TOMBS dating back to the 18th century have been found underneath a church while renovation work took place.

Workers and members of All Saints Church in Odiham were left shocked to discover the tombs of some of the village’s dignitaries as work was carried out on modernising the church.

As the flooring of the church was ripped up so a new heating system could be installed, vaults were unearthed which contained bones and resting places of many fabled characters in Odiham’s history including Reverend James Mapleton (buried in August 1763) and Gideon Elliot – a former gamekeeper at Odiham Manor (buried in 1753).

Four burial stones were also found, but the bodies were not disturbed.

Reverend Alison Brown, from All Saints Church, said: “Whilst it’s not surprising tombs have been found in the church since it has dated back to the Saxon era, what is surprising is that it was down the central aisle just a few inches below the surface.

“For centuries we have been walking across the tombs that are just inches away.”

She added: “There were bones and remains, but because the church is so old an archaeologist from Winchester helped with the work.

“The most interesting fact was that we had no idea it was going to be there.”

Two stones found in the tombs have now been placed in the church’s grounds.

Work on the heating system and removal of the church’s pews was completed after archaeologists had deemed the site clear of artefacts, and was reopened in November.

Carol Gibbons, a member of the Parochial Church Council for the church, said: “The contents of the vault had mainly disintegrated with the passage of time but we believe that one of the people buried in this part of the vault was little Benjamin Mapleton, who died of whooping cough in 1789 at the age of just five.”