An archaeological evaluation of the Cathedral’s car park in Upper College Green has confirmed the long-held belief that the area served predominantly as a cemetery throughout the monastic period.
The investigation was carried out to learn whether anything of significance could be disturbed by the proposed development of the New Cathedral Green as part of Project Pilgrim.
Significant finds include; a well preserved grave slab (see image below) which seems to show the dates of death of a husband (1698), viagra buy mother (1699) and their teenage daughter (1703) as well as a section of wall or monument which is believed to be part of a 17th or 18th century graveyard.
The Cathedral Archaeologist, Richard Morriss said, “we knew there was a high possibility of unearthing burials in what we have always believed to be a thousand year old cemetery, but the most exciting finds are connected with how the lives of those buried were commemorated and memorialised. The family ledger slab is remarkably well preserved from the 1690s and in giving us the names of a local family it shows the connection the Cathedral has always had in the lives of Gloucester residents.”
Work outside the Cathedral has now been completed and all discoveries have been carefully recorded and the trenches back-filled to ensure they are not disturbed.
Proposals for the landscaping of the New Cathedral Green will continue as planned taking the archaeological finds into account.