A 7-year-old found human teeth on UK's Cornish coast. They may be linked to the 1721 Royal Anne Galley wreck

A 7-year-old boy exploring the Cornish coast made a discovery that would lead archaeologists to a long-hidden burial site—and possibly uncover a connection to one of the region's worst maritime disasters.

Arthur was exploring Lizard Point in Cornwall in August 2025 when he noticed what appeared to be small, unusual objects in the ground. They turned out to be human teeth.

The discovery was initially examined by Ken Wallace, a retired dentist and volunteer, who identified the teeth as human. A police inquiry later determined that the find was archaeological, and the material was passed to National Trust archaeologist Jim Parry.


What Parry found next suggested Arthur had stumbled upon something far more significant.

More Human Remains Were Hidden in the Mound

Parry's investigation uncovered additional teeth, fragments of jawbone and part of a human skull. The remains were being exposed as the coastal mound continued to erode.

The location was particularly vulnerable. Natural erosion, combined with human activity, had gradually worn away the mound, revealing material that had remained buried for centuries.

At first, archaeologists considered the possibility that the site contained prehistoric burials. But radiocarbon dating produced a much more recent—and potentially remarkable—answer.

Some of the remains dated to the early 1720s.

That immediately raised questions about whether the burial site could be connected to a shipwreck that occurred nearby almost 300 years ago.

Five People Were Found in the First Excavation

An excavation carried out in November 2025 uncovered the remains of five individuals.

The bodies had been buried in an east-to-west orientation, but archaeologists found no objects or other artifacts accompanying them.

The lack of possessions, combined with the condition and arrangement of the remains, led the National Trust team to consider another possibility: these may have been people who died in a shipwreck.

That theory became particularly interesting because of what happened off Lizard Point in 1721.

The Possible Connection to a Deadly Shipwreck

In 1721, the Royal Anne Galley was wrecked near Lizard Point after severe weather drove the vessel onto the Stag Rocks.

More than 200 people died in the disaster, according to historical records, while only three people survived.

For generations, local traditions have suggested that some of those who died in the wreck were buried somewhere on land around the Lizard. But archaeologists had never been able to confirm the location of such a burial site.

The newly discovered remains may provide a possible piece of that puzzle.

Radiocarbon dating indicates that some of the bones date to the early 1720s, broadly matching the date of the Royal Anne Galley disaster. The dating also suggests that at least some of the individuals may have died around the same period.

However, the National Trust has not confirmed that the remains belong to victims of the wreck.

The Bones Could Reveal How These People Lived

The remains are also offering archaeologists clues about the people themselves.

An osteoarchaeologist examining the teeth of one individual found patterns of wear that may be associated with smoking a clay pipe.

Other details are equally significant.

No clothing or personal objects were found with the bodies. That absence could help distinguish the site from a conventional cemetery and supports the possibility that the individuals were buried after being recovered from a maritime disaster.

The wider historical context also fits. Archaeological and historical records document traditions of burying shipwreck victims on land, particularly when large numbers of people died at sea.

The Royal Anne Galley itself holds a special place in British naval history. It was the Royal Navy's last oared fighting ship, and its wreck is now a protected maritime site.

The Burial Site May Be Much Larger

The discovery did not end with the five skeletons found in 2025.

Another excavation in June 2026 uncovered five additional skeletons, bringing the number of identified individuals to around 12.

Archaeologists also believe a deposit of bones recovered during the 2025 excavation may represent another three or four people.

The National Trust estimates that the wider site could ultimately contain the remains of 20 to 25 individuals.

That means the small discovery made by a child could turn out to be part of a much larger burial ground.

Erosion Is Putting the Site at Risk

The urgency of the investigation comes from the same process that helped reveal the remains in the first place.

The exposed coastal location means the mound is continuing to erode. More remains could emerge—but they could also be damaged or lost before archaeologists have a chance to recover them.

The National Trust is therefore planning a final phase of fieldwork in September and October 2026 to recover vulnerable remains.

Afterward, the material will be cleaned, cataloged and analyzed.

Those studies could reveal more about who these people were, when they died and how they came to be buried at Lizard Point.

Nearly three centuries after a devastating shipwreck off the Cornish coast, a discovery made by a 7-year-old boy may have opened the door to a forgotten chapter of the disaster.