Couple discovers 80 skeletons while converting 900-year-old church into home: 'Lot more than we...'

UK couple converts ancient church into home after finding skeletons beneath floor. (Image credit: SWNS)

• UK couple found over 80 skeletons under a 900-year-old church during renovation
• Skeletons included couples and families; couple left remains undisturbed
• Home retains church features; discovery went viral on social media

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A UK couple's dream home renovation took an unexpected turn when they discovered more than 80 skeletons beneath a centuries-old church. Lucy and Rhys Thomas said they were restoring the 900-year-old church and had anticipated finding some remains.

An archaeologist had warned the couple they might uncover five or six skeletons, but the discovery far exceeded expectations. Speaking to the British outlet Metro, the mother of five said over 80 human remains were “buried within the floors of the church” in Peterstone Wentlooge, Wales.

“An archaeologist said we would only find about five or six bodies, when they started digging, it became apparent there was a lot more than we first envisioned,” the 53-year-old said.

Lucy later learned that it was once common for wealthy and powerful people to be buried under a church. She told Metro, “The first few were uncomfortable but we gradually warmed to the process. People were buried together – husbands and wives, parents with children, so we decided to leave them in their final resting places and continue the build around them.”

She said the skeletons were buried in different ways, including couples and parents with children. Rather than removing the skeletons, the couple decided to leave the skeletons in their final resting places and designed their home around them. Founded in 1142, St Peter’s Church took four years to transform into a house, a challenge the couple described as demanding.

According to Metro, the couple took four years to complete their dream home, during which they retained much of the church’s original structure. The home still features the original walls, tower and bells, while the engraved stone floor was repurposed as a patio. The skeletons were covered by installing underfloor heating, and the home also includes a bar and a hot tub.

The incident quickly went viral, garnering massive attention on social media.