Archaeological Monitoring & Recording at Church of St Mary the Virgin, Turville

The 2013 excavation of the storm drain trench and the pit for the septic tank was carried out under the supervision of the archaeologist. The first phase, for the storm drain and wheelchair access path, consisted of topsoil stripping and soil reduction up to 14cm in depth. The fall of the storm drain pipe trench necessitated a depth of excavation up to 0.20m at the eastern end of the Vestry - which in this case revealed the natural underlying geology of chalk. The second phase was the excavation by mechanical digger of a 3m deep pit measuring 2.5 x 2.5m to receive the Septic Tank for the new toilet facilities. This was undertaken by the contractors whilst under the supervision of the archaeologist. The layers were excavated incrementally allowing the archaeologist to record soil changes and/or the presence of archaeological features or burials. The groundworks monitored in 2025 consisted of the mechanical excavation of a new soakaway, located in the eastern corner of the graveyard, and a new service trench connecting it to the existing storm drain located immediately to the north of the north-eastern corner of the Vestry. The service trench measured c 0.40m in width, and extended for an overall length of approximately 30m. Immediately to the east of the eastern door of the church, the service trench was mechanically excavated to an average depth of 0.40m, and extended on a north-west to south-east alignment for c 10m, through an area severely disturbed by various building activities, including multiple cables and drainage pipes. In this location, the top of the brick built barrel vault encountered during the 2013 archaeological monitoring was uncovered at a depth of 0.25m below current ground level. To prevent impact on this structure as well as on the existing cesspit, the service trench was deviated towards north-east for a length of c 3m, where a manhole was installed. The planned north-west to south-east orientation was resumed for the remaining 18m of the service trench, which reached a depth of c 48m to the south of the cesspit, increasing to a maximum of 0.62m at its eastern end, where it joined the soakaway. The total volume of the soakaway was reduced from the planned 4m2 to 2m2 in order to minimise the volume of soil excavated, which, as per Faculty, was not to be removed from the churchyard. The originally planned extent of the soakaway was of 2.40m by 1.50m in plan, with a maximum depth of 1.60m. The mechanical reduction of the ground, however, revealed the presence of multiple articulated burials at a depth of approximately 0.80m below current ground level. To prevent further disturbance to the inhumations, the extent of the soakaway was altered to a 2.40m by 2.70m footprint, with a maximum depth of c 0.70m. As specified in the Faculty as well as in further communications with the Diocese, the DDA and representatives of St Mary's, all work was halted after the initial exposure of disarticulated human remains within the service trench immediately to the east of the church; ground reduction was only resumed after formal authorisation by the Archdeacon as well as by the DDA was obtained. Similarly, groundworks ceased and all stakeholders were informed after the discovery of an articulated, albeit disturbed, infant burial within the eastern extent of the service trench. The documentation and collection of the remains was completed after authorisation by the Chancellor and DDA was obtained; the remains were reserved in the Vestry under the care of the Acting Churchwarden prior to reburial within the service trench. The 2013 graveyard clearance at Turville utilised archaeological techniques to excavate and record the 20 burial deposits that were exposed during the creation of the pit for the septic tank. However, due to time constraints these practices were modified to allow for a quicker mode of working.