By Tim Binnall
Railroad workers surveying the aftermath of a landslide near a tunnel going through a hill in England were stunned to discover that the event inadvertently revealed a mysterious cave that experts believe was once a Medieval shrine. The remarkable find was reportedly made in the town of Guildford earlier this week and was comprised of a series of small chambers that may have once been part of a larger system of caverns that were likely destroyed when the railroad was carved into the hill.
An archaeologist enlisted to examine the site identified several markings and "evidence of writing" which suggests that it was probably used by people living in the area around the 14th century. That said, since that specific location was, in the distant past, known as 'Hill of the Dragon,' it was also theorized that perhaps the cave dates back to that era and was the "site of cult activity."
The newfound cavern also contained soot and fire pits which experts hope to subject to radiocarbon testing in order to determine the age of the mysterious shrine. "The discovery of this cavern is tremendously exciting," marveled area archaeologist Tony Howe, who cautioned that "it's very early in the process of understanding its full significance, but the potential for knowledge acquisition is huge." Administrators of the railroad hope to preserve the site as best they can while a team of experts document the location.