One of Britain’s largest medieval cemeteries discovered at University of Cambridge

IT’S an incredible find. A huge cemetery, with remains from over a thousand people, has been found underneath one of the world’s most prestigious universities.

ONE of Britain’s largest medieval hospital cemeteries has been discovered at a university in England.

The burial site at the University of Cambridge contained more than 400 complete human skeletons along with more than 1000 other sets of human remains.

Dating back to medieval times, the burials are from the Hospital of St John the Evangelist, which was established in 1195 to care for the poor and the sick.

While historians have been aware of the burial site since at least the mid-20th century, the sheer scale and extent of the burial ground was unclear until the recent excavation.

Dr Craig Cessford, from the university’s department of archeology and anthropology, described the site as “one of the largest medieval hospital osteoarchaeological assemblages from the British Isles”.

Similar to modern cemeteries, but without coffins. Picture: Craig Cessford/Department of Archaeology and Anthropology/University of Cambridge

Photos from the excavation site revealed similarities to modern cemeteries as the skeletons were perfectly lined up in burial rows.

However, researchers said the lack of coffins and grave goods suggested the cemetery was used for the poor.

“Evidence for clothing and grave goods are rarer than at most hospital cemeteries,” he said.

“Items were found in graves that might represent grave goods, but their positions were ambiguous and it is equally possible that they represent residual material from earlier activity at the site.”

Researchers said the bodies failed to exhibit any serious medical issues that would have required care.

“The main role of the hospital was spiritual and physical care of the poor and infirm rather than medical treatment of the sick and injured,” he said.

The results of the excavation and photos were released in the Archaeological Journal.

Cambridge University.