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Crypt Hythe Church AL0196_007_02
St Leonards Church, Hythe, Kent. This image shows the ossuary, or bone store, in the vaulted ambulatory beneath the chancel of St Leonards Church. The space had been used to store skulls and other bones disturbed during building work or when new graves were dug. Some 10, 000 bones, including around 2, 000 skulls, dating from the medieval period were arranged on shelves or stacked in piles. The ossuary had long attracted visitors, and the photograph shows advertisements for guides written by the vicar, and a table with what appears to be a visitors book and a donations box. James Valentine & Sons Ltd albumen print c.1900. Historic England is the public body that champions and protects England's historic places. © Historic England
Media ID 10928627
Filename: AL0196_007_02.jpg
Size: 5006 x 3491 (11.6MB)
Date: 10th September 2013
Source: Historic England
Credit: Historic England
Source: Historic England Archive
Archive Burial Picturing England
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This photograph captures the eerie beauty of Crypt Hythe Church, also known as St Leonards Church, located in the charming town of Hythe, Kent. The focal point of this image is the ossuary, a bone store nestled beneath the chancel. This vaulted ambulatory served as a repository for skulls and bones that were disturbed during construction or when new graves were dug. The historical significance of this space becomes apparent when we learn that approximately 10,000 bones from the medieval period found their final resting place here. Among them are an astonishing 2,000 skulls meticulously arranged on shelves or stacked in piles. The popularity of this unique site is evident from the presence of advertisements for guides written by the vicar himself. Visitors would have been intrigued to explore this macabre yet fascinating corner of history. A table adorned with what appears to be a visitors book and donations box further suggests that people came from far and wide to witness this extraordinary sight. Preserved through time by James Valentine & Sons Ltd's albumen print technique around 1900, this print allows us to glimpse into an era where death was not only respected but also celebrated in its own peculiar way. Historic England has once again provided us with a remarkable snapshot showcasing our rich cultural heritage.
