Hundreds of skeletons found at old Debenhams site

More than 300 skeletons have been found during the redevelopment of a former Debenhams store.

The site in Gloucester's Kings Square is being transformed into University of Gloucester's City Campus, which is due to open in September.

Archaeologists have discovered 317 skeletons as well as numerous Roman artefacts and cobblestones which may have been part of a 2nd Century road.

Cliff Bateman, senior project officer at Cotswold Archaeology, described the finds as "unbelievable".

"The site as a whole has the potential to increase public knowledge of the Roman, medieval and post-medieval development of this part of Gloucester," Mr Bateman added.

It is thought that King's Square once stood on the north-eastern quadrant of a Roman town, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

During the project, archaeologists have uncovered 83 brick vaults, the footings of the wall of a Roman townhouse, fragments of a 16th Century tobacco pipe, Roman pottery and pieces of a post-medieval wine bottle.

Mr Bateman said there "will be Roman buildings in situ" underneath where the team discovered the post-medieval burial site.

Brick-built burial vaults and a crypt associated with the 18th Century St Aldate's Church were also uncovered.

The church, built in about 1750, replaced the original church of the same name which is thought to have pre-dated the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Historians believe the original church was demolished in the mid-17th Century after it sustained damage during the English Civil War.

Mr Bateman said: "Every time we work in Gloucester, we make new discoveries – it's a massively important place."

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