The Buried Bones Plaque ... the accounts have ranged fromdescribing the bones as Prehistoric, Romano-British, Ancient English and Anglo-Saxon. Around 1860 Angus Bethune, the Vixcar of St Marys Church, was present at the opening of some "barrows" (Prehistoric Burial Mounds) near to the church. In each a relic was found such as a "quern" a handmill for grinding corn and some pieces of Samarian Waro (red pottery). These mounds suggest that the area around old Seaham was settled prior to the establishment of the church. In 1861 when a drain was cut near to Seaham Hall gates 20 - 30 skeletons were found. Once again Angus Bethune viewed the burials and said that it was the scene of a battlefield burial ....hasty burial after a battle with Picts or Scots. In 1983 when a gas main was being installed a large number of skeletons were found and according to the workmen "bones were sticking out on both sides of the trench." A police medical examination stated that "the bones were well over 100 years old" but unfortunately no archeologist was involved. It was necessary to wait for an archeological dig in the grounds of Seaham Hall Lodge in 1997 to determine the date of the burials in the area and to confirm that the area was the site of early Christian burials (mid-7th to 9th century).  |