[MR] BBC: Rothwell Church Crypt

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Today the BBC features a brief illustrated story about scientific studies
on remains in a crypt or ossuary under Holy Trinity Church in Rothwell,
Northumberland. Just one recently examined skull is fractured, possible
evidence of violence. This rules out the bones in the crypt being from a
massacre. Those remains tested show carbon dates between 1250 and 1900:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-48519799 .

More about the crypt can be found at
https://www.rothwellholytrinity.org.uk/thebuilding.htm . A brief story
about Holy Trinity Church and several photos is found at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Trinity_Church,_Rothwell . The current
structure was completed in 1873 in a Gothic revival style. It incorporates
parts of earlier churches on this site dating to the late middle ages.

The Wikipedia article mentions a lychgate. These were small covered
entrances to the churchyard common to late middle ages English churches,
still seen outside many churches today. The name comes from the practice of
holding the bodies of the deceased (a "lych") under the gate's canopy
before the funeral service, perhaps as the grave was being prepared.
Mourners could keep vigil by the corpse:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lychgate .

While mass ossuaries are not uncommon in other countries, only two of this
type are known in England, the other being St. Leonard's in Hythe, Kent:
https://www.slhk.org/theossuary.htm .

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆