Remains of up to 100 children found during dig at holy site in Wales
The bodies of 100 children have been discovered in what is believed to be an ancient burial ground.
The remains were found in a long-lost holy site in Pembrokeshire (Picture: Wales News)
Archaeologists in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire made the grim discovery.
They had been excavating an area surrounding the mysterious St Saviours, a suspected friary which dates back more than 600 years.
Archaeologists found hundreds of skeletons at the historic site.
Experts explained that ‘extraordinarily, one-third of these remains are infants under the age of four.’
A strange puncture wound was even found in one of the skulls excavated, the Western Telegraph reported.
The injury could have been caused by ‘projectile fired’ which could indicate ‘the first suggestion of medieval warfare in the town’.
St Saviours itself was stumbled upon by builders digging foundations for a new bar in Haverfordwest.
Head of the Dyfed Achaeological Trust, Fran Murphy, says financial transactions recorded by a local church indicate the existence of the friary.
There could be around 300 corpses at the ancient burial ground, but the Trust is hesitant on putting an exact finger on the total just yet.
‘We know it’s there because of a series of monastic references, mainly records about money,’ said Miss Murphy.
‘At its height there were apparently eight friars who were part of the friary before it was dissolved and past into private hands.
‘It was dissolved in the 1530s with one of the friars scrubbing his name from the list of friars at the priory which is peculiar and might have been a protest to it closing.’
The friary of Dominican Order is believed to have stood in Haverfordwest for about three centuries.
The Dominicans, or Black Friars, had a different agenda to most monastic orders in that they went amongst the population, preaching, praying and teaching.
DAT Archaeological Services started work at the site known as Ocky Whites in February and is scheduled to be at the site until next January.
The old Ocky Whites building is currently being redeveloped into a three-storey local food and beverage emporium with bar and rooftop terrace.