Coffins exhumed to save church

The historic crypt at the church will be restored

Up to 2,000 coffins, some dating back to the 15th Century, are being removed from an ancient church in London.

The unique removal is the first stage of restoration work to the historic crypt at St Andrew Guild Church in Holborn.

Bodies which have been removed will be reinterred at the City of London Cemetery by the Corporation of London.

The church's problems began during the Second World War when rubble and other debris spilt into the crypt and caused considerable damage to the coffins.

Reinterring bodies

The rubble is now soaking up moisture and threatening the church's structure, prompting the need for the restoration project.

The Corporation of London estimates the clearance will cost around £1m while reinterring the bodies is estimated at £500,000.

Wealthy parishoners were buried in the crypt

Once it has been cleared, the church plans to restore the crypt and use it as a base for a community charity and outreach service.

But the clearance is proving to be a huge task and experienced exhumation specialists have been called in.

Archaeologists from the Museum of London are also on site and everyone who is working there have had to be vaccinated against smallpox.

Wealthy members

Rory Taylor, spokesperson for the Corporation of London, said: "There is a very, very minimal chance of communicable diseases, such as smallpox, being passed from the coffins.

"The director of public health laboratory is making sure everyone is taking the right precautions."

The coffins in the crypt are believed to include wealthy and influential members of St Andrew's congregation buried before 1831.

Among those believed to have been interred there include Attorney General Sir Edward Coke and his wife Lady Elizabeth Hatton and renowned organist Daniel Purcell.

Mr Taylor said some interesting objects may be uncovered.

"Apparently a coffin has already been found which has been made out of zinc which was very rare for that time."

Work on the crypt is expected to last up to six months.