St Peter's Church, Little Comberton, Worcestershire. Archaeological Watching Brief (OASIS ID: fieldsec1-250750)

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken on behalf of the Parish Church Council of St Peters Church, Little Comberton, Worcestershire (NGR SO 96699 42766; HER ref. WSM 67775). Remediation works were required following the collapse of the northern boundary wall of the churchyard. An emergency faculty was submitted to the Diocese of Worcester in order to carry out the remedial works. The works involved the removal of collapsed wall followed by the excavation and removal of existing foundations. The foundation trench was then modified and graded to accommodate a new section of wall and an associated French drain. A small ditch, aligned north-west to south-east, was recorded toward the centre of the trench, at an approximate right angle to the churchyard boundary. Pottery within the fill of ditch indicates a mid-1st-2nd century AD date for this feature, although an abraded residual sherd of Early to Middle Iron Age pottery of 5th-2nd centuries BC date was also recovered. The churchyard soil (101) contained fresh, unabraded sherds of later Roman pottery date (3rd-4th centuries). There is therefore earlier Roman activity within the site itself, later Roman activity within the immediate vicinity, and Early to Middle Iron Age activity in the wider area. At the western end of the trench was a substantial foundation constructed of squared Cotswold limestone blocks. Although no evidence for the original construction of this foundation wall was recovered, they are considered to relate to the School building identified in this corner of the churchyard on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1885, it underwent repairs in the latter half of the 19th century, and was demolished by 1904.