A Wiltshire couple have discovered an archaeological treasure trove – including remnants of a 13th-century chapel – hidden under their front garden.
Mary Hudd, a retired teacher, had been in the process of removing fallen trees from her front lawn last summer when she discovered some unusual brickwork under the soil.
She invited a group of local archaeologists to examine the site and the team spent a year uncovering a 19ft x 52ft Saxon structure and the ruins of a 13th century chapel, first documented in 1209 and previously thought to have been lost forever.
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It is now believed the site may have been used for religious purposes even before the chapel's construction in the village of Bincknoll in Wiltshire.
Hudd, who has lived at the property with her husband Mike since 1968, told the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: “The discovery is just magic! It's so unexpected, and so big. I came across a mention of a chapel being here in 1209, but I never thought it would be in our garden."
The year-long excavation caused quite a commotion in the local village, with a large team of helpers assisting with the dig. The couple themselves even got their hands dirty, with Mary Hudd telling the Daily Mail: “'I've certainly been helping out. I have been in the trenches on my knees. I have never spent so much time on my knees in a chapel before.”
Emma Elton, who led the team of archaeologists, said: "It was amazing to find what everyone thought was lost. Mary has been wonderful and definitely caught the archaeology bug. It's not what you expect to find in someone's front garden”.
Experts say the structure – which at its deepest stretches 4ft underground – is decaying and so will have to be covered up again quickly. However, the entire project will be recorded in great detail before the Hudds's garden is restored.
