Worcestershire’s County Council’s Archive and Archaeology Service has launched a mini blog series exploring the mystery of a body found near the Bromyard railway line. In the summer of 2021, a human skeleton was uncovered on the embankment near the former Worcester, Leominster, and Bromyard Railway.

Constructed in the mid-1860s, the Bromyard line was active until its closure in the 1960s. By 2021, all that remained visible in the fields near the village of Leigh, west of Worcester, was the earthwork of the former embankment that once supported a narrow lane over the railway.

Typically, ancient human remains are discovered during organized archaeological excavations. However, sometimes they are found by accident, graves undisturbed for centuries, long forgotten until rediscovered. These unexpected finds can feel like solving a puzzle in a murder mystery novel, as researchers piece together clues to determine how someone died and came to be buried in such an unusual location.

Coun Karen May, cabinet member for communities at Worcestershire County Council, said: “It is like opening a treasure chest of Worcestershire’s history and diving into an exciting mystery.
“With each daily instalment, readers will uncover fresh insights, explore scientific analyses, and make discoveries that will keep them eagerly awaiting the next post.”

For the past three years, the Explore the Past team has unravelled this captivating case, piecing together clues to shed light on the mystery.