Onsite drawing 2025 by Phyllida Shelley
A key part of what we have uncovered during the dig is a cemetery which, radiocarbon dating has confirmed, is contemporaneous with the monastery.
So far, we have uncovered about 80 skeletons of both sexes and ranging in age from older people to, sadly, young children. This tells us it was a lay cemetery. This make sense as ordained members of the monastic community are likely to have been buried close to the main church which we assume to have been on the site of the present church.
A very interesting, and surprising, aspect of the cemetery is the very high proportion of the skeletons which show signs of injury or disease. To date, three cases of probable cancer have been identified, but we also have many instances of disabling injuries and illnesses. This has led us to conclude that members of the monastery were dispensing care for the sick and dying in accordance with their religious vocation.
The role of monasteries as places of medical care and healing is occasionally glimpsed in historical sources, but Cookham is one of the first sites in England to have provided compelling archaeological evidence for this function.
We have launched a crowdfunding campaign to learn more about the skeletons, but a summary of a report written by Dr Ceri Falys of the University of Reading on the 23 skeletons excavated in 2022 and 2023 is at the link below. The summary provides a great insight into the very many medical problems faced by people coming to the monastery for help.