Construction Workers Unexpectedly Discovered The Ruins Of An Ancient Town Right Beneath The Streets Of Central London While Digging Tunnels For A Redevelopment Project
London is a city full of architectural wonders and relics. Sometimes, you don’t have to dig very far to stumble upon layers of history.
As the soil is carefully brushed away, a rich tapestry of human existence is brought to the surface, offering a glimpse into the lives and cultures of civilizations that have been long gone.
Beneath the streets of central London, the ruins of a Saxon town known as Lundenwic were found right underneath The National Gallery.
While digging tunnels for a redevelopment project ahead of the art museum’s 200th anniversary, construction workers unearthed the ancient town, revealing that it stretched across a much greater expanse than previously thought.
Archaeologists were alerted of the discovery and continued the excavations. According to the University College London, experts from Archaeology South-East, part of the UCL Institute of Archaeology, came across various artifacts such as a hearth, pits, postholes, and leveling deposits.
After radiocarbon dating was conducted on the hearth, they determined that it dated back sometime between A.D. 659 and 774.
During the 7th century, the Saxon town of Lundenwic served as a bustling trading center along the waterfront. The site contained several holes and ditches that provided a record of how fence placements and property boundaries changed over the years.
Before the arrival of the Saxons, the walled Roman city of Londinium was flourishing in that very same spot. It was founded in 47 B.C. and was abandoned in the 5th century. Post-medieval walls were discovered above the remains of the Saxon town.
The earliest wall appeared to have been built during the 17th and 18th centuries. Lundenwic was established about a mile west of Londinium.
Boris Stroujko – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
“The evidence we uncovered suggests that the urban center of Lundenwic extends further west than originally thought,” said Stephen White, a senior archaeologist with Archaeology South-East.
“This was made all the more exciting by having the chance to share that information and how it relates to archaeology across London with young people from this city.”
Sarah Younger, director of the redevelopment project for The National Gallery, said that it was an “honor” for the museum to be involved with the new findings, as they will become integral elements of London’s historical narrative for generations to come.
Archaeologists recently made a similar discovery in the U.K. They found evidence of a settlement in Northumberland, a county located on the northeastern coast of England.
The finds included an Anglo-Saxon oven, loom weights, and the remains of a structure built with large posts.
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