Volunteers Unearth Medieval Hospital of the Holy Innocents in Lincoln, England

Archaeologists and volunteers are excavating the remnants of the Hospital of the Holy Innocents, a medieval leprosarium in Lincoln, England. Founded during the reign of Henry I, the hospital operated for about five centuries. Last year, over 100 volunteers participated in a pilot dig led by archaeologist Samantha Tipper of Anglia Ruskin University, uncovering boundary walls, building surfaces, and medieval artifacts. Last weekend, the British archaeology television series "Time Team" began a three-year extension of the excavation. The crew conducted a geophysical survey, including X-ray scans and test pits, and volunteers dug a nearly 100-foot-long trench connecting previous pits. "Time Team" archaeologist Carenza Lewis, who supervised with Tipper, noted traces of small square features, likely lodgings for leprosy patients. The hospital was among England's earliest such institutions, likely containing a church and spacious lodgings run by chaplains and a warden. Lewis remarked that entry required resources, akin to a private care home. The project, "Hidden Histories Unearthed," is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Lincoln City Councilor Rebecca Longbottom praised the community involvement and the potential for discovery over the coming three years.