Home Renovation Unveils Ancient Human Remains

In an unexpected twist, a home renovation in Wye, Kent, transformed into a crime investigation when ancient human bones were discovered. Ross Sledger, 49, was away at work during the spring of 2019 when a builder working on his kitchen extension unearthed what appeared to be human remains, according to SWNS.

The remains were reburied in August in a church ceremony not far from Sledger’s home. Initially, Sledger assumed the bones belonged to an animal. He recounted, “[The builder] said, ‘I’ve found some bones,’ and I said, ‘Great,’ thinking it was farming or pets.”

Sledger, surprised by the possibility of human remains, expressed his disbelief: “You must be joking, this is a wind-up,” he recalled being told, “I’m deadly serious.”

Upon discovery, further investigation suggested the remains were Anglo-Saxon, approximately 1,000 years old. This led to a police investigation at Sledger’s property, resulting in the discovery of a second body. Investigators found a femur, two skulls, ribs, part of a pelvis, and fragments of a humerus and finger bones. Sledger joked about the inconvenience, “I was thinking, ‘Oh no, this is going to delay it. I’ve got bricklayers next week.'”

The home soon became a focal point for police, with officers on site overnight. Sledger noted the inconvenience of having an officer outside the home, “That set off the neighbor’s floodlights, which set off my dog barking. So as you can imagine, I didn’t get much sleep that night.”

Forty-eight hours post-discovery, experts confirmed the remains were ancient, not tied to any contemporary crime. Later, while laying artificial grass, Sledger found more bones, described as “knuckles and fingers,” which added to his renovation-related stress.

After police cleared the investigation, the remains were transferred to a historical society and eventually to a local vicar, with their final interment requiring careful arrangements.

The August re-interment included the hymn “Jerusalem,” a tribute to the ancient remains. Sledger commented, “I think it was a question of getting permission and whether they would be allowed to be there.”

Interestingly, Sledger’s backyard isn’t the only one to reveal historical finds. Another couple in Hampshire found a significant hoard of 70 historic English coins during a yard project in 2020.

These coins were later sold in 2025 for over £380,000, equivalent to about $500,000.