Archaeologists unearth ancient leprosy hospital walls in Lincoln

Archaeologists in England have found new remains at one of the oldest and largest medieval leprosy hospitals in the country. This discovery happened hundreds of years after the disease ravaged communities across Britain. The recent excavation, reported by British news agency Jam Press, took place in South Common within the historic city of Lincoln. That city sits roughly 140 miles north of London.

The site was once home to the Hospital of the Holy Innocents. Officials say this hospital was founded between the late 11th and early 12th centuries. During a three-day dig, archaeologists from the British television program "Time Team" uncovered traces of medieval walls and possible living quarters. These structures have never been excavated before, researchers said.

The hospital operated for nearly 500 years. It housed up to 20 leprosy patients at a time. This time, researchers identified traces of small, square features that may have served as individual living quarters or enclosed yards for patients. The findings build on an excavation that took place last year when volunteers unearthed walls and artifacts linked to the former hospital.

These results offer a rare glimpse into how leprosy patients lived during the Middle Ages. They also show who could afford to receive care at such institutions. "You'd need to have resources to get in here," professor Carenza Lewis of the University of Lincoln said, according to Jam Press. She added that having enough money to enter a leper hospital was like securing a place in a private care home today.

Historical documents suggest the hospital accommodated up to 20 patients. They may have lived in separate structures with small yards, Lewis noted. "We know that they had little sorts of curtilages [enclosed plots of land]," she said. This implies separate little buildings or houses with a little yard, perhaps.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a chronic bacterial infection. It primarily affects the skin, nerves and eyes. Although the disease can cause severe disfigurement if left untreated, it is curable with antibiotics. The illness still exists today.

The excavation is part of a three-year research project led by Anglia Ruskin University. This project aims to learn more about the people who lived, worked and died at the medieval hospital. Tim Taylor, the creator of "Time Team," said the site could reveal more about Lincoln's archaeological past. "Lincoln has an extraordinary archaeological story," he said. He noted that this site promises to give researchers the opportunity to uncover a fascinating part of it.

The findings come after a similar discovery last year in York, England. A sinkhole in a city street there exposed the remains of one of northern England's largest medieval hospitals. The remains were believed to belong to St. Leonard's Hospital and date back to the 12th or 13th century.