Skeletons under the floor!
In 1994 Doncaster Corn Exchange was
badly damaged by fire and in 1995
ARCUS carried out an archaeological
excavation revealing the presence of a
number of burials associated with the
graveyard of the medieval church of St
Mary Magdalene.
The following are extracts from the
reports:
Trench 2 contained five human graves, all
oriented East -West. The graves were cut
into the natural (012), and filled with a brown silty clay. Skeleton 1 was the most fully
exposed. The body was buried with the head to the west, and with the hands
crossed over the pelvis. Analysis of the teeth and bones suggested an older adult,
probably male, with an estimated stature of c.1.75m.
The other skeletons were much less accessible. Only the skull and upper torso of
skeleton 2 was excavated, while Skeleton 5 was represented only by skull fragments
in section. Analysis of Skeleton 2 suggested an older adult female. Skeletons 3 and
4 were largely
buried to the west
of the trench, only
the feet being
exposed by
excavation.
Other trenches
revealed rubble
layers containing
domestic refuse,
including a strap
handle fragment
dated to the latefifteenth/early
sixteenth century.
Other finds were
of post-medieval
date, including pot, glass, clay pipe and animal bone.
The results of this excavation demonstrated the need for further excavation which
was carried out between November 1995 and January 1996 when further remains
were found.
This section of the cemetery was on the north side of the church, a location less
favoured by Christians and which tended to be used for the burial of women during
the earlier mediaeval period. This general observation is supported by the fact that
1
the majority of the skeletons examined were of women. The date of the individual
burials was unclear but certainly pre 1390 when the graveyard went out of use.
Full details of the excavations and reports can be found in Archaeology in South
Yorkshire 1994-1995 and 1995-96 available from South Yorkshire Archaeological
Services, Sheffield.
Doncaster - Corn Exchange and the church of St Mary Magdalene.
A brief history of the site.
The building generally known as the Corn Exchange, in Doncaster’s Market Place, is
in fact three buildings. An ‘L’ shaped Market Hall that was opened in 1849 and a
Market Hall extension and the Corn Exchange both built in 1871 and all occupying
the site of the mediaeval church and graveyard of St Mary Magdalene.
Although the age of the church is not known evidence suggests that this was
originally the parish church before St George’s church and was replaced in favour of
St. George’s by about 1200 at about the time when the castle fell into disuse
allowing St George’s to develop and as the market which was held in and around St
Mary’s and it’s churchyard flourished.
The seventeenth century antiquarian Abraham de la Pryme also records the frequent
unearthing of Anglo-Saxon gravestones within the Market Place, in the nineteenth
century William Sheardown described surviving late-Saxon architecture in the
remains of the chancel and a possible reference by Bede to the construction of the
second Anglo-Saxon church in Yorkshire at Campodunum, is often thought to refer to
Doncaster.
The appropriation of the rectorial tithes of Doncaster in 1303 transferred the main
parish activities to St. George's church. The graveyard of St Mary’s is likely to have
fallen into disuse at this time and the church relegated to the status of a chantry
chapel.
By the mid-fourteenth century it had become neglected and relied on private
donations for support. In 1390 Richard Magnaville rebuilt the northern aisle. In 1400,
John Bell gave to William Lewer, chaplain of the chantry of St Mary Magdalene two
messuages, two gardens, and certain lands in Doncaster and Wheatley. In 1413,
William Aston settled upon the same William Lewer five messuages and lands in
Doncaster and Warmsworth, for which he and his ancestors were to be celebrated at
an altar of St. John within the Chapel.
In 1490, William Copley, of Nether Hall, left certain tenements at Doncaster for the
support of a chaplain and his successors at the altar of St. Peter. Besides the altars
of St. John and St. Peter, there was also an altar of the Blessed Trinity, which was
probably also a William Copley foundation.
On the 14th February, 1546, the value of these endowments were:The Chapel of Mary Magdalene
£6.6.8
2
The Chantry of St John within the Chapel
The Chantry of the Blessed Trinity within the Chapel
(Dugdale's Monasticon.)
£4.0.0
£4.10.8
Leland visited the town in 1540 and said ‘There was another paroche church yn the
town yet standing but now it servith but for a chappell of ease’
At the Dissolution of the Chantries in 1548 the entire property including the
graveyard became Crown property. The Church with its cemetery was sold by the
Crown to Thomas Reve and George Cotton of London in 1548. In 1552 they sold it
to Ralph Bossvile and in Feburary 1556 Bossvile sold it to John Symkynson a
mercer of Doncaster who had been mayor in 1547. In 1557 Symkynson then sold it
to the Mayor and Corporation who instead of demolishing the chapel refitted the old
chancel as a grammar school (in use as such until 1846) and started converting the
rest for the use as the Borough meeting house. In 1575 the north & south aisles
were taken down and in the Borough Courtier there are accounts for payments to
work at the ‘Mawdelyns’ . For some reason the conversion was not completed until
1608.
The churchyard was rented out to traders with the gradual encroachment of buildings
into the former churchyard and many legal documents at that time still referred to the
area as Magdalene church yard. (See appendix).Throughout this development and
building bones were frequently being dug up.
In 1729 Council records show that the
‘Town Hall was newly boarded and
sashed’. and in 1784 part of the Council
Room & Town Hall were ordered to be
rebuilt. This was probably the time that the
Town Hall began to take on a Georgian
appearance. Further development in the
area took place including in 1756 the
Butchers Shambles & Butter Cross and in
1778 the New Shambles on the site of
Boot &Shoe public house.
By 1767, when a map was produced of
the town, numerous buildings and streets
had been constructed around the church
including Meal Lane, Ratten Row, and
New Street. However by 1840 all this piecemeal development proved totally
inadequate for the ever expanding market.
3
4
A petition for improving the markets was presented to the Council but it took five
years of discussion before plans were adopted. In 1845 the Council acquired
premises in Goose Hill and in 1846 houses and shops in Meal Lane, Ratten Row
and the New Shambles were taken down. Sheardown (1872) says that many
fragments of Roman pottery were found during demolition and that he carried out
several drawings. November 1846 saw the demolition of the Town Hall.
It was then that a substantial part of the remains of the church of St Mary Magdalene
were discovered inside the structure.
The following are extracts from the ‘Ruined Church of St. Mary Magdalene’
5
Rev J E Jackson (1853)
‘..demolition of the Hall of Justice in the month of November 1846. The progress of
this work was watched with much curiosity. For, though all were aware that a sacred
edifice had stood here, none probably were prepared to see, what they ultimately did
see, the very skeleton of that edifice developed. Within the masonry, and forming
part of the substance of the outer walls of the Town-hall, were found, literally
columns and arches of the nave of the church. The chancel arch, with its two
columns and their capitals, heretofore partially visible, was brought out nearly entire.
Other portions also came to light by degrees, until at length enough was rescued
from the strange encasement to afford ample means of estimating the original size
and style. (approximately 124 ft x 29 ft)
The Church stood due East and West. It was entered at the West end by a simple
semicircular-headed doorway ; the same that had continued to be used as a sideentrance whilst the building did duty as a Town-hall.
The Nave was formed by an arcade on each side of six semicircular square-edged
recessed arches supported by seven circular columns. The capitals were of that
variety which in modern architectural phrase is called " cushioned " (viz. where the
capital bulges over the shaft). The abacus, or overlying stone, was square. Over
these arches was a clerestory, pierced with narrow semicircular-headed windows,
each being immediately over and resting at once upon the " voussoir " (or uppermost
curved stone) of the nave arch below. The clerestory windows were deeply splayed.
The Church thus presented a good example of what is rather uncommon, a Norman
arcade and clerestory without a triforium (a range of arches or panels generally
intervening between the top of the arcade and clerestory) . On the North side the
arches, columns, and clerestory were entire ; on the South the columns only
remained.
By these arcades the Nave had been divided from aisles North and South ; but of the
aisles no trace was found, not even the line of their foundation. Judging from the
general proportions of the building, they must have given to it an additional width of
about twelve feet on each side.
The chancel proved to be very imperfect ;
little more of it being discovered than what
had long been perceptible in the wall of
the Grammar-school. It was divided from
the nave by a lofty arch of plain but fine
proportions, less elaborate than might
have been expected. Upon this chancelarch were found traces of decoration, in
red, and of peculiar character ;
exceedingly elegant and graceful.' It is
doubtful whether the decoration were as
old as the Church; but it is a valuable
specimen of certainly early date (later
though to be Norman).
6
On the North side of the
chancel was a doorway
(which had probably led to a
Sacristy; resembling that at
the West end, but smaller.
On this side were also two
windows with circular heads,
one of which corresponded
with the deeply-splayed
windows of the clerestory in
the Nave.
There were, besides these,
two other windows with nonecclesiastical stout mullions, probably the remains of a small dwelling-house which
appears to have been at one time built against this part of the Church.’
Roman coins and pottery were discovered as well as three graves and skeletons
found in the chancel. One of these was holding a chalice in the right hand. The
graves were lined with worked blocks that suggested an age of immediate post
Roman or Anglian period. (Buckland 1989).
Following the discovery a decision had to be made on what to do with the ruins.
Various plans were put forward including the preservation where they stood,
removal to a country estate and various conversions. In December a petition was
signed by most of the landed gentry pleading for preservation. However it was found
on further examination that the stonework was in poor condition and the idea of
preservation gradually disappeared. Eventually they were taken down and the best
pieces taken to the Council store. On Whit Monday 1847 the foundation stone of the
market hall was laid and the building was opened on 2nd June 1849.
The success of the new market hall and the need for further expansion of the
market resulted in the planning of the eastern wing of the market hall and the Corn
Exchange. In 1870 the Plough and Lord Nelson and other buildings were taken
down and the new buildings were opened in 1871.
7
8
An indenture of 1595 that refers to a lease of land in Magdalene church yard.
Doncaster Archives Ref AB7/4/164
Thys Indenture mayde the thirde daye of September in the Eighte and Thirtethe yeare of the Raigne
of our Sov[er]agne Lady Elizabethe by the grace of god of England France and Ireland Quene
defender of the faithe etc Betwene the maior and Comnalties of the Boroughe of Doncaster in the
Countie of yorke on thone p[ar]tie and Rob[er]te Issott of the same Alderman on thother p[ar]tie
Wytnessethe that the saide maior and Comnaltye with theire mutuall whole and free consent assent
and agremente and for dyvers good Causes and considerac[i]ons them there unto movinge and
especialie for and in Considerac[i]on of Acerten Sume of money to them the saide maior & Conmaltie
by the saide Roberte Issott before then sealinge and delyverit heireof well and trulie in hand paide
have demysed granted and to Farme letten and by these present doe demyse grannte and to farme
lett unto the saide Rob[er]te Issott his exect[or]s and assignes one aker of arrable or pasture grownde
lyinge and beinge in or nighe the Clapits betwen the lande of the heyres of John Smyth of the south &
lande of thenants of Denys Cowlige on the northe And allso one yardinge or piece of grownde lyinge
and beinge in the magdalen Church yarde Conteyninge by Estimacion ten yeardes in lengeth and
nyne yeardes in breethe To Have and to hold the saide Aker of arrable pasture grownde togerther
with thaforesaide garden wyth all and Singular theire appurtencs on to the saide Robert Issott his
executors assignes frome the feast day of St Mychaell thark[a]ngell nowe next comynge & Folowinge
the date hereof for and untill the Full end and tearme of Twentye yeares frome thence next ensuinge
and fullit to be Complete finished and ended Yeildinge and payinge therefore and of the same yearlie
and everie yeare duringe the saide tearme unto the saide maior and Comnaltie and theire successors
the annall or yearlye rente of Fower Shllinges of lawfull englishe money at the feastes dayes of
thanncyacon of our Lady & St Mychael thark[a]ngell by even and equall porcons .....
Bibliography
South Yorkshire Archaeological Services, Sheffield. Archaeology in South Yorkshire 1994-1995 and
1995-96
Doncaster Archives. Doncaster Borough Courtier Volumes 1,2, 3 & 4 (1568 – 1814)
Buckland, P.C. Magilton, J.R., and Hayfield, C. 1989 The Archaeology of Doncaster 2. The Medieval
and Later Town
Miller, E. 1804 History of Doncaster.
Hunter, J. 1828 South Yorkshire
Jackson, J.E. 1853 History of the ruined church of St. Mary Magdalene
Sheardown, W. 1872 The Marts and Markets of Doncaster
Magilton, J.R. 1977 The Doncaster District : an archaeological survey
Walton, C. 1980 The Changing Face of Doncaster
9