Digital applications to urban archaeological sites: the St. Mary Spital. Chapel and Charnel House

Pablo RODRIGUEZ-NAVARRO¹ | Andy CHOPPING² | Diego RODRIGO³ | Giorgio VERDIANI⁴ | Teresa GIL-PIQUERAS²
(¹Institute of Heritage Restoration, Valencia | ²Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain | ³MOLA – Museum of London Archaeology, London, UK | ⁴Dipartimento di Architettura, Università degli Studi

Keywords: Photogrammetry, Digital Survey, 3D Reconstruction, London, Charnel House

Abstract:
This case study is about an archaeological site in central London, named “The Charnel House”, it is a crypt in a cemetery chapel, dedicated to St Edmund the King and St Mary Magdalene, built probably about 1330. It was located at the Spitalfields suburb, (Spital Yard), actually Bishops Square, E1 6AD London (UK). The site is located below the street level, in a new area that has been completely restructured. Through a public staircase it is possible to access a wall of glass that allows to see a side of the medieval building, although access to the interior remains closed to the public. It can only be visited in groups and upon a booking to Historic England, entity in charge of its management, custody and maintenance. Through this glass it is possible to observe a part of the site. The ruins has been surveyed and documented using photogrammetry solutions to create a base for further virtual 3D reconstruction. A set of references from proper manuals about gothic and neogothic architecture has been the base for this digital modeling. The poster presented here has been made to be placed on the site; It has been arranged inside the glass, suspended from the roof, so that its texts can be read, as well as its images and the QR codes taking to digital 3D models of the site and its hypothetical reconstruction. Also, traceries, jambstones, ribstones that have been used to make the reconstruction and that are in the storage of the MOLA (Archaeological Museum of London) are shown.