REMAINS of people who lived in Colchester hundreds of years ago have been given a final resting place after a reburial project was embarked upon by a funeral director and the Colchester Archaeological Trust (CAT).

The partnership came about after CAT approached Hunnaball Family Funeral Group last October with the hope that the remains of those who have buried in Colchester over the course of hundreds of years could be given a final, undisturbed resting place.

One year on, a newly created grave has now been placed in Colchester Cemetery to commemorate the Colchester residents who have been buried across the city, but could not be identified.

Megan Beale, an osteologist at Colchester Archaeological Trust, said reburying human remains – and marking people of Colchester’s past with a gravestone – was the right thing to do.

Gazette: Resting place – remains of Colchester residents from hundreds of years ago will be reburied at Colchester CemeteryResting place – remains of Colchester residents from hundreds of years ago will be reburied at Colchester Cemetery (Image: Newsquest)

She said: “As an osteologist, we must help to recreate the stories of the individuals we remove during excavation.

“It is of the utmost importance to ensure that these people receive ethical and respectful treatment – part of this includes reburial.

“We are hugely grateful to Hunnaball of Colchester for their continued collaboration with CAT, and we appreciate everyone’s involvement in the reburial of these ancient human remains.”

The gravestone, which has been crafted by stonemasons from the Hunnaball Memorials division, is engraved on both sides to allow members of the public to find it easily.

The new burial site at the cemetery has now received its first set of human remains, recovered during the course of archaeological excavations in Colchester.

Gazette: Mark of respect – Hunnaball Family Funeral Group said they believe everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of the date of their demiseMark of respect – Hunnaball Family Funeral Group said they believe everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of the date of their demise (Image: Newsquest)

Director of the Hunnaball Family Funeral Group, Sam Hunnaball, said: “We owe it to our ancestors to treat them with the same dignity and care as if they had passed away today.

“We were honoured to be asked to assist in creating this landmark monument and grave, and to conduct a simple ceremony in which recently recovered historic human remains could be interred.

“This new memorial will serve to honour those who lived in what was Britain’s oldest town and whose labours once helped to lay the foundations of our now more modern city.”