A total of 54 individuals were buried in 52 inhumation graves, including two double burials. There was also a single cremation burial. Each burial was aligned along or close to the settlement boundary ditch and set back from the road frontage. Many of the burials were positioned in groups, or clusters, and some appear to have been deliberately enclosed within specific plots.

Two burials were located within an enclosure. They were aligned parallel to the settlement boundary ditch and spaced c 5m apart. Both inhumations contained the badly degraded remains of probable males, one aged about 26–35 years old and the other an adult over 18 years. Their position towards what appears to have been the back of the enclosure may have been significant and it is notable that the enclosure was otherwise empty of features. Early 3rd-century pottery was recovered from the backfill of grave of the 26-35 year old male.

A possible group of three NE–SW burials lay fairly close together south-west of two enclosure ditches. One inhumation was the most north-easterly of the three, and although heavily truncated the grave contained the well-preserved remains of a middle adult (36–45 years). The other two graves were located c 4m south-west of the first grave, one of the two graves cut the other but not disturbing the skeleton within. The cut grave contained a probable female, while the cutting grave contained a probable male, and both were of a similar age at 26–35 years and 36–45 years respectively.

A larger group of 17 burials, including the only cremation burial, were located between a ditch and the settlement boundary ditch which together may have enclosed the group. This group can be divided into two broadly distinct clusters based on their arrangement, including eight relatively tightly arranged graves and the cremation burial to the north-east, and a more loosely arranged cluster of nine burials to the south-west. The five most northerly burials may represent a small ‘family’ plot. This group consisted of three adults, including two females aged 26–35 years and 36–45 years and a slightly younger male aged 18–25 years, as well as two children.

Two of the graves were positioned closely adjacent to one another, suggesting that they may have been deliberately associated. One of the two graves contained an adult male aged 36–45 years and the other grave, an unsexed individual aged 26–35 years.

The cremation burial was located c 2m north-east of grave one of the north-east burials. This was the only cremation burial from the entire site, but its position close to this group of inhumations suggest that it was contemporary. The cut for the pit measured 0.57 x 0.68m and 0.12m deep. The surviving lower half of a reduced ware jar contained 232g of cremated remains from a probable adult male.

The more southerly cluster of graves appeared to have been more haphazardly positioned, suggesting less affiliation between the burials, apart from one inhumation which cut directly through another grave so that only the bottom end of the earlier grave survived. This grave cluster mostly contained adults except for two inhumations, which contained the burials of children aged 6–12 years and 1–5 years respectively.

To the south-west of this larger group, the pattern of burial was characterised by smaller clusters and paired or isolated graves. A group of four were positioned close to the settlement boundary ditch with two more isolated inhumations located to the north-west, all perhaps lying in an enclosure defined by L-shaped ditch. A child inhumation was cut by two graves, while the latter two and an inhumation clearly respect each other, albeit on different alignments These were all adults, though only the individual in one grave was sexed as a possible female.

Two graves lay about 9m south-west of this group and probably formed a pair of burials, and were possibly joined by an inhumation though this was uncertain. The graves lay close together, aligned parallel to the adjacent settlement ditch, one of the graves containing one of the few individuals buried with the head to the south-west. Both these burials were adult males aged 36–45. The inhumation was positioned to the south-east of this pair, cutting the other two. About 5m further south-east lay a double burial, beyond which four graves were each relatively isolated.

A group of four burials were located in the central part of the excavation area. The top half of one grave was cut by another grave, while the other two were discrete features. The cutting grave contained an adult male aged 26–35 years old, while two of the graves were those of probable females, aged less than 18 years and 36–45 years respectively. The final grave was the burial of an unsexed adult about 26–35 years old.

The arrangement of the burials to the south-west was more linear with no graves placed side-by-side. Four inhumations may represent a group of four burials that were relatively closely spaced, although one grave was separated from the others by a ditch. The grave contained an unsexed individual, probably less than 18 years old, and the other three contained adults, including two probable males and one probable female. To the south-west of this group lay two inhumations,which intercut, although the later grave was not deep enough to disturb the skeleton in the other grave. The graves contained the adult skeletons of a male and a female. Further south-west lay an isolated grave and a double burial.

Very few graves were discovered in the southernmost part of the enclosure complex, which makes the close proximity of two graves more striking. These two were about 1.3m apart and contained the remains of a male in one grave and a female in the other, each aged 26–35 years old. The most southerly burial was a grave which contained a possible male aged 26–35 years.

Most of the skeletons, 46 in total, were buried on a NE–SW alignment with their heads to the north-east, the graves lying parallel to the adjacent settlement boundary ditch. These include the skeletons in the two double inhumations. Four of the 46 lay on a slightly more N–S alignment, though this appears to have been a discrepancy rather than a deliberate reorientation. In three graves the burial was orientated with the head to the south-west, the reverse of the norm. Only five graves were dug perpendicular to the boundary ditch. Of these, the individuals in four graves were positioned with the head to the north-west, and that in the other grave was placed with the head to the south-east.

All the bodies but one were laid in an extended supine position and there is no evidence that any were lain prone. The degree of truncation had disturbed many of the graves and it was not always possible to see all the nuances of the body positioning. At least 15 individuals lay with the upper arms to their sides and the forearms across their stomach or hips, and this appeared to be the most common positioning of the upper body. A few had their arms placed fully extended along their sides and one had the forearms crossed over the chest. An inhumation was the only body that was not fully extended, lying with the legs partially flexed to the left. Both double inhumations had overlapped or interlocking arms.

In both double burials the individuals had evidently been interred at the same time, and neither grave contained any evidence for coffins. One grave had been quite badly truncated and both skeletons were in a poor state of preservation. The feature formed a rather rough oval in plan and the two individuals lay side-by-side. One skeleton was a middle adult (36–45 years), possibly male, laid with arms at sides, the upper part of whose right arm was overlain by the elbow of the other skeleton, a young adult of undetermined sex. The second grave was more regular in shape, but both individuals had been placed at a slightly oblique angle, one skeleton, a possible male middle adult (36–45 years), occupying the more central location with the skeleton, a female prime adult (26–35 years), pushed against the north-west side of the grave. The crook of the left arm of the female skeleton lay on top of the corresponding right arm of the male skeleton. Two concentrations of hobnails indicated that the individual
represented by the male skeleton was shod.

Out of 52 inhumations, 24 produced coffin nails indicating that they had been placed in wooden coffins, with one grave additionally containing an iron bracket also thought to have been a coffin fitting. In some cases, the coffin nails were found in situ defining the shape of the coffin around the body, but in others the nails were more dispersed or present in fewer numbers owing to truncation. In some cases, the graves had been cut much larger to allow for the coffin, as with one grave, which measured 1.0 x 2.6m and contained several iron nails. There was no clear relationship between the provision of a coffin and the location of the burial in the cemetery and the orientation of the grave. Women were more often placed in coffins than men (eight out of 12 women compared with five out of 21 men), while there was no relationship between age and the use of coffins other than the fact that all four children aged between one and five years old were afforded containers.

In one grave, a burial had been lain on a series of stone slabs and was the only burial in the cemetery treated in this way. The slabs were placed in a single course with no bonding. Some stones had been placed around the sides of the body and one had collapsed onto the feet. One stone was found lying on top of the hands which were crossed over the hips. The presence of iron nails suggests that the body had been placed in a coffin, though it is uncertain whether the stone had been placed directly over the hands or on top of the lid.

Clear evidence for grave goods was rare. A total of 17 inhumations were found with hobnails, indicating that around one third of the burials were interred wearing shoes. Except for hobnails representing footwear, only two graves contained definite grave goods. Both of these were children aged between one and five years old. One grave produced two shale bracelets and a necklace or bead string represented by 63 glass beads. Pottery was also recovered from the grave fill, but it is unlikely that this was a deliberate inclusion. Another grave was buried with several grave goods, including nine copper alloy bracelets, seven of which were banded together and placed on the right shoulder, another on the left shoulder and one in the pelvis area and nine glass beads from either a necklace or bracelet. A coin dated to 350–64 was also recovered from the grave fill, and though it was not conclusive as to whether this was a grave good, it does suggest a fairly late date for the burial. Hobnails were also present in this burial suggesting that the child was wearing shoes.

Numerous grave fills contained finds but, in many cases, it was largely impossible to determine whether these were deliberately placed with the body, residual finds in the grave backfills, or remains that were intrusive in the graves after being ploughed out from other features such as the settlement boundary ditch. The shallow depth of almost all the inhumations, none being more than 0.2m deep, made interpretation of finds from graves all the more difficult. For example, a total of 24 graves contained animal bones and 39 contained Roman pottery, but these were never found in prominent positions around the body. Items that are very unlikely to have been grave goods were recovered from seven graves, included ceramic building material and iron slag. A radiate coin of AD 271–4 was found in the fill of an inhumation, but again this may not have been placed deliberately.

There was little evidence of grave markers in general, though any such features may have been shallow and therefore susceptible to removal by truncation. However, some features are worthy of note in this regard.

Two postholes were located close to the ends of two graves and may indicate the presence of associated markers. Both were circular features measuring c 0.35m in diameter and 0.1m deep and although each was fairly shallow, they were clearly truncated. A small stone slab was found in the base of one posthole. A pit may also be relevant here. Cut by an inhumation, the pit extended along the side of the grave. Although the original plan of the feature may have been different, what remained was 0.8m long and just over 0.1m deep. It had steep sides and its fill contained several stones, one found in the base similar to one of the postholes and some more that were on edge, suggesting that they had been deliberately placed. It is possible that the upright stones were inserted as packing around a post or similar element and that was associated with the infant inhumation, which was also cut by a burial located close to the postholes.

Another possible example is represented by a rectangular pit, a shallow rectangular feature that was dug into the upper part of the fill of a grave. The pit contained pottery dating to the late 2nd to early 3rd century, broadly contemporary with the 2nd-century pottery recovered from the grave.

Martyn Allen and Lauren McIntyre, 2019, Chapel Lane, Bingham, Nottinghamshire: Archaeological Excavation Report, Page 26-31 (Unpublished document). SNT5816.