Site record MDR13167 - Monastic cemetery (site of), Darley Abbey, Derby
Type and Period (1)
- INHUMATION CEMETERY (Medieval to Tudor - 1200 AD to 1539 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- World Heritage Site
Full Description
‘From time to time human bones are found by workmen digging in the area of Hill Square but there seems to be no detailed record of any investigation at any time to discover the age of the bones and other information of local and historical interest. Not long ago a lead coffin was exposed but covered over again after little or no attempt to shed light on the deceased or his identity. Fifty years ago school boys found themselves in trouble for kicking an old skull around the village. People were shocked but that was the end of their concern.' (1)
Finds made over the years indicate that the Abbey cemetery lay in the area of Hill Square and the adjacent New Road. In March 1823 two encaustic tiles were found 'under a road in Darley Abbey on the supposed site of the cloisters and where a coffin had been previously discovered' (presumably New Road), while a stone coffin outside St Matthew's Church used to be between nos 5 and 6 Hill Square, so probably came from nearby. Coffins and skeletons were also apparently unearthed here in the 1920s, when workmen were digging trenches to put in pipes for a domestic water supply. The finds are said to have been reburied. (2, 3)
During an evaluation undertaken southwest of No. 10 New Road in 2018 the archaeologists found the heads of two west-east aligned graves approximately 3m apart were identified towards the northern end of the trench. Both burials lay in their own stone or lintel lined graves, and both sets of remains appear to have been wrapped in a shroud prior to burial. One skeleton was identified as male, but the other individual could not be determined. The manner of burial was believed by the excavators to be consistent with 'priestly' burials during the 11th to 13th centuries, and both burials are most likely associated with the Augstinian Abbey that stood on the site until the 16th century. (4)
Sources/Archives (4)
- <1> SDR21262 Bibliographic reference: Peters, D. 1974. Darley Abbey: From Monastery to Industrial Community.. p 117.
- <2> SDR20981 Bibliographic reference: Perry, E. 2002. Up Darley Down Darley, The 20th Century History of Darley Abbey Village. p 46.
- <3> SDR20778 Article in serial: Steer, J (Derbyshire Archaeological Society). 2009. 'The porter's lodge and barns of Darley Abbey and comment on the possible site of the Abbey and its precinct', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 129, pp 197-237. p 221.
- <4> SDR24546 Unpublished document: Binns, L (TPA). 2018. Land Opposite 10 New Road, Darley Abbey, Derby: a Report on an Archaeological Evaluation.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 3522 3839 (58m by 47m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | DERBY, DERBY, DERBYSHIRE |
| World Heritage Site | Derwent Valley Mills |
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- EDR2416
- EDR5008
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Nov 29 2023 9:30AM