News - Church bones ‘900 years old’
Archaeologists have revealed that human bones found under a church near Penrith probably date back to the 12th century.
Remains of a young child and an adult were found at St Andrews Church, Greystoke, by builders working on heating pipes under the vestry last month.
Archaeologists said the remains could be those of a parent and child of about six years old.
They are likely to have been buried together in a pit, as at the time, only the richest people were put in coffins.
Diseases such as the plague were rife at the time, and it is thought that could be the cause of their deaths.
DNA tests
The parish rector, Reverend Michael Houston, now wants DNA testing to be carried out on the bones, so that more about their history can be learned.
He said: “The church was extended sideways in the 14th century by the Barons of Greystoke. If, as we assume, these remains were already there, it puts them in the 13th or 12th century, or even earlier.
“There is no way of telling at the moment how they died, whether the adult is related to the child, but it is unusual for two to be so close together, almost as if they are arm-in-arm.
“What we are hoping to do, if the Chancellor of the Diocese agrees, it will be good to try and get some DNA sampling just to see if they are related or not.
“It would certainly add something to the history of the place.”
The remains will be reburied with a ceremony after any scientific work takes place.
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