Archaeologists have unearthed human remains dating as far back to more than 1,000 years.
During the excavation, “24 identifiable skeletons” were found on the grounds of The Old Bell Hotel next to Malmesbury Abbey, in the U.K., according to a press release.
The burials date back to the 7th century, and the Anglo-Saxon skeletons are believed to be from 670 to 940 AD.
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The discovery was unexpectedly found by Cotswold Archaeology in conjunction with volunteers on Bid Athelstan Dig Day, when 13 dig sites across the town were excavated.
A representative of Cotswold Archaeology said it’s not uncommon to find graves near a church, but the number of burials that were discovered is remarkable.
“Contrary to expectations, these graves are positioned not in the believed location of the medieval cemetery – to the south of the Abbey – but west of the former cloisters. Even more astonishing is the identification of Saxon remains, a first for Malmesbury, where no physical evidence of early monastic life had been found before,” the representative told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement.
The Old Bell Hotel is recognized as a historical site dating back to 1220.
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The representative said it seems unlikely the builders of the hotel were aware of the cemetery’s existence “given the approximately 500-year gap between the constructions.”
“There is plentiful archaeological evidence that medieval walls were constructed directly over, and sometimes even through, burials. It’s likely that The Old Bell’s builders encountered some human remains while laying the foundations but chose to proceed with their work regardless,” said the representative.
Hotel owners, Jim and Whit Hanks, said they are honored to have a role in local history.
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“It’s fitting that the earliest remains have been found near the Abbey, on the grounds of England’s oldest hotel. Our passion for history and ancestral ties to Malmesbury since the 1500s make our involvement in preserving the town’s heritage even more meaningful,” Jim and Whit Hanks said in the press release.
The Big Athelstan Dig is a part of the 1100th anniversary celebration of Athelstan’s crowning as the first King of all England.
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Fox News Digital reached out to The Old Bell Hotel for additional comment.