A hidden burial vault has been discovered under the chancel floor of a south Shropshire church.

The vault, which contains about 16 coffins, has been discovered at St John’s Church in Bishop’s Castle. Anni Holden, for the Diocese of Hereford, said today the vault could be the result of a Victorian revamp to the building and most likely belonged to the Oakeley family.

The vault probably dates from the 18th century.

She said: “The architect has been in and had a look. He has currently suggested that a wooden platform is placed across it to make is safe. In the longer term a more permanent situation is being found. In the meantime we wanted to make the church safe and usable.

“They said that the subsidence started to become noticeable a few weeks ago. It is believed that it went in in the Victorian makeover period. It could be that it incorporated what was outside.”

Janet Preshous, of the South West Shropshire Historical Society, said the Oakeleys were an extremely important family in the area in their time.

She said: “There is no-one descended from them living locally now. The last ones died in about 1975.”

She said the society had managed to track down a descendant, Dr Henry Oakeley, who lives in Kent, and it is hoped that he will come to Bishop’s Castle in the near future.

Mrs Preshous added: “There have been Oakeleys here for 400 years. They were very important people who were very influential at the time of the civil war.

“We all knew they had been in Bishop’s Castle and although there are tablets in the church, nobody had asked the question why there were no headstones in the churchyard.

“It is believed the vault may well have been outside the original church and not used since the church was rebuilt in 1859.

A structural engineer is still to look at the site. The chancel floor is now safely boarded over and further investigations will be made before a decision is taken for the long term.

Some photographs of the vault and access chamber can be seen at the back of the church.