Eaves-drip burial refers to the medieval funerary custom in Britain of burying infants and young children next to building foundations in churchyard.
[1] Eaves-drip burials, the medieval custom of interring infants and small children next to churchyard foundations was practiced during the 7th–12th centuries AD throughout Britain.
Archaeologists uncovered a burial space within five feet (1.5 m) of the church foundation which contained several closely packed graves of newborn babies and infants under one year in age.
At the Raunds Furnells site and later in several other medieval cemeteries, archaeologists have discovered the clustering of graves of infants and small children next to church walls.
It has been suggested that some children and adults were buried under the eaves to benefit from the extra protection that the dripping of water off the consecrated roof provided.