EDO5071 - Sherborne Abbey Church of St Mary; observations at the west end of the north aisle

In June 1990 Keen recorded the archaeology below the floor of the west end of the north aisle of St Mary's Church, Sherborne Abbey. The floor had been removed prior to repaving. Timber plinths and flooring, and the underlying concrete were removed. Two days were then allowed for the recording of the archaeology, after which the remains were concreted. This work revealed part of the Saxon church '…a rubble wall [F850], running E-W at a depth of 0.15m below the aisle floor. The wall was 0.79m thick. Its foundation face continued below the level of a sondage dug to depth of 0.76m. On its south side, a mortar floor, [857], was butted against the wall at a depth 0.25m below its survibing top course and 0.41m below the nave floor. The south face of the west end of [F850] had been removed, filled with concreted rubble and sealed by a blue lias paving stone, [F853]. A second stone to the east [F854] was not removed. These lay at the same level as the Saxon aisle floor. On the north side, in the narrow strip between [F850] and the present aisle wall, was a thin patchy layer of grey clay-like substance on top of what appeared to be stone pitching, [F855]. To the east of this was a 0.99m thick wall [F851], running to the north, built against [F850].' (1)