Crowle Parish Church Archaeological Survey 2012
Summary
A programme of archaeological recording was undertaken in 2010 at st Oswald’s Church Crowle during reordering works Pew platforms in the nave and north aisle were removed and replaced with flagstones flush with the existing floors. A kitchen area was installed at the west end of the north aisle. The font was moved from the west to the east end of the nave and the Crowle stone was moved from the north side of the nave to a position next to the south door. The floor level in the tower was reduced to that on the nave, and toilet facilities were installed. Excavation was not required except in the tower and a small urea in the south-west corner of the nave. Elsewhere the exposed surfaces beneath the removed pew platforms were swept clean and recorded.
Excavation of a service trench across the churchyard was also monitored and four 19th century brick-vaulted graves were recorded. Evidence for the nave north wall foundations was found beneath the north arcade. It was 1.6m wide, the same width as those of the nave west wall. The foundations were in line with a wall scar on the nave west wall showing that the west door had originally been centrally placed in that wall and that the nave was widened by 0.60m when the north aisle was built.
The north wall of the north aisle was also discovered showing that before its demolition in 1792 the medieval north aisle had been only 2.40m wide internally. Three 19th century brick vaults cut through the foundations of this well and are assumed to pre-date the rebuild of the north aisle in 1884.
Excavations in the tower revealed the original external chamfered plinth of the nave west wall and its return through the door. Which is an original opening and predates the construction of the tower.
The original threshold had been removed by the installation of heating pipes in 1915 and the construction of concrete steps through the opening. Ground level a the time of constructor of the nave is estimated to be around 0.50m below existing ground levels around the tower.
Floor tiles found in the area of the north aisle which had been reused to support the pew platforms.
Nine different types, of three different sizes, were identified indicating that there had been several phases of tiled flooring in the church. The tiles were mainly of Flemish type and were of 14th – 17th century date. Flat roof tiles of 13-16th century date were also found and are assumed to have been from the church.
Crowle Parish Church Archaeological Survey 2012 – Report
Crowle Parish Church Archaeological Survey 2012 – The Plates
Crowle Parish Church Archaeological Survey 2012 – The Figures – 1
Crowle Parish Church Archaeological Survey 2012 – The Figures – 2
Crowle Parish Church Archaeological Survey 2012 – The Figures – 3
Crowle Parish Church Archaeological Survey 2012 – Appendix 1
Crowle Parish Church Archaeological Survey 2012 – Appendix 2