Lost Medieval Monk Graveyard Unearthed At Westminster Abbey

A reminder that Westminster Abbey was once a Catholic Church, stolen by Henry VIII. At least he didn't destroy it like most of the others.

From uCatholic

Excavating a lost medieval sacristy at Westminster Abbey in London, archaeologists discovered “hundreds if not thousands” of buried Catholic Benedictine monks.

Working on the grounds of the long-demolished Great Sacristy that faced London’s busy Victoria Street, it was built in the 1250s by Henry III during his restoration of the abbey built by Edward the Confessor in the 960s.

Working since January to understand the “medieval footprint” of the grounds for future constructino, lead archaeologist Chris Mayo said “you do have to be careful where you’re walking – you can see from the ground there are burials everywhere.”

“Ultimately the Abbey’s grounds once went much further still. This whole area was awash with burials. If you dug a hole underneath the supreme court you’d find a few burials as well.”

During the excavation, Mayo said they also found a stoup in the the 13th-century foundations that was ‘used by monks in Edward the Confessor’s church to wash their hands as they entered.”

Excavators also found painted wall plaster, suggesting the walls inside the Great Sacristy were ‘hand painted with red, white and black flowers.’

Following the Reformation, the Benedictines were forced from Westminster Abbey. Although they briefly returned during the reign of Mary I of England, they were forced out once again by Elizabeth I.

It was turned into a domestic dwelling, and finally demolished in 1740 after falling into disrepair.