Wars of the Roses bodies found near Harlech Castle

Workers building a new visitor centre next to Harlech Castle may have stumbled on the remains of three people who may have been caught up in the Wars of the Roses. The bodies were found  near the grounds of the Castle Hotel last Thursday.

Archaeologists believe three bodies found in the grounds of Harlech's old Queen's Hotel date from the days when the castle was almost permanently under siege [Credit: Cadw/WikiCommons]

Historic monuments group Cadw suggests building foundations also dating back to medieval times have been found at the site.

Archaeology Wales are carrying out further excavations in the hope of finding more human remains.

History lecturer Dr David Craik believes the bodies possibly date from the Wars of the Roses as the castle was almost constantly under siege from 1461 to 1468, according to news sources.

Dr Craik, who is also president of the Harlech Historical Society, said: “The discovery of the burials at Harlech Castle is the most exciting archaeological find since the discovery of a gold torque in 1922.”

But Dr Iestyn Jones, of Archaeology Wales, said the site was once home to a chapel yard and before that a church. He said the remains are more likely to have come from what was once a cemetery or burial ground.

Dr Jones said: "It almost certainly is (an old cemetery). That would be my interpretation at the moment."

Also pottery found on the site dates from the 17th and 18th centuries - several hundreds years after the Wars of the Roses ended.

Author: Darren Devine | Source: Wales Online [December 12, 2013]