Spital Square burials

In the 1980s, several excavations took place within the precinct of the former Augustinian priory and hospital of St Mary Spital, which had been the largest hospital in medieval England.

Here, information about 126 human remains from four of those excavations (NRF88, NRT85, SPQ88, SSQ88) are presented. These excavations took place at Norton Folgate and Spital Square, and have been published in Thomas et al (1997).

SPQ88: A total of 15 individuals were recovered from the first phase of the infirmary hall/chapel and dated between 1280 and 1320.

SSQ88: Nine skeletons were recovered from the priory, and dated to 1197–1235. Although 10 graves were identified during the excavation, one had only a small number of disarticulated bones, suggesting a prior exhumation.

NRF88 and NRT85: A total of 102 human remains were recovered from the hospital cemetery, and dated to 1235–1280. Of them, 54 individuals were from the north section (NRT85), and 45 from the south (NRF88).

Methods

Non-metrics and dental measurements were not recorded for subadults on this site.

Preservation

Overall, the quality of the bone was good, and the majority of individuals were more than 50% complete.

Table 1: Skeletal preservation
Preservation	N=	%
Good	123	99.2
Medium	1	0.8
Poor	0	0

Figure 1: Skeletal completeness (N=384)

Demography

A total of 124 individuals were analysed, comprising 43 males, 23 females and 42 subadults. Of all adults, the single largest group was the 36–45-year age category, accounting for 67% of the adult population. The combined male-to-female ratio for the site was almost 2:1, but was higher in the 18–25 (8:1) and 36–45 (9:1) categories. However, females outnumbered the males by 3:1 in the mature adult demographic.

There was an unusually high representation of subadults recovered, accounting for approximately one-third of the burials. The majority died between the ages of 12 and 17 years. Approximately 24% were aged between 6 and 11 at the time of death.

Figure 2: Age distribution (N=124)

Table 2: Age distribution (N=124)
Age	N=	%

Perinatal	1	0.8
1–6 months	0	0.0
7–11 months	0	0.0
1–5 years	5	4.0
6–11 years	10	8.1
12–17 years	20	16.1
18–25 years	19	15.3
26–35 years	14	11.3
36–45 years	28	22.6
>46 years	9	7.3
Adult	12	9.7
Subadult	6	4.8

Figure 3: Adult male and female distribution (N=82)

Table 3: Male and female distribution by age in the adult population
	All adults	%	Male	%	Female	%
18–25 years	19	23.2	12	27.9	5	21.7
26–35 years	14	17.1	7	16.3	5	21.7
36–45 years	28	34.1	20	46.5	7	30.4
>46 years	9	11.0	2	4.7	6	26.1
Unsexed adults	12	14.6	2	4.7	0	0.0
Total	82		43		23

Stature

Stature, calculated using complete femora, indicated that both males and females were of average height when compared to individuals from other British medieval populations (Roberts and Cox, 2003).

Table 4: Stature estimation from femoral length
Sex	Avg_stat	SD	VAR	MIN	MAX	N
Female	161.1	5.8	34	159.0	170.4	10
Male	169.5	4.8	23.3	161.1	178.7	20

Pathology

Of the adult population, 19.5% suffered some form of trauma and although more individual cases were recorded among males, females had a higher prevalence of healed fractures. 17% of the adult population exhibited some form of infection, including 1 case of tuberculosis, while 14% of subadults had non-specific infections.

Of further interest are a case of Osgood-Shlatter's disease and a probable case of Kienböck’s disease.

Download the Spital Square pathology report

DOC: 88.5 KB

Vertebral pathology

Vertebral pathology was consistently higher among females except in the case of Schmorl’s nodes, of which there were almost double the prevalence in males.

Table 5: Distribution of vertebral pathology by sex in adults with one or more vertebrae present

Table showing the prevalence of osteoarthritis, osteophytosis, IVD, Schmorl's nodes, and fusion in adults. Data is categorized by gender with counts and percentages.

Dental pathology

Dental analysis revealed a high prevalence of calculus across the population, and high levels of caries, enamel hypoplasia and periodontal disease. A particularly high prevalence of hypoplasia was recorded among the females of the population.

Table 6: Distribution of dental pathology in subadults and adults

A table displaying dental conditions: caries, calculus, hypoplasia, periodontitis, periapical lesions. Data categorized by gender and age group, showing number (N) and percentage (%).

Discussion

Medieval Spital Square represents a stratified population from a medieval Augustinian priory and hospital. This assemblage provides an ideal sample for comparative study with other British medieval populations and populations from continental hospitals of a similar period.

Downloadable documents

Spital Square human remains photographs

XLSX: 19.2 KB

This downloadable MS Excel file contains photographs of the human remains excavated at the Spital Square site.

Spital Square medieval burials all data

XLSX: 11.0 KB

This downloadable MS Excel file contains all data of the human remains excavated at the Spital Square site.

Site reference

Thomas, C, Sloane, B and Phillpotts, C (eds). 1997. Excavations at the Priory and Hospital of St Mary Spital, London. London: MoLAS Monograph 1.

Site location

1-3 Norton Folgate, E1
Site code: NRT85

4-12 Norton Folgate, E1
Site code: NRF88

38 Spital Square, E1
Site code: SSQ88

4 Spital Square, E1
Site code: SPQ88

Last update: 2025

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