Aberdeenshire Council teams are working to reinter a “small amount” of human remains disturbed by what is believed to be burrowing animals in a Stonehaven graveyard.
The landscape services team is continuing to work to restore St Ciaran’s kirkyard after exposed human bones were reported.
The historic Stonehaven kirkyard is the final resting place for more than 200 burials, with many gravestones dating as far back as the 18th Century.
It is believed burrowing animals disturbed the lairs in the kirkyard by digging large holes around the gravestones, scattering human bones in the process.
The council has now said the “small amount” of unearthed historic remains will be reinterred.
‘Children are finding them’
Aberdeenshire Council was alerted over the weekend after an 11-year-old girl found bones while visiting the kirkyard with her mum.
Amy Muir explained she likes to go with her daughter Maddie, often with their dog, to the site to explore the history of the graveyard.
The 11-year-old found a jaw and when she returned with her mother on Saturday more bones had been unearthed.
She said: “These bones are likely to be hundreds of years old, but it is very eerie to see them lying around the graveyard. I don’t know if people were buried in caskets or if they were wrapped and laid into the grave.
“But I suppose that does not matter, there are lots of parts of bones lying around, and it is a shame that children are finding them.”
“There are now loads of holes up at the graveyard, and we think it is likely to be a wild animal.”
‘Arrangements are being made’
Council teams were sent to the cemetery yesterday for an initial inspection and visitors were warned to “stand clear” of any lairs affected by the disruption.
The teams plan to increase protection at the site by placing down netting and monitoring the area.
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: “Our landscape services team is continuing its work at the kirkyard and is making arrangements to increase protection at the site, including netting. We’ll continue to monitor the site to determine any further action that may be required.
“Arrangements are also being made to reinter a small amount of historic remains which have been disturbed.”
It is understood police have not been contacted about the find.
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