Roman burial ground find shuts Abingdon car park during improvements. Archaeologists investigate near historic abbey.
The council hired archaeologists to check the site because they are improving the car park’s layout and adding new lights. Resurfacing work is happening too, and the work should finish by March.
The area has a lot of history, as it’s near a former abbey. Past digs found medieval burials there, and they even found Iron Age stuff before, proving this area is historically important.
The archaeologists dug six trenches and found old pottery from Medieval and Roman times in the ground. They also found human burials, which match past finds nearby. A stone wall’s remains were also found and are being dated now, which might be from the old Bell Tower that used to be in that area.
The finds are very important because they are close to the Abbey Church and add to Abingdon’s history. The burials and walls will stay safe, and future car park plans will protect them. A rain garden is being added there too, and it will help manage rainwater runoff.
The finds changed the project’s schedule, and officials are excited about the discovery because they are glad to preserve the cemetery site. The car park is near Abbey Meadows’ entrance, where you can see the abbey ruins like the Gateway, Long Gallery, and Trendell’s Folly.
Abingdon Abbey was founded long ago and was a rich and important place. Henry VIII closed it in 1538, taking the abbey’s valuable items and then tearing down its buildings.