- A Lincoln couple were surprised to find a 700-year-old relic in their bathroom
- Experts say the strange sculpture could be an ancient drain or an early urinal
Normally, finding an unexpected surprise in the toilet wouldn’t be something to celebrate.
But this Lincoln couple were amazed to discover their toilet was hiding a 700-year-old secret.
Tracy and Rory Vorster, from Lincoln, were stunned to discover what appears to be a medieval gargoyle behind a hidden trapdoor in their bathroom.
According to the Lincoln Civil Trust, the strange carved face could be part of an ‘elaborate’ drain or an early urinal from the mid-14th century.
And Mr Vorster now believes there may be more items in their home waiting to be found.
A Lincoln couple were shocked to find a medieval relic under the floor of their bathroom
The strange sculpture was hidden under a wooden hatch in the floor of the toilet
The couple were scrubbing the bathroom in their home on Sunday when Mr Vorster first made the discovery.
“I couldn’t believe it, I shouted at my wife and said, ‘I found something,’” he said.
After removing a wooden panel, the couple discovered a large stone with an unusual face on it.
This face in particular bears a striking resemblance to the ‘Lincoln Imp’, a famous sculpture on Lincoln Cathedral, near which their home is located.
Local legend has it that two devils rampaged around the roof of the cathedral before one was turned to stone by an angel.
The couple’s home is actually a building originally built by the cathedral’s college of priests.
This face in particular bears a striking resemblance to the ‘Lincoln Imp’, a famous sculpture on Lincoln Cathedral, near which their home is located.
Mrs. Vorster says they found the strange artifact while cleaning the floors
Their 700 year old home is located in the historic city of Lincoln, just outside Lincoln Cathedral
The original structure was built in the 13th century and although it was partially demolished during the English Civil War, some parts have been preserved.
Mrs Vorster says: ‘You look at the outside of the house and it’s historic enough, but to now find something inside is amazing.’
The couple now say they believe there are more of these medieval drains in their home.
Mr Vorster says: ‘The whole house has a kind of hollow wall, so we immediately thought there could be more. In fact, we now know it almost for certain.’
The face bears a striking resemblance to the ‘Lincoln Imp’, a famous statue carved into the cathedral
This isn’t the only stunning archaeological find to have been made in and around Lincoln Cathedral over the years.
Archaeologists have scrawled ancient graffiti on the walls of the cathedral to learn more about the lives of the people who lived there.
A large-scale project analyzing the scratches found everything from musical compositions and scribbles to prayers and curses.
The cathedral is also home to a wealth of tombs dating back to the 12th century.
In 2020, researchers were even able to reconstruct the face of a preacher who was buried in the cathedral 900 years ago.
Analysis of the skeleton has confirmed that the priest was male, approximately 169 cm tall, and died between the ages of 35 and 45.