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Ancient bones found under patio laid to rest

Daniel SextonSouth East
News imageClare Sledger A gloved hand holding one of the ancient bones. The bone is pale brown in colour and is narrow where it is held, getting wider and more bulbous near the top.Clare Sledger
The bones are believed to be Anglo-Saxon and about 1,000 years old

Ancient bones dug up by a couple during renovations have finally been laid to rest in a churchyard in Kent.

Ross and Claire Sledger, who own a pub in Wye near Ashford, made the discovery in 2019 while digging up their patio and quickly called the police.

The bones were later estimated to be about 1,000 years old.

The remains were buried in the graveyard of St Gregory and St Martin Church in the village on Wednesday.

News imageClare Sledger A pile of ancient bones in what looks like a bucket. They are of varying sizes and shapes, and mostly dark brown in colour.Clare Sledger
The human remains were found in 2019

Reverend Ravi Holy, rector of the church, said he was shocked to hear about the discovery of the bones, but not as shocked as the Sledgers.

He told BBC South East: "Once we knew they were human remains, we decided to do something.

"We don't know who they are but they are still human beings and we want to treat them with the respect they deserve now."

News imageHannah Gray/BBC A reverend and a group of other people standing in an area during a ceremony. There is a parcel, wrapped in brown paper and flowers attached to it. It is preparing to be buried. Hannah Gray/BBC
The reverend said he was "shocked" to hear about the discovery of the bones

Holy had never done such a service before, he added, and had contacted church authorities.

"The service will be short but we wanted to make a bit more of a thing of it so some of the local community will be coming along," he said before the ceremony.

"We will sing a song and bury them in the churchyard."

News imageHannah Gray/BBC A man in a blue suit and a pink shirt. He is standing with a woman in a denim jacket and yellow shirt. They are standing next to a church.Hannah Gray/BBC
Ross and Claire Sledger who found the bones when digging up their patio

Maureen DeSaxe, archivist from the Wye Historical Society, said the area had been developed in the 1930s for housing and that a number of skeletons were found when they were digging.

"It wasn't a particular surprise when the bones were discovered, due to the history, but some people had forgotten about the site," she added.

"The vicar made the decision to bury them."

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