Religious gripped by mystery of sunken treasure
A mystery is gripping Britain's religious community: just how did a treasure trove of rare medallions and coins collected by a former Archbishop of Canterbury end up in the River Wear in Durham?
The coins, goblets and other religious items were found by two divers, Gary and Trevor Bankhead, in the river that loops around Durham Cathedral, in northeast England.
Research shows many of the artefacts are linked to the late Michael Ramsey, a former Archbishop of Canterbury -- in the southeast -- with longtime ties to Durham, a city 280 miles north of London.
The find was revealed yesterday by cathedral officials -- who said the items may have been stolen from Mr Ramsey -- and by the Bankhead brothers, two amateur divers who found the unusual items.
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A statement on the cathedral's website said: "Some of the artefacts appear to have close links to Archbishop Michael Ramsey, who retired to Durham in 1974.
"It is not known how these particular artefacts came to be in the river. There has been speculation for some time that the archbishop was victim of a burglary and this would seem to confirm it," the website said.
But Gary Bankhead does not believe a robbery was involved. Based on the location of the finds, he has concluded that Ramsey himself probably dropped the items into the river.
He said some might have been dropped from Prebends Bridge, near the apartment where Ramsey lived with his wife, as a slightly bizarre offering to the people of Durham.
"He was linked to the city since the early 1940s, and it's my belief that he did this as a votive offering to the river and to the people of Durham, who he loved," said Mr Bankhead.
- Gregory Katz in London
Irish Independent
