The Grave in the Chancel

Between 2016 and 2019 Jamestown Rediscovery archaeologists excavated the site of the 1617 church and revealed portions of its original foundations and flooring. In 2018, they turned their attention to the only undisturbed burial in the 1617 timber-frame church.

The grave, centrally located within the church’s chancel, is the only in-situ interment there and was not disturbed by early twentieth-century APVA excavations. The prominent location led Jamestown Rediscovery to believe that the person was of high status. Jamestown Rediscovery developed a forensic profile and researched possible matches, which included Thomas West, Lord de la Warr, Sir George Yeardley, Reverend Richard Buck, and other gentlemen who died during the timber-frame church’s existence.

More than a dozen burials were discovered to the east of this chancel burial, all of which are later interments because they either cut through the east foundation of the timber-frame church or are related to the later 1639 brick church’s chancel. Archaeologists also excavated under the knight’s tombstone and found no burial, meaning it must have been relocated during the lifetime of the churches. Because Jamestown Rediscovery believes this is Yeardley’s ledger stone, it must have been placed over him after death in 1627 and relocated to its 1901 discovery location before church abandonment ca. 1758.

Location
The 1617 Church site is in the same location as the Memorial Church within James Fort. The chancel grave is indicated by the number 23 on the Map of Discoveries.

The Knight’s Tombstone
The Knight’s Tombstone, a black limestone ledger stone, has been conserved and relocated into the chancel of the 1617 church.