An Archaeological Site Evaluation at St Andrew's Church, Impington, Cambridgeshire

An archaeological evaluation was conducted within the footprint of the proposed new church hall to adjoin the existing vestry of the medieval Church of St Andrew, Impington (TL 448/632) on the 30th June 1994. This had been requested by Development Control of the County Archaeology Office as part of the planning application since it was highly likely that the area would contain unrecorded inhumations. The aim of the exercise was to determine the density of burials and the chance discovery of other archaeological remains. The evaluation conclusively showed the expected dense burial pattern usually evident around the perimeter of a church. This pattern matches results from similar excavations at St Andrew's the Great, Cambridge; Jesus College Chapel (formerly St Rhadegunds Convent) and the Church of St Peter (near Kettles Yard). While no structural or other tangible archaeological remains were evident, the presence of the Saxo-Norman pottery raises the importance of the cemetery especially in view of potential pre-church land use