Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Evaluation (OASIS ID: urbanarc1-264059)

Archaeological evaluation at Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire. Nine test pits were excavated to inform a proposed reordering of the interior of the church. The interior of the nave and aisles was shown to have been largely truncated during the 1840s when the nave and aisles were rebuilt by Teulon. No trace of the original external walls of the aisles were located, nor of any internal definite pre-Victorian stratigraphy within the nave and aisles. A column base in the south arcade is probably from the 1840s rebuild. A grid of Victorian sleeper walls were shown to criss-cross the nave and aisles and support timber pew platforms and stone flags. Substantial voids were found beneath all the pew blocks and the space between the sleeper walls had been partially infilled with rubble, presumably left over from the rebuild. Externally no evidence was found for the medieval north wall, with natural limestone found beneath the 1840s wall. A drain had been built to the north of the north wall, presumably to aid drainage around the north of the church. The graveyard had been retained by a large wall, which underpinned existing chest tombs. The gap between north wall and graveyard retaining wall was paved with limestone slabs, probably sealing the drain. The drain was disturbed, probably in the 20th century, and infilled and a concrete surface laid over. Within the south transept the foundations of the 14th century Lady Chapel and tower crossing were exposed, with mortar and clay trampled construction layers, and an internal limestone wall. The external foundation of the Lady Chapel was also exposed. No traces of any pre-Victorian floor levels was found and the Lady Chapel appears to have been cleared down to the medieval construction level. The limestone capping of a probable post-medieval tomb was exposed under a concrete sub-base which had been lain across the Lady Chapel