Archaeologists from the United Kingdom uncovered over twenty human remains in a hotel garden dated back over a thousand years.
According to the archeology business Cotswold Archeology, the remains were initially found last year when renovating The Old Bell Hotel in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
The bones are thought to have belonged to a group of monks who lived at Malmesbury Abbey, a place of devotion from the 12th century.
The bones, estimated to date between 670 and 940 AD, will shed light on the daily life of the abbey, which began as a monastery.
On Bid Athelstan Dig Day, when thirteen dig sites were excavated across the town, Cotswold Archaeology, in collaboration with volunteers, made the unexpected find. Although finding tombs close to a church is not unusual, the quantity of burials found is astounding, according to a spokesperson from Cotswold Archaeology. It is assumed that the medieval cemetery was located south of the Abbey. However, the tombs are actually located west of the ancient cloisters, which goes against expectations.
The discovery of Saxon bones is even more astounding because it is a first for Malmesbury, a site where no tangible proof of early monastic life has ever been discovered.
The Old Bell Hotel has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1220.
The Hanks brothers, hotel owners Jim and Whit, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of the area’s heritage.
It seems appropriate that the first artifacts have been discovered on the premises of England’s oldest hotel, close to the Abbey. According to the news release, Jim and Whit Hanks expressed their deep interest in history and the importance of maintaining Malmesbury’s past. Their familial links to the town date back to the 1500s, which further emphasizes the significance of their engagement.
The Big Athelstan Dig is being held as part of the festivities commemorating the coronation of the first king of England, Athelstan, which took place 1100 years ago.
