The discovery of an historical burial ground at Ferrovial Agromans BFK Joint Venture project, Charterhouse Shaft Works, in central London has been announced in the press today.
Over the past two weeks, archaeologists have carefully been excavating thirteen skeletons found 2.5 metres below the BFK Farringdon site near to the former Carthusian Monastery. The depth of the burials and the pottery dated up until 1350 found in the graves and the layout of the skeletons point to the likelihood that these were buried in Charterhouse Square during the Black Death Plague around 1349.
The graves have been laid out in a similar formation as skeletons discovered in a Black Plague burial site in east Smithfield in the 1980s.
This 664 year old find had eluded archaeologists until the driver of a long reach grab on the BFK site revealed a skull, much to his surprise.
The skeletons are being meticulously excavated and taken to the Museum of London Archaeology for laboratory testing to establish the cause of death. The skeletons may also be radio carbon dated to try to establish the exact burial dates.
London Charterhouse was a Carthusian Monastery founded in 1371 outside the walled city of London. It is thought that the burial ground preceded the monastery at Charterhouse and continued in use as the monastery developed through to the mid-16th century and became the outer cemetery with its own chapel.
BFK are very proud to be working on these important historical locations across London and make every effort to support the authorities with the follow-up activities to fascinating discoveries such as the one announced today.
Experts have reassured that plague cannot survive for long in the soil. After 664 years, only the skeleton bones remain and do not present any modern-day health risk.
Ferrovial Agroman is in joint venture with Bam and Kier as BFK. Current contracts include the two railway tunnels running 6.4km between Royal Oak and the new Farringdon Station as well as the station tunnel caverns at Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon.
This 664 year old find had eluded archaeologists until the driver of a long reach grab on the BFK site revealed a skull, much to his surprise.
The skeletons are being meticulously excavated and taken to the Museum of London Archaeology for laboratory testing to establish the cause of death. The skeletons may also be radio carbon dated to try to establish the exact burial dates.
London Charterhouse was a Carthusian Monastery founded in 1371 outside the walled city of London. It is thought that the burial ground preceded the monastery at Charterhouse and continued in use as the monastery developed through to the mid-16th century and became the outer cemetery with its own chapel.
BFK are very proud to be working on these important historical locations across London and make every effort to support the authorities with the follow-up activities to fascinating discoveries such as the one announced today.
Experts have reassured that plague cannot survive for long in the soil. After 664 years, only the skeleton bones remain and do not present any modern-day health risk.
Ferrovial Agroman is in joint venture with Bam and Kier as BFK. Current contracts include the two railway tunnels running 6.4km between Royal Oak and the new Farringdon Station as well as the station tunnel caverns at Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon. 
