Sacred Spaces: Neolithic artefacts discovered in church

Sacred spaces have often been used for thousands of years, with those coming after building over whatwas there before and using, building over and using, etc. etc. Here's a great example of that in practice: From The Northern Echo 4:01am Monday 25th February 2008 By Bruce Unwin PLANNED repairs to the central heating of a church have uncovered remains suggesting it may have been used as a place of worship in prehistoric times. Archaeologists now believe the medieval church of St Michaels and All Angels, in Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, is on the site of earlier places of worship, possibly dating from the Neolithic period. Old burial grounds have been unearthed during work by the Archaeology Practice, but it has also revealed foundations of previous churches on the site. Stones uncovered beneath the church floor are thought to have been part of a Roman building, while there is also evidence of prehistoric activity in the area. Peter Ryder has led the three-man team carrying out excavations before a major refurbishment, which will include replacing the central heating system and restoration of much of the stonework. He said the site appears to have been a place of worship long before the existing medieval church was built. "It's thought the first church here was late Saxon or early Norman, but there's strong evidence of a prehistoric ritual site. "We've found big boulders, and during earlier work under the church yard, there was a line of stones, which is clearly a significant archaeological feature. "The boulders are probably prehistoric and there are large blocks of stone from an early structure, which could be Roman. "I have never seen them in a medieval structure, although a sarcophagus, a stone tomb with a lid, which looks Roman was found under the church yard." Mr Ryder has led the three-man team of archaeologists carrying out what he calls a "watching brief, not a full dig". The brief was commissioned by St Michaels' the Parochial Church Council after former Rector, the Reverend Dr Ian Wallis, oversaw plans for a re-ordering of the church. Hundreds of local people attended an open day to view items uncovered in the recent archaeological work, and, such was the response, it was repeated at the weekend. Further details are available on the parish website.