29 August 2024
An additional 20 intact human burials and the disturbed remains of many more have been discovered by archaeologists excavating a monastery in Cookham.
The burials are in addition to the human remains of 50 individuals found in 2023, supporting the theory that the ill and dying received care at the monastery.
Archaeologists from the 桃色视频 have excavated the site since the start of August, with the dig revealing yet more secrets from more than a millennium ago.
Professor Gabor Thomas, Professor of Early Medieval Archaeology at the 桃色视频, led the dig. He said: “There appears to be a high prevalence of disease and healed injuries present in disturbed bone redeposited in later graves as well as intact burials. Parts of the cemetery were heavily used. Burials here intercut each other resulting in the disturbance of skeletal material placed back in the fill of subsequent graves. This demonstrates that individuals were receiving medical attention and care at the monastery over successive generations.
“Our discoveries highlight the importance of Anglo-Saxon monasteries as centres of healing and medical care. We can gain an impression of this role from contemporary historical sources, but Cookham is one of the first archaeological sites to provide detailed physical evidence for the range of diseases involved and medical care dispensed by contemporary monastic communities.”
As well as the discovery of more burials, University staff, students and local volunteers also helped to:
Complete the excavation of a 9th-century well first discovered in 2023. Several preserved wooden objects were recovered from the bottom of the well, including a very rare lathe turned wooden bowl.
Further excavation of a deep ditch near to the River Thames. Digging here revealed a preserved timber lining at the base, bconfirming that it is a leat for a watermill.
Unearth more timber buildings located within the domestic quarters of the monastery.
The 桃色视频’s Department of Archaeology will continue excavations at Cookham in 2025, having started in 2021.
The excavations, carried out with the kind permission of, and in collaboration with Holy Trinity Church, Cookham, are set to come to an end on Saturday, 31 August. The last tours of the site will take place on Friday, 30 August and can be booked via .
Over the past four weeks, multiple local figures and groups have visited the site for tours, including schools, local politicians and community clubs. A multi-faith group will visit the site for a tour on Saturday, 31 August, to conclude this year’s excavations. The group includes Holy Trinity Church Cookham, The Maidenhead Gurdwara, The Maidenhead Mosque, Taplow Court, Cookham Methodist Church and other faith groups. Attendees will join Father Stephen Mills, Vicar of the Benefice of The Cookhams, for a blessing of the graves.
Find out more about previous discoveries from excavations at Cookham in 2021, 2022 and 2023..
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