In 1951 during underpinning operations at Cuckney Church up to 200 burials were found which antedate the building of the church. They were in 3 or 4 trenches dug N-S and wide enough for the bodies to lay in them with feet to the E. The skeletons were said to be those of young males of fighting age, and lay very close, indeed jostled each other, in the trenches. No associated finds were made which would have helped to date or explain the interments. Nor any evidence noted which suggest violence. None of the bones received expert examination. The church was built within an adulterine castle of the mid 12c. There is a strong local tradition of a skirmish here in the reign of Stephen - church erected to hallow graves ? - there is nothing in the church fabric to contradict the suggestion that the building was erected c.1150 to hallow the burials of the men who fell fighting round the castle. (1)

The present incumbent (who has taken up this living since 1951) states that he understands from church workers that the skeletons were re-interred in a communal grave. The underpinning was centred at above grid ref. (2)

See M4415 for church, M4376 for castle.

Historic England, 2021, National Record of Historic Environment (Digital archive). SNT5271.

<1> Thoroton Society, 1951, TTS, pp 26 - 29 (Published document). SNT365.

<2> Colquhoun FD, 1974, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT582.