‘It was different to anything we’ve found before’
Builder that found bones at Northampton home speaks to NN Journal
By Natalie Bloomer
The builder who discovered bones in the back garden of a bungalow in Beechwood Drive in Northampton says they were unlike anything he has dug up previously.
“We often find animal bones from domestic pets that have been buried but this was different to anything we’ve found before,” Matthew Walsh told NN Journal.
Walsh, who founded Walsh Builders in 2011, was digging the foundations for a new conservatory at the property in the Westone area of the town when he uncovered the bones.
“I saw them and straight away thought it was something different to anything else we’ve found before, so I called the police.”
Northamptonshire Police have been in attendance at the property since last Wednesday and both the front and back gardens have now been dug up.
“I’ve been in contact with the police since Wednesday and I have been back down to see if we’ll be continuing our work but I haven't been told for sure what the bones are,” Walsh said yesterday.
When NN Journal were at the scene on Saturday forensic archaeologists were sifting through soil at the front of the property where paving slabs have been removed. A white tent has been erected in the back garden and police officers were coming and going throughout the day.
The police have only said that an item of “archaeological interest” has been found but neighbours told NN Journal on Saturday that they’ve heard human bones have been discovered.
One person who has lived at a property on the street since the 1950s said yesterday he knew of a skull being found there in the past.
“It was found by the builders, Wilcon, in about 1955. It was just a skull and it was examined by archaeologists and was considered to be too old to be of concern as far as the police were concerned,” he said.
Passersby were stopping to ask the police what was happening at the weekend and local residents said everyone is keen to find out what has been found.
The current owner of the property did not wish to make any comment but she confirmed she is still living at her home while the dig takes place.
The property website Rightmove says the property was last bought in 2019 for £210,000. Before that it was sold in 2018 and in 2004.
The quiet Westone estate was built in the early 1950s, before that much of the area was covered in fields. It is currently made up mainly of three bedroom semi-detached homes and bungalows.