Excavation of the Late Saxon and Medieval Churchyard of St Martin’s, Wallingford, Oxfordshire

MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) undertook excavations over 2003-4 at the former St Martin’s churchyard, Wallingford, Oxfordshire.St Martin’s, one of perhaps eight churches of late Saxon Wallingford, was located in a prominent position in the centre of the burh.No middle Saxon activity was found and the earliest remains consisted of a layer sealing the natural subsoil which contained a probable late Saxon lead cross.Earliest use of the churchyard has been dated to the late 10th to early 11th century by radiocarbon dating, and burials continued until the end of the 14th century, serving a dwindling parish population, before the cemetery rapidly fell out of use thereafter.No burials post-date 1412. Part of the cemetery has not been disturbed by the present development.The unexcavated areas and previous post-medieval and modern disturbances has meant the original size of the cemetery remains unknown.A late Saxon mortar mixer found on the site has added to a growing number of this disti