Ossuary in the crypt of St Leonard?s Church
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Ossuary in the crypt of St Leonard?s Church by Clive Thompson as part of the Geograph project.
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Ossuary in the crypt of St Leonard?s Church
Image: © Clive Thompson Taken: 12 May 2006
These skulls are part of the ossuary in the crypt of St Leonard‘s Church containing 2,000 human skulls, 8,000 thighbones, a few jaw bones and various other artefacts. The exact origin of the bones is unclear, legend has it that they are the remains of Saxon soldiers killed in a battle fought nearby that were dug up when the existing church was built in 1080. A more likely explanation is that they were dug up and stored in the Middle Ages when it was customary to re-use burial plots.
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Image Location
Latitude
51.073076
Longitude
1.08366