The Great Churchyard, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

Wardell Armstrong was commissioned by Triio to prepare a Written Scheme of Investigation for an archaeological watching brief for works on the grounds pertaining to the Great Churchyard in Bury St Edmunds (NGR TL8558 6408). The works within the Site, comprise two areas of ground disturbance. The works are required to facilitate access to an existing main to allow the insertion of a polyethylene pipe. The anticipated depth of the gas main should be within the following tolerances: 600mm > 750mm. However this can only be confirmed when work / trial holes commence. Whilst the works are being undertaken under Permitted Development Rights, the Site is within ecclesiastical grounds. The grant of a Faculty Licence is therefore a prerequisite of the works. A requirement of a Faculty Licence is a method statement for an archaeological watching brief. The undertaking of an archaeological watching brief is also considered best practice due to the location of the Site within a Registered Park and Garden and Conservation Area, the wider footprints of which hold evidential value due to their buried archaeological remains. Nevertheless it is anticipated that the ground within the Site will have been disturbed by the trench cut for the insertion of the original gas main and whilst it is possible that the limited ground disturbance may affect below ground archaeological remains, should they be present it is anticipated that archaeological remains within the footprint of the works are likely to have been truncated.