Medieval Punishment Cemetery at Weyhill Road, Andover, Hampshire

In 2016, a watching brief in advance of construction at a site between Andover and Weyhill, Hampshire, revealed disturbed human remains. This formerly isolated roadside location, which had been partly developed in the later 20th century, lies close to the historical boundary between Andover and Abbotts Ann Hundred. The discovery led to the excavation of a densely crowded group of partly disturbed and heavily intercut graves, and it soon became clear that this was not a normal community cemetery. The remains of some 124 individuals, mostly male and adult, were revealed, with much additional disarticulated bone. Many had clearly been buried with their hands tied behind their backs or had been interred face-down, and some had been decapitated. As might be expected with a rural ‘execution’ (or punishment) cemetery of this type, very few artefacts were recovered. In this case only one find, a silver penny dateable to AD 979-985, allowed close dating, which suggested that the site was a distinctive type of Saxon cemetery known elsewhere in Hampshire. However, radiocarbon dates from articulated burials, selected for their spatial and stratigraphic positions, demonstrate that the cemetery was in use from at least the 10th century (and possibly as early as the 8th century), and continued in use beyond the Norman Conquest to at least the 13th and possibly the 14th century. Stable isotope analysis shows that the people buried here were mostly of local origin. The significance of the site lies in this evidence for continuity, at a local level, of the organisation of judicial power from Saxon times well into the Middle Ages. It is the first site to provide clear evidence for such duration of a ‘punishment’ cemetery.

[...] altogether a vivid, and chilling, glimpse into medieval society.

Karen E Walker is Principal Post-excavation Manager at Cotswold Archaeology. Karen has worked in commercial British archaeology in the region of Wessex for almost 40 years. Much of that time has been spent in desk based and post-excavation research and in management roles, mentoring colleagues and bringing sites to successful publication and their archives to deposition. Previous books include excavation reports for the 20th Century Excavations at Stonehenge, and for Twyford Down. Karen managed the post-excavation work for the project and was principal author. Sharon Clough is Osteoarchaeologist Senior Environmental Officer Human bones Cotswold Archaeology. Sharon has a wide range of fieldwork and Osteoarchaeology experience gained across the UK, for a variety of archaeological contractors and in a freelance capacity. She undertook the analysis of the human bones and the related research for the project. Sharon appeared on the recent Channel 4 television programme on the site. Jeremy Clutterbuck is Project Officer, Cotswold Archaeology. Jeremy was the Cotswold Archaeology fieldwork project leader. He directed the excavation, and undertook the initial post-excavation stratigraphic analysis. He has given several talks on the results to local archaeological societies and museum groups and appeared on the recent Channel 4 television programme on the site.