These death's heads or skulls may strike us as ghoulish, but they helped keep the living on the straight and narrow for fear of eternal punishment. Cadaver stones are designed to show what happens to our bodies once buried, hence the often opened funeral shroud. The most commonly found memento mori is a skull, or perhaps skeleton or skull and crossed bones. ![]() The general consensus now is that the remains are those of many generations of Hythe residents who had been buried in the churchyard and were dug up originally in the 13th century. Many theories have been put forward over the years as to who these people were. The collection of over 1000 skulls is arranged on shelves in four arched bays the ossuary also contains a single large stack of mainly thigh bones and some additional skulls. The crypt of St Leonard in Hythe, Kent has the largest and best preserved collection of ancient human bones and skulls in Britain. Falling through pitch darkness into a mass of bones was too much for the individual to bear, and it is reputed that he lost his mind through the incident, remaining that way until the day he died. Local legend suggests that little was known about its existence until the day a hapless gravedigger fell into the crypt whilst working in the church many years ago. The crypt contains the remains of around 2500 individuals. The subterranean charnal chapel of Holy Trinity in Rothwell, Northamptonshire houses one of only two remaining in situ medieval ossuaries (collections of human bones) in England. There are only two remaining ossuaries in the UK. However, throughout ancient and medieval times displaying and maintaining the bones of the deceased was also a way to honour the dead and visiting them is a fascinating reminder of mortality, one of the only certainties in life. They range from a box to whole buildings, and often came about when burial space was scarce. Throughout ancient and medieval times displaying and maintaining the bones of the deceased was also a way to honour the dead and visiting them is a fascinating reminder of mortality, one of the only certainties in life.Īn ossuary is a chambers for storing human bones. Gifts, tours and events Expand dropdown.Leave a gift in your Will Expand dropdown.Your church, chapel or meeting house Expand dropdown.Yours, ours and celebrity favourite churches. ![]()
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