THE REMAINS of two human bodies have been found in Wadham College by builders completing renovation work on site.
Wadham Warden Ken MacDonald sent an email to students, stating, “You may know that skeletal human remains have been uncovered by the contractor excavating an area by the Elephant Gate to complete drainage improvement works. The police were called as standard procedure when human remains are unexpectedly found. As expected, the archaeologist asked to attend the scene confirmed that the skeletal remains are archaeological.”
After initial investigations, Thames Valley Police confirmed that “there were no suspicious circumstances” as it is believed the remains are at least 100 years old. However, if it is revealed that the bodies are under 40 years old then forensic experts will have to begin a criminal investigation.
A modern bullet case was also found in the same area a day before the first body was unearthed. A contractor took the bullet as a memento, not knowing that the site would turn into a potential crime scene the next day. The bullet was returned and examined, but police have since deemed it as being unconnected to the bodies.
MacDonald confirmed, “A modern shell casing found by the contractor the day before the skeletal remains were uncovered is not connected with the burials.
“The current view from the archaeologist is that the human remains are two burials, probably from the time when the site was part of the precinct of the medieval Austin Friary. As the contractor has to dig a deeper trench, the archaeologist is excavating, recording and removing the burials over the next few days. The removal of the burials is being undertaken sensitively, in line with archaeological procedures.”
The first skeleton was found on Wednesday morning lying intact, lengthways, as if it had been buried in a coffin. The discovery of a second body on Thursday has led the investigative team to suspect that the priory site could be bigger than previously supposed.
Glenn Milner, who has been working on the site, told Cherwell that the archaeologists have “put the second body on hold” whilst they ascertain the identity of the first, and therefore aren’t releasing any information about it. They continued, “As the archaeologists find out more about the bodies, they will issue information over the next few days. We know everyone’s very curious to find out what’s been going on.”
Roseanne Chantiluke, a second-year French and Spanish student at Wadham, said, “It’s quite disconcerting to know I’ve been walking on people’s heads all this time. But the case is also intriguing; it’s all a bit of a mystery.”
Jeremy Stothart, a Wadham PPE student, commented, “It’s left me wondering how many skeletons are down there or if there’s been some sort of atrocity committed in the past which has been covered up.
“Obviously, with the room ballot now going on, people will be very reluctant to choose staircase nine. I’ve also heard from several people that the staircase is haunted.”
