Archaeological discovery reveals ancient origins of Welsh church site

Dale Spridgeon, Local Democracy Reporter

An archaeological investigation at a church in north Wales has uncovered early medieval graves and possible evidence of prehistoric activity, suggesting the site could be centuries older than previously thought.

The investigation took place as part of a planning application to extend the graveyard at Eglwys Santes Morhaiarn at Gwalchmai on Ynys Môn.

After the findings, it was proposed that the site be preserved in-situ and an alternative area be selected for the graveyard extension.

The details were released in a CR Archaeology report, created on behalf of Cyngor Cymuned Trewalchmai as part of the planning application to Anglesey County Council.

The report describes how a minimum of nine cist graves believed to date to the early medieval period had been uncovered, and that “Their shape was indicative that they contained extended inhumations”.

The report explains: “The size variations in grave size indicated that infants, and at least one child and one adult, were buried at the site.

“The graves were uncovered in plan and recorded but were not excavated. Two shallow ditches were also identified within the excavation area.

“These may be enclosure ditches related to the burials, but this was unproven as only 1.8m of each was exposed within the excavation area.

“Two of the graves were cut into an earlier feature. There is the possibility that the ditches and/or the earlier feature represent prehistoric activity at the site which acted as a focus for the early medieval burials.

“The works at the site demonstrated that the origins of Eglwys Santes Morhaiarn were centuries older than is evidenced by the surviving structural elements and documentary sources.”

Eglwys Santes Morhaiarn is a Grade II* Listed building. The structure is listed as a “a good example” of a small rural church.

“It is largely late medieval in character, though the church is noted to have earlier foundations,” the report said.

“Despite the later remodelling the church has retained many earlier features and the character of its simple Perpendicular style.

“The works at the site demonstrated that the origins of Eglwys Santes Morhaiarn are likely centuries older than is evidenced by surviving structural elements and documentary sources.

“The early medieval long cists form part of a larger burial ground, and it is believed that the presence of these Christian burials signified a place of existing religious significance which was the focus for the later church.

“An insufficient area of the cemetery at St Morhaiarn’s was uncovered to speak with confidence as to layout of the graves although there were two slightly differing grave orientations noted and given the number of graves of infants and children within the evaluation it is possible that this may have been a deliberate placement.

“It is however equally likely that children were disproportionately affected by factors such as famine or disease when this cemetery area was in use.”

The report also noted the burials at Eglwys Santes Morhaiarn were “a further example of the growing corpus of early medieval cemeteries discovered in association with medieval churches in rural Anglesey”.

Cemeteries at Llanbedrgoch and Llaniestyn had also “evidenced early medieval cemeteries adjacent to small, rural churches of medieval foundation.

The report added: “The earlier cemeteries extend for a considerable distance beyond the curvilinear boundaries of the medieval churchyards and St Morhaiarn’s clearly follows this pattern.”

A third early medieval cemetery adjacent to a medieval church on the island was also uncovered at Llechcynfarwy, where there were 28 graves identified.

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