Museum of London - Reburial of human remains

Reburial of human remains

The Museum of London's Archaeology Service and its predecessor archaeological units have been involved in a large number of investigations where human skeletons have been uncovered.

In most cases, Home Office burial licences are required for these works and they usually stipulate that human bones should be reburied after scientific study. Applications can be made for their retention in the longer term.

Excavation circumstances vary. Some human bones are retained for scientific study, some are almost immediately interred on the site, or removed for reburial elsewhere, and, in some cases, archaeologists work alongside commercial cemetery clearance companies who take responsibility for interment.

The following summary lists those sites where reburial has already taken place, sites where reburial or partial reburial is intended for the future and possible action on the reburial of remains in the archive for which no action has previously been suggested.

Note: reference is made to unstratified and disarticulated material, those two terms can be defined as:

Unstratified: no archaeological context, often from foundations and disturbed ground relating to modern buildings.

Disarticulated: human bone that has become separated from the rest of its skeleton.

Sites where reburial has taken place:

The Royal Mint, East Smithfield, Tower Hamlets (1987). A monastic and plague site: a large number of copper stained bones were reburied in the East London cemetery during and immediately after excavation. The bone was a health hazard due to contamination by copper and other heavy metal used during the minting process, thus the numbers of bones reburied is unknown.
King Edwards Building , Newgate Street, City (1998). Disarticulated bones originating from the Greyfriars disturbed during the construction of the Post Office building at the beginning of the 20th century were reinterred on site. During recent works these bones were redisturbed. In December 1998 the bones were cremated and taken to the Franciscan Friary at Chilsworth, Surrey in a casket where they were reburied.
Monument Street, City (1987). Approximately 20 skeletons from the Docklands Light Railway Monument shaft were reburied in 1987, and subsequent cable laying activities were dealt with by environmental health.
Mansell Street, Tower Hamlets (1982). Over 100 burials from a Dissenters burial ground were reburied after completion of the excavation.
St Mary-at-Hill Church, City (1991). Disarticulated human bone left from the 1892-94 clearance of the internal vaults and other burials (medieval and post-medieval) was collected, bagged, labelled and then reburied during excavations in one of the burial vaults which was being resealed.
Redcross Way, Southwark (1993). Other exhumation contractors excavated significant parts of the site and the exhumation contractor reburied all the disarticulated bone, excavated by MoLAS.
Farringdon Street, City (1990-1). Other exhumation contractors excavated significant parts of the site and all the disarticulated bone along with poorly surviving skeletons, excavated by MoLAS, was reburied by the exhumation contractor.
Spitalfields Market, Tower Hamlets (1999-2000). All the disarticulated bone along with some of the poorly surviving skeletons excavated by MoLAS was reburied.
Guildhall Yard, City (1994). All the disarticulated bone was reburied.
One Poultry, City (1994). All the disarticulated bone was reburied. Broadgate, City (1986). Other exhumation contractors excavated significant parts of the site and they reburied all the disarticulated bone excavated by MoLAS.
St Andrew’s Church Holborn, City (2001-2). About 1600 burials and/or coffins were recorded, all were reburied immediately.
Christ Church Spitalfields, Tower Hamlets (2003). A total of 84 burials and/or coffins were recorded, all were reburied immediately.
St Lawrence Jewry Church, City (1998). About 80 burials and/or coffins were recorded in 1998 - all were reburied immediately.
St John’s Church Wapping, Tower Hamlets (1997-8). About 3,000 burials and/or coffins were recorded, all were reburied immediately.
All Saints Church West Ham, Newham (2001). About 12 burials and/or coffins were recorded, all were reburied immediately.
Islington Green (1997). About 14,000 burials and/or coffins were recorded, all were reburied immediately.
St Botolph’s Church Aldgate, City (1986-90). The post-medieval crypt burials were reburied by an exhumation contractor whilst earlier medieval burials were retained.
St Paull’s Church Deptford, Lewisham (1999). About 20 burials and/or coffins were recorded, all were reburied immediately.
St Pancras Old Church, Islington (2003). All of the archaeologically recovered bone was studied and reburied in Camden cemetery. The remaining skeletons were cleared by a commercial company and also reburied in Camden cemetery.