A routine renovation of the Garden Museum- previously the medieval St Mary-at-Lambeth church- took place in London, England, back in 2016, as a result of lifting a stone that weighed several tons, workers discovered a staircase that had been concealed for centuries. This unexpected architectural feature led directly down into a brick-vaulted area underneath the church (‘the Great Vault’), containing thirty lead coffins that have not been disturbed since installation; these include five former Archbishops of Canterbury (the most notable one being Richard Bancroft - he supervised the publication of the King James Bible in 1611).
According to the Archaeology Magazine, the accidental discovery also had not appeared on any modern surveys; therefore showing an important part of London’s ecclesiastical history that has been underground three meters from the chancel's floor for many centuries. The preservation of these remains offers a rare, physical link to the high-ranking clergy who once steered the Church of England.
