It was definitely a surprise to me in July when I was contacted by an Archeology company in Salisbury to say – ‘We’ve got some of your human remains’! It gradually transpired that when our Church extension was constructed in 1993 a number of bones were discovered which were taken to a company in Salisbury for examination and storage while the extension work took place. It seems the bones were overlooked and not returned until now, due to the warehouse closing. I waited apprehensively for 5 boxes to arrive, not knowing exactly how big they would be. Fortunately they were not too huge and fitted, temporarily in our garage.
The rules and regulations for such things say that they needed re-interring somewhere near to the place where they were originally unearthed, and as they were not any identifiable individual but just a jumble of different bones the decision was made to re-bury them together in a space behind the extension.
And so, last Tuesday 27th August 2024, during a Church work party, a team of us were able to rebury them and perform a short re-interment ceremony before covering them up.
‘I HEARD a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: Even so, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours.‘ (Revelation 14.13)
Thank you to all who assisted with this respectful re-burial.
Stephen.