Continuous archaeological monitoring was maintained during the mechanical reduction of the topsoil for the formation of a hard surface for the new car park circular access route. The monitored area measured approximately 3.60m in width, and 80m in length; the maximum depth of the excavation was 0.20m below current ground level, as observed in the southern portion of the new car park access. The north-eastern portion of the excavated area had already been reduced to the top of the natural geology prior to the installation of the existing plastic mesh. Due to site constraints as well as construction logistics, the monitored area was stripped in non-contiguous sections. Each section was recorded via photography immediately after stripping, and prior to the movement of plant across the exposed areas for spoil removal. Subsequent to the surfacing of the car park circular access route, a service trench located to its east was mechanically excavated. The trench was slightly curved in plan, following the eastern extent of the circular access route, and measured approximately 34.70m in length and 0.40m in width. A length of approximately 2.20m at the southernmost end of the service trench had been excavated prior to monitoring, to a depth of 0.60m. The removal of the topsoil and subsoil deposits in the remainder of the service trench was carried out under continuous archaeological supervision to a depth of 0.20-0.30m, in order to reveal the surface of the geological deposits. The archaeological monitoring of the reduction of the topsoil for the formation of a hard surface for the new car park circular access route and of the excavation of a service trench to the east of the access route failed to reveal any remains connected to St Mary's burial ground. No archaeological features nor deposits were revealed.
S Denis (Wed,) studied this question.