Ruined church at Wharram Percy Medieval Village where the Roman coffin lids where first discovered 30 years ago. Courtesy of English Heritage

English Heritage is putting three rare coffin lids on display for the first time at its store in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, after solving a riddle that has defied explanation by archaeologists for the past three decades.

The heavyweight relics, excavated from Wharram Percy Deserted Medieval Village, near Malton, were used for the burial of a high-status Viking family, but experts have now discovered they entombed Romans up to 800 years earlier.

Unearthed at Wharram 30 years ago as part of Britain’s longest running dig (1950-1990), the re-used coffin lids concealed the burials of a child up to five years old, a female in her early twenties and a male aged between 40 to 50, found in the churchyard and dating between 1060 to 1160.

But puzzlingly, they are made of an unusual local limestone called Coral Rag – the only time such stone has ever been found on the site and more associated with Roman cemeteries than Anglo-Saxon England.

Short of clues, archaeologists recorded the slabs and re-buried them without their true nature being deciphered.

English Heritage Curator Susan Harrison cleaning one of the rare Roman coffin lids. Courtesy of English Heritage

But now with the definitive volume on the church excavations at Wharram soon to be published, experts have re-studied the drawings, photographs and notes made at the time, along with the geology of other associated stones from the site. To aid the evaluation, English Heritage re-excavated the objects last year for detailed analysis.

“Although the use of Coral Rag is largely absent at Wharram, it is used in Roman burials in York and we also know there was Roman occupation of the Wharram site,” explained Susan Harrison, English Heritage Curator.

“One of the grave covers features a large carved crucifix, but the original design and tooling points to Roman times,” added Susan Harrison. “The re-use of Roman grave lids has been known before, but to find a family group like this is extremely rare.”

Artist's impression of Wharram Village in as it would have looked in the 12th century. Courtesy of English Heritage

She continued: “Perhaps the lids were re-used simply because they were nearby and handy. But these graves are from an elite family group, perhaps the founders of the stone church, and to re-use Roman sarcophagi was considered prestigious. It would have made a political point establishing the family’s status.”

The relics are being shown along with objects from 12th century Middleham Castle, many previously unseen, at a series of free open days at the English Heritage centre – normally off-limits to the public.

The tours will take place monthly from May 30 to September 26 2007 and it is advisable to book early. For further details of dates and times of tours and to book in advance, contact the Tourist Information Centre at Helmsley Castle Visitor Centre, telephone 01439 770173.