Latest news with #HeadlandArchaeology
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
England's largest medieval hospital is unearthed inside a SINKHOLE in huge breakthrough – and no one knew it was there
The historic site was uncovered unexpectedly during emergency repairs BREAKING GROUND England's largest medieval hospital is unearthed inside a SINKHOLE in huge breakthrough – and no one knew it was there A ROAD in the heart of York gave way to a sinkhole and exposed a vital part of the city's past. Archaeologists have found the remains of one of England's largest medieval hospitals buried beneath a bustling street. Advertisement 3 A sinkhole opened up in the road outside the 18th-century York Theatre Royal Credit: Getty 3 Buried beneath the road, archaeologists uncovered remains of the 11th-century St Leonard's Hospital Credit: YouTube/York City Council The remains - dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries - are thought to belong to St Leonard's Hospital. The huge healthcare facility is said to have once stretched from the Museum Gardens to the Theatre Royal site. Though built shortly after the Norman Conquest in the late 11th century, the site sits on top of even older Roman remains - at a time when York was a major Roman city and military base called Eboracum. St Leonard's Hospital played a vital role in the community of medieval York - not only as a healthcare centre but also as a charitable institution. Advertisement It ran an orphanage and provided food for prisoners at York Castle. The hospital was destroyed during the 16th-century English Reformation, when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church. This brought an end to countless religious institutions across England. The site then became home to the Royal Mint, earning the name Mint Yard. Advertisement It later transformed into the Georgian street that stands there today. Incredibly, the hospital was excavated by chance earlier this month during emergency repairs to the road on St Leonard's Place. Danish archaeologists unearth 50 Viking skeletons City of York Council officials said the sinkhole in the road outside the 18th-century theatre was made safe by contractors before archaeologists were called in. Structural and stone masonry remains were unearthed by a team of archaeologists. Advertisement While the discovery has temporarily halted roadworks, city officials expect repairs to resume shortly. The archaeological team has carefully documented every find, following the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists' standards. Further analysis of the remains is being conducted. It comes as abandoned medieval villages were uncovered during roadworks on the A47. Advertisement The settlements are thought to have been abandoned after the Black Death - the bubonic plague that swept through the UK between 1348 and 1350, killing an estimated 35 to 40 percent of the population. Archaeologists made the discoveries during work to convert 5.5 miles of road between Easton and North Tuddenham into a dual carriageway. Headland Archaeology also found 31kg of pottery. 3 A metal spearhead, once used in hunting and battles, was discovered during roadworks on the A47 Credit: Headland Archaeology
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
England's largest medieval hospital is unearthed inside a SINKHOLE in huge breakthrough – and no one knew it was there
A ROAD in the heart of York gave way to a sinkhole and exposed a vital part of the city's past. Archaeologists have found the remains of one of England's largest medieval hospitals buried beneath a bustling street. 3 A sinkhole opened up in the road outside the 18th-century York Theatre Royal Credit: Getty 3 Buried beneath the road, archaeologists uncovered remains of the 11th-century St Leonard's Hospital Credit: YouTube/York City Council The remains - dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries - are thought to belong to St Leonard's Hospital. The huge healthcare facility is said to have once stretched from the Museum Gardens to the Theatre Royal site. Though built shortly after the Norman Conquest in the late 11th century, the site sits on top of even older Roman remains - at a time when York was a major Roman city and military base called Eboracum. St Leonard's Hospital played a vital role in the community of medieval York - not only as a healthcare centre but also as a charitable institution. Read more UK news It ran an orphanage and provided food for prisoners at York Castle. The hospital was destroyed during the 16th-century English Reformation, when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church. This brought an end to countless religious institutions across England. The site then became home to the Royal Mint, earning the name Mint Yard. Most read in The Sun It later transformed into the Georgian street that stands there today. Incredibly, the hospital was excavated by chance earlier this month during emergency repairs to the road on St Leonard's Place. Danish archaeologists unearth 50 Viking skeletons City of York Council officials said the sinkhole in the road outside the 18th-century theatre was made safe by contractors before archaeologists were called in. Structural and stone masonry remains were unearthed by a team of archaeologists. While the discovery has temporarily halted roadworks, city officials expect repairs to resume shortly. The archaeological team has carefully documented every find, following the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists' standards. Further analysis of the remains is being conducted. It comes as The settlements are thought to have been abandoned after the Black Death - the bubonic plague that swept through the UK between 1348 and 1350, killing an estimated 35 to 40 percent of the population. Archaeologists made the discoveries during work to convert 5.5 miles of road between Easton and North Tuddenham into a dual carriageway. Headland Archaeology also found 31kg of pottery. 3 A metal spearhead, once used in hunting and battles, was discovered during roadworks on the A47 Credit: Headland Archaeology
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
Abandoned UK villages wiped out 700 years ago are uncovered in major roadworks with hoard of spears, flutes & buckles
It is believed the villages were abandoned after the Black Death FROZEN IN TIME Abandoned UK villages wiped out 700 years ago are uncovered in major roadworks with hoard of spears, flutes & buckles Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ABANDONED medieval villages have been uncovered during roadworks on the A47. The settlements are believed to have been abandoned after the Black Death - with residents fleeing to bigger urban areas. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 A metal spearheads used for hunting and battles was one of the finds at the site Credit: Headland Archaeology 2 Another of the artefact's uncovered by archeologists was this bone flute Credit: Headland Archaeology The Black Death, also known as the bubonic plague, swept the UK between 1848 and 1350, killing an estimated 35-40 per cent of the population - though estimates are much higher in some areas. The discoveries were made by archaeologists during work to convert 5.5 miles of road between Easton and North Tuddenham into a dual-carriageway. The dig is helping to reveal the mysteries of the inhabitants of these medieval villages, with metal spearheads, buckles and a bone flute among the artefacts uncovered. Headland Archaeology, which carried out the work for National Highways, also found 31kg of pottery. The site was cleared using everything from 13-tonne mechanical excavators and dump trucks to more precision hand tools. A selection of finds from the site are due to be displayed at the National Highways' stall at this week's Royal Norfolk Show, on Wednesday, June 25 and Thursday, June 26. Kate Bain, project manager at Headland Archaeology, told the Eastern Daily Press that such villages would once have been widespread. She said: "These villages, which would have been recognisable all the way through the landscape like little hamlets, disappeared as people fled to urban settlements, leaving them behind." Chris Griffin, A47 project lead for National Highways, said that while the roadworks were primarily about improving road safety, they also offered a chance for historians to find out more about 'the wonderfully rich cultural heritage' of Norfolk. He added: "When we started the work, we wanted to make sure we brought in the expertise to add one more piece to the historical puzzle of the landscape. Ancient Tomb Discovery Reveals Stunning Tang Dynasty Murals "These finds will help us understand the past and learn about what we are today." The 'dualing' work on the A47 commenced last year, while work has also begun on improvements to the A47/A11 Thickthorn junction, on the edge of Norwich. Norfolk has been a rich area of study for archeologists over the years. In 2019 the oldest human footprints ever found outside of Africa were spotted on a British beach in the county. The line of footprints were thought to have been trampled onto the coast of Happisburgh 950,000 years ago and are likely to have been left by one of the earliest known varieties of human called Homo antecessor. Archaeological enthusiast and photographer Paul Macro discovered the marks on the beach while working for a company that was scanning the area. He found them in a spot where a similar ancient footprint and tool discovery occurred back in 2013. The foorprints were discovered in May 2013 in a newly uncovered sediment layer of the Cromer Forest Bed and photographed in 3D before being destroyed by the tide shortly afterwards.
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
Abandoned UK villages wiped out 700 years ago are uncovered in major roadworks with hoard of spears, flutes & buckles
ABANDONED medieval villages have been uncovered during roadworks on the A47. The settlements are believed to have been abandoned after the Black Death - with residents fleeing to bigger urban areas. 2 The Black Death, also known as the bubonic plague, swept the UK between 1848 and 1350, killing an estimated 35-40 per cent of the population - though estimates are much higher in some areas. The discoveries were made by archaeologists during work to convert 5.5 miles of road between Easton and North Tuddenham into a dual-carriageway. The dig is helping to reveal the mysteries of the inhabitants of these medieval villages, with metal spearheads, buckles and a bone flute among the artefacts uncovered. Headland Archaeology, which carried out the work for National Highways, also found 31kg of pottery. The site was cleared using everything from 13-tonne mechanical excavators and dump trucks to more precision hand tools. A selection of finds from the site are due to be displayed at the National Highways' stall at this week's Royal Norfolk Show, on Wednesday, June 25 and Thursday, June 26. Kate Bain, project manager at Headland Archaeology, told the Eastern Daily Press that such villages would once have been widespread. She said: "These villages, which would have been recognisable all the way through the landscape like little hamlets, disappeared as people fled to urban settlements, leaving them behind." Chris Griffin, A47 project lead for National Highways, said that while the roadworks were primarily about improving road safety, they also offered a chance for historians to find out more about 'the wonderfully rich cultural heritage' of Norfolk. He added: "When we started the work, we wanted to make sure we brought in the expertise to add one more piece to the historical puzzle of the landscape. Ancient Tomb Discovery Reveals Stunning Tang Dynasty Murals "These finds will help us understand the past and learn about what we are today." The 'dualing' work on the A47 commenced last year, while work has also begun on improvements to the A47/A11 Thickthorn junction, on the edge of Norwich. Norfolk has been a rich area of study for archeologists over the years. In 2019 the oldest human footprints ever found outside of Africa were spotted on a British beach in the county. The line of footprints were thought to have been trampled onto the coast of Happisburgh 950,000 years ago and are likely to have been left by one of the earliest known varieties of human called Homo antecessor. Archaeological enthusiast and photographer Paul Macro discovered the marks on the beach while working for a company that was scanning the area. He found them in a spot where a similar ancient footprint and tool discovery occurred back in 2013. The foorprints were discovered in May 2013 in a newly uncovered sediment layer of the Cromer Forest Bed and photographed in 3D before being destroyed by the tide shortly afterwards.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Abandoned UK villages wiped out 700 years ago are uncovered in major roadworks with hoard of spears, flutes & buckles
ABANDONED medieval villages have been uncovered during roadworks on the A47. The settlements are believed to have been abandoned after the Black Death - with residents fleeing to bigger urban areas. 2 A metal spearheads used for hunting and battles was one of the finds at the site Credit: Headland Archaeology 2 Another of the artefact's uncovered by archeologists was this bone flute Credit: Headland Archaeology The Black Death, also known as the bubonic plague, swept the UK between 1848 and 1350, killing an estimated 35-40 per cent of the population - though estimates are much higher in some areas. The discoveries were made by archaeologists during work to convert 5.5 miles of road between Easton and North Tuddenham into a dual-carriageway. The dig is helping to reveal the mysteries of the inhabitants of these medieval villages, with metal spearheads, buckles and a bone flute among the artefacts uncovered. Headland Archaeology, which carried out the work for Read more on News The site was cleared using everything from 13-tonne mechanical excavators and dump trucks to more precision hand tools. A selection of finds from the site are due to be displayed at the National Highways' stall at this week's Royal Norfolk Show, on Wednesday, June 25 and Thursday, June 26. Kate Bain, project manager at Headland Archaeology, told the She said: "These villages, which would have been recognisable all the way through the landscape like little hamlets, disappeared as people fled to urban settlements, leaving them behind." Most read in The Sun Chris Griffin, A47 project lead for National Highways, said that while the roadworks were primarily about improving road safety, they also offered a chance for historians to find out more about 'the wonderfully rich cultural heritage' of Norfolk. He added: "When we started the work, we wanted to make sure we brought in the expertise to add one more piece to the historical puzzle of the landscape. Ancient Tomb Discovery Reveals Stunning Tang Dynasty Murals "These finds will help us understand the past and learn about what we are today." The 'dualing' work on the A47 commenced last year, while work has also begun on improvements to the A47/A11 Thickthorn junction, on the edge of Norwich. Norfolk has been a rich area of study for archeologists over the years. In 2019 the oldest human footprints ever found outside of Africa The line of footprints were thought to have been trampled onto the coast of Happisburgh 950,000 years ago and are likely to have been left by one of the earliest known varieties of human called Homo antecessor. Archaeological enthusiast and photographer Paul Macro discovered the marks on the beach while working for a company that was scanning the area. He found them in a spot where a similar ancient footprint and tool discovery occurred back in 2013. The foorprints were discovered in May 2013 in a newly uncovered sediment layer of the Cromer Forest Bed and photographed in 3D before being destroyed by the tide shortly afterwards.
