Cemeteries, churchyards and burial grounds: devising and applying a significance framework
Author(s): Janette Ray, Julie Rugg, Sarah Rutherford, Louise Loe, Jill Hind, Klara Spandl
Burial places have substantial significance, and are often the only evidence for cultures that would otherwise be forgotten. In England, burial evidence dates back to the Neolithic period. Over time, changing funerary practices have left a rich heritage of burial sites as a distinguishable heritage asset. This asset type is not always well understood and this lack of understanding has led to difficulties in explaining the significance of such places. This report presents findings from a project that that has aimed to create a method for assessing significance that can be applied across all types of burial site from the Neolithic period to the present day. There are 29 cases studies of these types showing how the indicators of significance devised by the project could be applied. A team made up of researchers from the University of York and Oxford Archaeology carried out the project and produced this report. The views expressed may not all be shared by Historic England. Where the report refers to the work of the former English Heritage, Historic England now carries out those functions.
- Report Number:
- 115/2015
- Series:
- Other
- Pages:
- 442
- Keywords:
- Burial Environments Human Remains Burial Cemetery
