Primark builders made a grisly discovery when they uncovered a skeleton while working on the town centre store’s new extension.
The town centre Primark store is almost doubling in size
Archaeologists have been drafted into the Eden Street site for further excavations after the body, estimated to be between 150 and 200-years-old, was uncovered earlier this month.
The budget clothes shop is almost doubling its size by extending onto the site of the former Quaker meeting house and cemetery built in 1773.
Human remains were exhumed in 2010 and moved to Surbiton cemetery but one body was never found.
Chairman of the Quaker project committee Graham Torr said the church may never know whose they are, and suggested more might be lurking underneath the soil.
He said: “I have been supporting Primark in having them moved.
"Quakers are very good burial record keepers but they do make mistakes and it appears this is one person we have no record of.
“I don’t believe it is the original missing individual, as the area we thought that man was in has been extensively searched.
"This appears to be someone else. We are moving this person to Surbiton cemetery.
"The grave will be marked with where they were in the Quaker cemetery. The truth is we may never know who this person was.”
The building site in Eden Street
Last December the Comet reported Primark had delayed starting the extension despite gaining planning permission in 2012.
There was speculation that this was because of the numerous spooky artifacts that have been found on the site.
A human skull dating back to 1,000BC, a Roman altar and Latin curses written on strips of lead have all been found in the ground before the development started, according to a 1998 archaeological assessment published by Kingston Council.
The assessment added that in the Middle Ages Eden Street was called Heathen Street because of the “low status of the inhabitants”.
It said: “The name is thought to have originated from the residents of this area in the medieval period, who would have been involved in dirty trades such as slaughter men and skinners.”
The old Quaker Meeting House in Eden Street
A builder on the site said: “[The archaeologists] told us there were 200-year-old bones.
"They’re in a separate bit to us and I haven’t been to look.
“I don’t really want to.”
A Primark spokeswoman said: “The archaeological dig has led to the discovery of a small number of archaeological artefacts.
"Findings have been recorded, signed off by Historic England and removed as part of the continuing archaeological process which has currently been extended a further two weeks.”
- Got a story? Call the newsdesk on 020 8722 6318 or email rachael.burford@london.newsquest.co.uk
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