CAMERAS MIGHT SHED LIGHT ON CITY CRYPT MYSTERIES 11:40 - 22 August 2007
Thanks to modern technology some of the mysteries surrounding a crypt under the floor of St Stephen's Church in Exeter could soon by solved.
Although the crypt has been there since the church was built in the 11th century it has no door, so architects and archaeologists are planning to use fibre optic cameras to see what is there.
The church in Exeter High Street is undergoing a £1m restoration. The roof and tower are being repaired and the medieval sanctuary, which was above St Stephen's Bow, will be restored.
Depending on what the cameras reveal in the crypt, lighting and a glass floor could be installed so visitors could see into it.
Project leader for the restoration is congregation member Bob Snowden.
He said: "We have a drawing of the crypt which was done in 1826 which show either late Saxon or early Norman columns.
"There would have been a door at one time, but you must remember that in Roman times the ground around the church would have been 6ft lower than it is now.
"There is the top of a door just visible in the flower beds in Catherine Street.
"From churchwardens' reports we have found, we know that the crypt was full of coffins in 1932, but now it seems there is just one coffin down there dating from the 1600s and that is of a six-year-old boy.
"We know this from a local workman, Eric Bedwell, who entered the crypt through a hole they had made in the floor when pews were being taken out in 1972.
"Once the pews were removed, the floor felt 'spongy' and the builders wanted to examine the structure of the church so they made a hole large enough for Mr Bedwell to go through.
"He said that there appeared to be walled compartments in the crypt, each measuring about 8ft by 8ft with a head height of about 6ft. But he couldn't remember how many compartments there were.
"We have no idea what happened to the other coffins between 1932 and 1972 when Mr Bedwell went down.
"And we have no idea why one would be left.
"John Allan from the Royal Albert Memorial Museum is to research into the history of the church and provided we get permission from the diocese we will put cameras down and hopefully manage to get someone down there again.
"The crypt is sitting on top of a Roman defence ditch so it would also be fascinating to find out what is under the crypt."
During phase I of the church's restoration it has been found that the tower is in a worse state than was first believed.
To make it safe more money than was originally estimated is needed. Mr Snowden said: "I am waiting to get the official figures but it will be tens of thousands."
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