Historic bones and teeth discovered at Lizard Point

The discovery 

Arthur, aged seven, found a collection of teeth in the ground while exploring Lizard Point in August 2025. He showed them to Wildlife Watchpoint volunteer Ken Wallace who, being a retired dentist, recognised them as human. After a short police inquiry, the find was confirmed to be archaeological and passed to National Trust archaeologist Jim Parry. 

Initial investigation 

The mound where the remains were discovered has gradually eroded due to natural and man-made processes and will continue to do so over time given its coastal location. National Trust archaeologist Jim Parry carried out work at the site and found fragments of jaw bones, teeth, and a skull belonging to at least one individual, with evidence of more being revealed through erosion. 

At first, it was thought that at least one of the burials was prehistoric, but further excavations have shown that more work was needed to understand how many people are represented and the periods of their burial. As much as possible will be recorded before it is lost and, in the future, the aim is to excavate a wider area to fully understand the scale and nature of the site in which the remains were buried. 

Week-long excavation 2025 

In early November, our National Trust regional archaeologist returned to Lizard Point for a week-long excavation, continuing work on the coastal site. During this phase, the remains of five individuals were uncovered within a small section of the dig. Based on their condition and burial orientation, each laid east to west, it is highly probable they were victims of a shipwreck. No clothing or artefacts were found alongside the remains.  

To prevent further loss due to coastal erosion, the most vulnerable remains, one complete skeleton and one skull, were carefully excavated, removed and sent away for initial analysis and radio carbon dating.  

Radiocarbon Dating and Initial Analysis 

Samples taken from the remains recovered in 2025 were sent for radiocarbon dating and the results indicate that the bones likely date to the early 1720s. Initial analysis suggests that the remains are associated with a single event rather than multiple burials over time. 

Examination by an osteoarchaeologist has also revealed some intriguing details about the individuals. For example, the front teeth of one person show distinctive wear patterns that may be linked to clay pipe smoking, offering a rare glimpse into everyday life during the period. 

Possible shipwreck victims 

The location at Lizard Point strongly suggests these remains may be the victims of a shipwreck which would date them from before the Burial of Drowned Persons Act of 1808. One possibility is that the remains are connected to the Royal Anne Galley, which was wrecked off the Lizard in 1721. Historical accounts record that more than 200 people lost their lives in the disaster, with only three survivors.  

For generations, local stories and traditions have spoken of where the victims of the Royal Anne Galley were buried. However, despite these accounts being passed down through the years, no confirmed burial site had ever been identified. The discovery of these remains, likely dating to the same period as the shipwreck, raises the intriguing possibility that the long-lost resting place of some of those who perished may finally have been found. 

Excavations 2026 

June saw two further weeks of archaeological excavation at Lizard Point. The aim of the excavation was to better understand the scale of the site and determine whether it contained a small number of individuals or represented a much larger burial event. 

During the latest excavation, archaeologists uncovered five additional skeletons, bringing the total number of identified individuals so far to around 12. This includes remains discovered in 2025 within a jumbled deposit of bones, believed to represent parts of three or four individuals. These findings suggest that the site overall contains the remains of approximately 20 to 25 individuals. 

The discovery has attracted significant interest, with television crews from both the BBC and Channel 4 visiting the site. The story will feature in upcoming programmes due to be broadcast later this year and early next year. It also provided a unique opportunity to engage with visitors. Thousands of people visiting Lizard Point were able to observe an active archaeological dig and learn more about the discoveries being made, creating an unforgettable connection with the area's rich maritime history. 

The story is far from over. The team will return in September and October 2026 for a final phase of excavation to carefully recover the remaining skeletons. Once fieldwork is complete, attention will turn to the next stage of the project: cleaning, cataloguing and analysing the remains to learn as much as possible about the people buried here and the events that brought them to Lizard Point. 

We will continue to update this page as new discoveries and findings emerge.