Ancient bones found in garden
A PIECE of Stamford's history may have been been unlocked thanks to the discovery of bones in a garden.
The bones from four or five people, children and adults, were uncovered by builders in a High Street St Martins garden and they are believed to mark the location of a medieval hospital burial ground.
Joanna Hambly, an archaeologist with the Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire, believes the bones are from the burial ground of the Hospital of St Thomas the Martyr, which was believed to be from the area.
This hospital, which would have been caring for the sick and poor, was founded between 1173 and 1180 and was dissolved in the 1500s.
Miss Hambly said: "The records say the exact position of some early buildings in association with the hospital may survive but the location of the burial ground is not clear but this discovery gives us a very clear indication of where the burial ground is.
"At the moment all of our records say possible and probable - this gives us evidence that it was here.
"I have recovered a couple of pieces of pottery from among the burials which dates between 1000 to the middle of the 1100s, a nice early date that fits in."
Miss Hambly says this was a small burial ground with bodies being packed in underneath the ones which were disturbed.
She added the uncovered bones, which were not complete skeletons, would have been disturbed in the 18th century when a culvert was built. Miss Hambly documented the site before the bones were returned to the burial place.
The builders were digging foundations for a sunken terrace at the property when they unearthed the bones.
Bettina Bryan, of Tinwell Road, Stamford, is project managing the building work for the homeowners. She said initially small pieces of bone were found among bits of stone on Thursday and that work stopped when skulls were uncovered.
She said: "It was amazing but a little unnerving.
"It is an amazing find and was preserved for 800 years. It is a part of history."
Police and scenes of crime officers attended on Friday but called in Miss Hambly when it was established that it was an historical site.
The property owners are now building a raised terrace.
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Weather for Stamford
Friday 25 May 2012
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