and sp84)
crucibles, a clay mould fragment, two copper alloy droplets, a piece of possible litharge and a small quantity of fuel ash slag. The charcoal incorporated in layer cg438 may have represented the fuel burned and may also have been used to prevent the molten copper from oxidising. No ground level hearth was associated with these deposits; perhaps it was a raised structure in the north-west corner of the room, where cg438 was noted as being harder and more clayey, or the oven may have lain in the south part of the room, or outside. It is likely that some of the clay in the floor layers derived from trampled, unfired moulds.
Very little domestic pottery (21 post-Roman sherds) was associated with the use of Structure 6.1. This pottery dates to between the late 10th and the mid 11th century.
LUB 47 Collapse of Structure 6.1
Sealing cg429 (LUB 46) was a layer of a dark brownish-grey deposit with many charcoal lumps and flecks cg430 (0.24m thick), possibly collapsed material. Sealing the room and the path, both layers cg441 (LUB 46) and cg430, were patches of demolition material cg442; at the base of wall cg423 (LUB 45) was a tumble of small–medium sized stones, tile, mortar and opus signinum lumps, and within the area of the room was a dump of burnt clay and daub with limestone fragments, bonding tile and stones, which may represent a collapsed hearth.
There are only three possible contemporary sherds associated with this LUB and these date to between the late 10th and mid 11th century.
LUB 48 Structure 6.2 (Figs 9.34 and 9.48)
Cutting inhumations cg417, cg418 and cg421 (all LUB 27) was a recut cg443 for a presumed alteration to the sunken room. This cut lay along the west and north sides of the initial cellar and meant that the cut area was an extra c1.00m west and c0.80m north (for north-west corner only). It is possible that the room was extended in this way because the sides had collapsed into the room; the recut was to accommodate new walls on the west and part of the north side.
In the area of the recut, sealing the cut and partly spread into the room sealing demolition material cg442 (LUB 47) was a thick layer of decayed mortar, brown in colour, sandy with pebbles, chips and other fragments (0.22–0.40m thick; 65.29–65.56m OD). The wall footings cg443 were set into the mortar; the footings were made up of large and medium-sized limestone rubble, re-used fragments of opus signinum flooring, mortar lumps and tile fragments bonded with soft, loose mortar. They stood to a height of 0.24m. The space between the
wall and the cut was backfilled with building debris.
The east–west dimensions of the room had not altered greatly; they were now 3.70m just north of the doorway and 4.10m at the northern limit. There was no evidence for further occupation of the cellar.
This LUB produced six post-Roman sherds dating to the 11th century, including a single Stamford ware crucible sherd.
LUB 49 Abandonment and backfilling of Structure 6.2 (Figs 9.35, 9.48 and 9.49)
The structure over the cellar (LUB 48) had been razed and partly backfilled with several dumps cg444 (Fig 9.48). Tipped from the west were tile fragments, stone, burnt daub and clay (0.09m–0.60m thick). This was sealed by dark, greyish-brown sandy clay with limestone and tile fragments with opus signinum, charcoal flecks, large patches of burnt clay and some pebbles (0.10m–0.21m thick), followed by
Fig 9.34 Structure 6.2 and contemporary pits: LUB 48 and 50
Fig 9.35 Metalworking surfaces(i): LUB 52
166 St Paul-in-the-Bail (sp72 and sp84) yellowish-brown, very sandy clay with pebbles,
limestone and tile chips and fragments and mortar lumps (0.30m thick) tipped from the east. Dumps cg444 produced a small group of late Saxon and Saxo-Norman sherds (23 sherds) the latest of which were of the 11th century.
Cutting dumps cg444 was a small circular pit or posthole cg445 with a fill of dark greyish-brown crumbly ash and pebbles.
Further dumps cg457 finally sealed both the cellar and the path (Fig 9.49). In the area of the cellar, sealing pit cg445 was sandy deposit with mortar, pebbles, small stones and tile (0.14m thick) and over this was a layer of a loose, crumbly, dark yellowish-brown deposit with stone/pebble inclusions (0.38m thick), both localised deposits. Yellowish-brown mortar with limestone, tile, pebble, burnt clay, shell and opus signinum lumps (up to 0.60m thick) sealed much of the cellar, and over this was a lens of mortar, as well as a layer of very dark greyish-brown sandy silt with pebbles, tile, limestone fragments, shell and mortar lumps (0.25m thick). The last dump which represented the backfill of the cellar consisted of very dark, greyish-brown sandy silt with many pebbles, tile, limestone rubble, shell, and bone (up to 0.50m thick). This material also extended along the path sealing demolition material cg442 (LUB 47) and layer cg422 (LUB 46).
At the east end of the path, sealing post-pit cg454 (LUB 50) was a layer of brown sandy loam with limestone and tile fragments and some pebbles. Over this was a dump of light greyish-brown sandy loam with small limestone fragments, mortar, tile and bone (0.28m thick). The central part of the path was sealed by limestone chips and fragments mixed with dark greyish loam and a scatter of rubble (0.11m thick; 65.84m OD). It was described as being part of wall collapse. Limestone and loam (0.08m thick) together with limestone blocks with pebbles, tile and shell (0.26m thick) was recorded as forming part of the same layer. Sealing this rubbly deposit were patches of compact yellow clay mixed with a few pebbles together with flecks of mortar and charcoal (0.01m thick; 65.86–.96m OD). These were interpreted as patches of demolition material from the revetting wall: ‘possibly mortar from the bonding’. Over this clayey layer was yellow/brown sandy loam with tile fragments, shell, pottery, bone, and pebbles (0.07m thick), which was recorded in section as tipping down. The level 66.42m OD may represent the highest part of the wall cg431 to have survived. Also sealing the clayey layer were large tile fragments, limestone fragments, pebbles and pottery with sandy loam (0.05m thick; 65.96m OD);
this material was also dumped south of the revetment wall cg431. Over it was a tipped layer of brown sandy loam with some building debris and
mussel shell, and this was sealed in turn by a dump of loose sandy loam with stone, tile and lumps of mortar (0.50m thick). Also sealing rubbly layers was sandy loam with mortar flecks and pebbles, itself sealed by sandy silt with pebbles. Further layers of dark, yellowish-brown sandy loam, a loose deposit with many mussel shells and building debris (up to 0.30m thick), sealed it .
Dumps cg457 contained a large group of material (194 post-Roman sherds), mostly of 11th-century date. The high number of LFS sherds present indi-cates a date in the second half of the 11th century for the group.
Dumps cg444 and cg457 contained further evi-dence of non-ferrous metalworking in the form of Stamford ware crucibles, copper alloy droplets, sheet and wire waste, lead sheet and melt waste, possible litharge and slags. Some of the large
‘colourful’ pieces of fuel ash slag were analysed by a scanning electron microscope, and the droplets incorporated within them were found to be of both copper alloy and silver, suggesting that a range of metals was being worked. Some of the waste products may have been derived from earlier levels in LUB 48.
LUB 50 Pits, dumps and surfaces contemporary with Structure 6 (Figs 9.32–34)
Pit cg451 cut dump cg412 (LUB 18) and had a fill of light brown sandy silt with limestone and tile fragments. Pit cg452 cut pits cg451 and cg364; it had a fill of dark greyish-brown loam, mixed with mortar, tile and limestone fragments with pottery.
Cutting the fill of pit cg452 was a large post-pit cg454 (0.64m deep; 0.62m diameter) with a fill of very dark, greyish-black silty loam with tile frag-ments, pottery, loose stones, pebbles, charcoal and bone. The pit had held a post, possibly as large as 0.40m across. The remaining hole had a fill of very dark greyish-black silty loam cg455, suggesting the possibility that at least part of the post had rotted in situ. Also cutting pit cg452 was a short north–south slot cg453 (0.13m deep; unplanned) which was cut by an east–west trench cg456 (0.14m deep) running along the south side and delineating the well-head.
Cutting the fill of pit cg452 was a large post-pit cg454 (0.64m deep; 0.62m diameter) with a fill of very dark, greyish-black silty loam with tile frag-ments, pottery, loose stones, pebbles, charcoal and bone. The pit had held a post, possibly as large as 0.40m across. The remaining hole had a fill of very dark greyish-black silty loam cg455, suggesting the possibility that at least part of the post had rotted in situ. Also cutting pit cg452 was a short north–south slot cg453 (0.13m deep; unplanned) which was cut by an east–west trench cg456 (0.14m deep) running along the south side and delineating the well-head.