Golfers are forever trying to avoid everything from bunkers, the rough and water to other players’ putting lines. In Lincolnshire the hazard was almost an incredibly rare telephone box-sized early bronze age coffin.
Historic England on Friday revealed details of a remarkable discovery as works were being carried out on a golf course pond in July 2018, during a spell of hot weather.
The log coffin, which measures about 3 metres long by 1 metre, is thought to be 4,000 years old. Inside are the remains of a man, who was buried with an axe.
Archaeologists have established that the coffin was made from hollowing out an oak tree trunk. Plants were then used to cushion the body and a gravel mound was raised over the grave – practices that were only afforded to people with high status in bronze age society.
