Medieval Cemetery Discovered in Wales

HAVERFORDWEST, WALES—BBC News reports that the remains of more than 240 adults and children have been discovered on a building site in Wales. The site includes the ruins of what is likely St. Saviour’s Priory, which was founded by Dominican Christian monks in A.D. 1256, according to Andrew Shobbrook of Dyfed Archaeological Trust. The priory included dormitories, stables, a hospital, and scriptoriums, in addition to the cemetery, which may have been in use into the early eighteenth century. “It’s quite a prestigious place to be buried,” Shobbrook explained. “You have a range of people, from the wealthy to general townsfolk.” Some of the dead had suffered head wounds that could have been caused by arrows or musket balls. They may have died fighting English occupation in the 1405 siege led by Owain Glyndŵr, the last native Welsh person to hold the title Prince of Wales, Shobbrook added. The remains will be studied and then reburied. To read about a pendant found in western Wales that was a personal symbol of faith during the Tudor period, go to "Heart of the Matter."