Saxon burial revealed!

After months of delicate archaeological work the opening of the late Saxon sarcophagus discovered during excavations at Lincoln Castle has revealed an undisturbed burial.

The area where the stone sarcophagus was found is thought to be the site of a previously unknown late Saxon church, and the discovery of an intact burial over 1,000 years old is extremely rare and of national significance.

The finds of a number of other burial remains wrapped in textile indicates that the early church belongs to a period when Lincoln enjoyed an urban revival from the late 9th century into the 10^th century. The Norman Conquest marked significant changes in the layout of buildings in the uphill area of Lincoln. The county archaeologist has said that it ‘is clear that the Normans changed the local landscape substantially in order to build their castle, in the process burying the remains of previous residents and their immediate environment.’