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Search the Public Notice PortalA NUMBER of old headstones have been found buried under the grounds of a cemetery during restoration works at a Colchester church.
Colchester Council is currently regenerating Holy Trinity Church, in Trinity Street, as part of the wider city centre masterplan.
Over the past few months, the council has been refurbishing, restoring and relocating headstones in the cemetery.
During this process, numerous older headstones were found buried under other monuments in the church grounds.
A Colchester Council spokesperson said: "As part of planned restoration works at Holy Trinity Church and Trinity Square, 23 headstones were due to be carefully relocated.
"During these works, a number of older headstones were discovered beneath existing monuments, with up to four concealed stones found beneath some of those being moved.
"Most of the inscriptions on these stones are now illegible due to the length of time they have been buried.
"These newly discovered stones will be re-laid and displayed as part of the project. Three of the headstones being relocated were also found to be in such poor condition that they were beyond repair."
Most of the headstones were not found in their original locations and some memorial markers had no remains beneath them.
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The spokesperson said: "All works have been carried out under the supervision of archaeologists from Colchester Archaeological Trust.
"Where human remains have been encountered in shallow locations, they have been sensitively removed and reinterred at Colchester Cemetery.
"Holy Trinity Church is one of Colchester's oldest buildings, with its Anglo-Saxon tower dating to around 1050, and discoveries such as these help to illustrate the long and complex history of the site."
The council have formally put forward plans to move these gravestones.
Their application said: "These additional graveyard monuments were discovered beneath previously recorded gravestones in Gravestone Monument Survey 2023.
"They are assessed to be in good condition. Hence our proposal is to reposition graveyard monuments in locations where they can be better appreciated.
"These changes will improve the setting of these heritage assets and most importantly ensure the churchyard is accessible, safe and beneficial to the wider public."
For more information search 261571 on Colchester Council's planning portal.
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