ROCHESTER, ENGLAND—A skeleton, a Roman building, a gargoyle, and a Norman structure have been uncovered in the crypt at Rochester Cathedral. “The really important stuff we’ve found belongs to the Norman cathedral, so dating to around A.D. 1080 to 1120. We’ve been able to establish what the east end of the Norman cathedral looked like and also discovered stuff which no one has even thought might exist,” archaeologist Graham Keevill told Kent Online. The Norman structure, which was not on any of the building’s plans, suggests that the cathedral could be older than had been thought. Trash pits have been found near the Roman-era building, and the gargoyle appears to be a portrait of a face. The excavation has also unearthed what could be fragments of a shrine dedicated to William of Perth, a Scottish saint who was martyred in England. The shrine was destroyed during the Reformation. To read in-depth about a remarkable site that contains the sweep of English history, see "The Scientist's Garden."
