Lincoln Cathedral: Medieval priest's items 'rare find'

Archaeologists have described the discovery of the remains of a medieval priest buried alongside "key symbols of his work" as a significant "rare find".

The find was one of more than 50 burials unearthed during renovation works at Lincoln Cathedral.

Archaeologist Natasha Powers said the priest was buried with a pewter chalice and paten - a gold or silver plate.

He believed his tools would provide proof on Judgement Day that he had performed his duties, she said.

Ms Powers said since work started in 2016 they had discovered "significant evidence" of Lincoln's medieval, Saxon and Roman past.

However, she said the discovery of the priest's remains "stood out" as "a rare find".

"It tells us he was a priest, a respected figure who was buried with these tools used for communion so that when called to the Last Judgement he could show he had been able to perform the services, including mass, when alive."

Similar examples of the chalice and paten have been dated back as far as the 12th Century.

Other recent finds include a 1000-year-old coin depicting the face of Edward the Confessor, the last king of the House of Wessex.

"The objects we have found are not only beautiful and interesting in themselves, [but] finds like these mean we can continue piecing together the city's ancient history," Ms Powers added.

The Rev Canon John Patrick said: "The discovery of the priestly burial is significant.

"[It] really highlights the rich history of this religious site."

Lincoln Cathedral, which was named the country's favourite in a Twitter poll called the Cathedral World Cup in 2017, has stood for more than 900 years, with building works starting in 1072.

Some of the unearthed items will form part of a display at a new visitor centre, due to open in the summer.

More news from across Lincolnshire

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook on Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].