Church of St Mary and All Saints, Bingham, Nottinghamshire: Archaeological Recording

The recording was carried out by a professional archaeologist. All deposits were inspected in order to identify any archaeological remains of interest, in particular those of medieval or earlier date. These were cleaned by hand, examined and recorded. Recording of the groundworks included the position and depths of the deposits exposed by drawing (both in section and plan where applicable) and photograph. Prior to backfilling spoil heaps were inspected for any datable or significant archaeological artefacts. All identifiable deposits were given unique individual four digit context numbers e.g. 0001, 0002 etc. Context numbers started at 0001. All saved artefacts were given individual three letter finds codes e.g. AAA, AAB. Disarticulated human remains found in the confines of the work were to be recorded appropriately and left on site for reburial. Advice from the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Nottingham and Southwell would be sought if articulated skeletons which required moving were present. The two linear parallel spreads of building material suggest the presence of walls below the formation depth of the excavation which pre-date one of the layers containing a limited number of eighteenth or nineteenth century finds. They are possibly contemporary as the mortar is similar in both features though not identical. Without additional excavation interpretation is problematic though they could be sleeper walls to support a former floor. A masonry and rubble spread partially extended between the two northern piers, post-dating the foundation of the easternmost, that could be the remnants of a stone floor truncated during the 1846 restoration. As the brick vaults extended below the formation depth of the building works full archaeological excavation was not undertaken. Therefore, as only the top of each vault was exposed it was not established whether they were single width burial shafts or the slightly larger and broadly contemporary family vaults. The vaults encountered during the archaeological work are broadly coaeval using the same type of brickwork and mortar, the size of bricks consistent with a mid-eighteenth century date. Both the tile floor and stone flag floor are bonded with the same type of mortar indicating that they are contemporary. Different sized bricks have been used as levelling courses below with those relating to the stone flag floor being 3 inches thick. Both floors could relate to the 1846 restoration when the current pews were installed.