Excavations of up to 3,000 skeletons which archaeologists say offer a glimpse into a fascinating phase of London’s history are under way. The Bedlam burial ground under Liverpool Street is a site that will serve the cross-London Crossrail line. It was used from 1569 to at least 1738 and includes
Two Scottish councils were fined today after an incident in which a child was found at the bottom of a local swimming pool. Both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council pleaded guilty to safety breaches when they appeared in court today. Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that on 28 June 2012,
Excavations of up to 3,000 skeletons which archaeologists say offer a glimpse into a fascinating phase of London’s history are under way. The Bedlam burial ground under Liverpool Street is a site that will serve the cross-London Crossrail line. It was used from 1569 to at least 1738 and includes bodies belonging to victims of the Black Death. Tests on excavated victims will further the understanding of the evolution of the plague’s bacterial strain. Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue. Media captionTim Muffett has a look round the archaeological site at the Bedlam burial ground A team of 60 archaeologists will work six days a week to remove skeletons and carefully record evidence of what may prove to be, in archaeological terms, London’s most valuable 16th, 17th and 18th Century cemetery site. Crossrail lead archaeologist Jay Carver said: “This excavation presents a unique opportunity to understand the lives and deaths of 16th and 17th century Londoners. “The Bedlam burial ground spans a fascinating phase of London’s history, including the transition from the Tudor-period city into cosmopolitan early-modern London.” More than 400 skeletons and numerous artefacts have previously been uncovered Archaeologists say the skeletons offer a glimpse at a “fascinating” period in London’ history The skeletons will be excavated over the next four weeks, after which archaeologists will dig through medieval marsh deposits and Roman remains. The remains will eventually be reinterred in a field in Essex. Niamh Carty, a osteo-archaeologist working on the site, said the age, sex and stature of the people buried in the site will be investigated. “It’s a kind of act of remembrance in a way, that their mortal remains are giving us information,” she added. A Roman road runs under the site, which has yielded several artefacts such as horseshoes and cremation urns. ‘Unique opportunity’ Archaeologists are expected to finish on site in September, after which construction will proceed on a new eastern ticket hall. To date, Crossrail archaeologists have unearthed more than 10,000 artefacts spanning many years of London’s past across more than 40 construction sites. It is the UK’s largest archaeology project. Preliminary excavations at the Liverpool Street site in 2013 and 2014 have already uncovered more than 400 skeletons and numerous artefacts. A new ticket hall will eventually be built on the site
Two Scottish councils were fined today after an incident in which a child was found at the bottom of a local swimming pool. Both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council pleaded guilty to safety breaches when they appeared in court today. Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that on 28 June 2012, an 11-year-old pupil from Ferryhill Primary School attended Stonehaven Open Air Pool as part of an educational excursion. During the visit he became submerged under water and was recovered unconscious from the bottom of the pool by a member of the public. The court was told that the party of 23 pupils, the teacher and a teaching assistant arrived on the day of the excursion but no formal booking had been made. However, the pupils were allowed to swim in the pool which water depth ranges from 0.8 metres in the shallow end to 2.2 metres at the deep end, with a water slide located at the deep end. While the pupils were using the pool and slide, a member of the public using the pool noticed a shadow under the water at the deep end. On further investigation he found the child lying on the bottom of the pool, he recovered the unconscious child and lifted him onto the poolside. The alarm was raised and lifeguards were alerted. He was not breathing and had no palpable pulse, but CPR was successfully administered by lifeguards and the pupil has since made a full recovery. Ferryhill Primary School is an Aberdeen City Council facility and Stonehaven Open Air Pool is operated by Aberdeenshire Council. The subsequent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found issues with staffing levels and lifeguard positioning at the pool, and the effective management of educational excursions at the school. Both parties pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Aberdeen City Council was fined £9000 while Aberdeenshire Council was fined £4000. After the hearing, HM Inspector of Health and Safety Sarah Forbes said: “Educational excursions have clear benefits to pupils and many thousands of such excursions occur each year without incident. “This specific incident was easily preventable however today’s proceedings should not deter those who organise or participate in such activities. Those organising educational excursions must consider foreseeable risks and take reasonable steps to reduce these. Managed properly, swimming pools provide a safe place for fun and exercise.”
