Archaeologists were astonished to discover a “forgotten” Anglo-Saxon church located along the HS2 route.
In 1066, an army of thousands of Normans, Bretons, Flemish, and French troops led by the Duke of Normandy, later known as William I (William the Conqueror), invaded and occupied England. After winning the Battle of Hastings, this army took control of the southeast, capturing both Dover and Winchester, and then advancing to London. William was crowned king on Christmas Day of that year.
Archaeologists were puzzled by the unique location of the church. (Photo: SWNS).
Under Norman rule, England underwent significant changes, with lasting impacts on land ownership, castle construction, and the establishment of Norman law.
During his conquest, William encountered the Parish of Stoke, where an isolated and mysterious church was found, surrounded by fields.
Built around 1080, St Mary’s Church is located in a low-lying area about half a mile from the village. It had been forgotten and fell into ruin since the 19th century when a more convenient new church was constructed. Eventually, it was demolished.
Nearly 1,000 years later, as the government began work on the HS2 railway line passing through this area, a team of archaeologists uncovered secrets beneath this church. They embarked on excavations that revealed thousands of graves, numerous artifacts, and shed light on the church’s historical mysteries.
Dr. Rachel Wood, the lead archaeologist of the project, told the BBC that her team is determined to answer why there is a church situated in the middle of a wilderness.
Dr. Wood’s team discovered evidence from the Iron Age, the Bronze Age, and even Roman activity. Upon further investigation, they encountered the remnants of an Anglo-Saxon church buried beneath the site of the old St Mary’s Church. According to the research, the Anglo-Saxon church was constructed during the pre-Norman period.
The archaeologists found square flint walls, approximately one meter wide, surrounded by a circular ditch, along with several graves nearby. The traces are similar to a Saxon church that still exists in Barton-upon-Humber, a town not far from the Humber River mouth.
In September 2021, Dr. Wood shared: “Parts of the church, including the walls and even the floor, will provide a wealth of information about the site before the construction of the Norman church in 1080 AD. This discovery will be an opportunity for archaeologists and offer much deeper insights into the history of the Parish of Stoke.”
During the excavation, they discovered the shoulders and heads of two life-sized Roman busts in a dark clay jar. Additionally, there were numerous urns containing cremated remains, a beautiful glass vessel, and a headless skeleton with leg wounds indicating that the person had been tortured before death. Wood noted: “All of this was beyond the expectations of the archaeologists.”
