Workmen find bones in ground at University College London

Published: 18 March 2010
by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS

THE bones of more than 20 people and animals have been discovered on the doorstep of one of Britain’s leading archaeology departments.

They were found two weeks ago when workmen were digging in the basement of one of University College London’s halls on Gower Street, to fix a damp problem.

Initially the police were called in but they handed their investigation back to the team at the Bloomsbury institution after it was established the bones were more than 100 years old. 

The site has formerly been a rubbish dump and a duelling ground, and in 1803, 20 years before the modern grounds were built, it was home to the original Trevithick railway line, built by the steam train pioneer Richard Trevithick. 

Experts at the department are currently trying to establish when and why they died.

A UCL spokeswoman said: “Initially one set of remains were found but more have been unearthed since the initial find – animal as well as human bones. The site has now been cordoned off for our archaeologists to work on.”