GRUESOME FIND

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1934, Page 2

GRUESOME FIND

SKELETONS IN FIELD

LONDON, March 31

Twenty human skeletons, all lying face downward, were discovered by four workmen building a private road at Hainault Nursery, Nazeing, Essex. Mr u. JH. Lapwood, owner of the nursery, said the skeletons were nil found iu -iy stretch of land 30ft or 40ft in length.. He added: “They Here all at a depth of between Ift- and, 'apart from being face downward, did not seem to be in any particular' order. Most were in a jumbled iieap, m’auy with logs crossed. They were in good condition, though directly the air got at them the joints seemed to part. There was no trace of licsh. One was about Bft long, but other seemed to be the skeletons of youths, women and children under adult size. I imagine they must have been there for hundreds of years. “The. ground is meadow land, half a mile from a road and, so far as I know, hag never been disturbed before. I imaginne that the bodies were thrown o a the open land and then covered over the earth. Possibly they were the victims of the plague—although there is no record that bodies were brought this far from London. “I was amazed at the beauty of the teeth—Jail pearly white and free from any. decay. They were finer teeth than I Jbye ever seen in a living mlan’s head.’;!! Thol|f:ld is not far from the River Le*a. Tpf Panes are believed to have penetrated far up the river. Another theory: here is that the skeletons may be those of invading Danes. Mr Lapwood informed the police, and at their request most of the skele-