Excavations at Magdalen College, Oxford

Excavations were undertaken between 2011 and 2014 in relation to modifications to the New Library at Magdalen College, Oxford, which is situated outside the historic town between the town wall and a major crossing of the River Cherwell.

Part of a cemetery was uncovered that dated to the late 12th to early 13th century and was probably associated with the nearby Hospital of St John the Baptist. Osteological analysis of the burials recorded abundant indicators of disease and poor nutrition, which, along with the predominance of women and children, indicates that they are the burials of lay people who died while in the care of the institution rather than those of the brethren.

The investigations also uncovered important evidence for the development of the town’s historic eastern extramural suburb, comprising three tenements that fronted onto the road that approached the town’s east gate. The properties were established during the 12th century and were acquired by the Hospital during the 13th century, passing to the newly founded college after the Dissolution, and were leased out to private tenants, exhibiting an unbroken sequence of occupation until they were demolished for the construction of Magdalen College School Hall (now the library building) in 1849–51. There was copious evidence for the operation of two of the tenements as smithies during the medieval period, and from the 16th century one of the buildings became the Greyhound Inn. Other intriguing discoveries include a unique cache of over 3600 17th-century pipeclay wig curlers and a possible link to Chaucer’s ‘Miller’s Tale’. The excavation results are supplemented by analysis of documentary evidence from the college archive for the occupational histories of each tenement.