Rothwell Bone Crypt: Accessibility Review.
From the outside you'd be forgiven for thinking that Holy Trinity church in Rothwell, Northamptonshire is nothing more than a lovely old church but inside you will find one of only two ossuaries in the UK (the other being in St Leonard's church in Hythe, Kent). Situated underneath the church, the Rothwell Bone Crypt houses the skeletal remains of around 2500 individuals mostly dating from between the 13th and 16th centuries. The crypt had been long forgotten about until a gravedigger accidentally fell 12ft through the roof of the crypt or a rotting floorboard into the dark vault where he found himself surrounded by thousands of human bones. Supposedly, the ordeal was so terrifying it sent him insane - not surprising to be honest. The ossuary and its inhabitants have been part of a huge research project at the University of Sheffield who have used carbon dating to try to understand where all of the people came from. Rumours included a devastating plague and a great battle, but the truth is a little more ordinary. The crypt was used by local people to remember their dead. In fact, there are bones in there dating from as recently as the 19th century. Nowadays, the crypt is looked after by church volunteers who give tours to the public on set days throughout the year.
Aside from the crypt, the church itself really is lovely. There has been a church on the site since the 12th century and aspects of the church, such as the chancel, date from this time. It has the longest nave in Northamptonshire and inside you can see two 13th century coffin covers, 15th century misericords and even it's own small carved imp.
The crypt itself isn't particularly accessible for those who have mobility difficulties, Bob made the decision in advance that he didn't think he would manage the stairs and so didn't join the kids and I, and he may have been right. But, we have still included the crypt in our reviews because mobility isn't the only disability, and disability and accessibility look different for different people so we wanted to provide as much information as possible (as it is so scarce) so that people can make informed decisions about whether they think it would be suitable for them or not.
🎟️ Booking.
Tours are available in half an hour slots every Sunday from 2:30-4:30 from April to September and at the same times every second Sunday from October to March. Tour groups are small and must be booked in advance via email: mccoggins@googlemail.com. Payment is cash on the day with the cost per person being £3 although children are free.
ℹ️ Accessibility Information Availability.
There is very little information on the website for the crypt itself other than to say the stairs are steep and narrow so those with mobility challenges should be aware. The churches page on the Churches Trust offers no further information.
🚗 Parking.
There is a car park at the back of the church on Market Hill. From here there is direct access to the church via one of two paths, both of which are wheelchair accessible. There are EV charges in the car park. There are no dedicated disabled or blue badge spaces, however there are plenty of spaces within the carpark and individual spaces are unmarked.
🩼 Mobility.
The Church: There is level access to enter the church and all of the main areas once inside are accessible.
The Crypt: The crypt is accessed down a very narrow and tight spiral staircase therefore it is not accessible to non-ambulatory wheelchair users. For those who are ambulatory or have difficulties with their mobility, it's worth noting that there are approximately 17 fairly steep steps to navigate with no handrail and about halfway down is a low archway. I am 5'7" and I had to duck to go under. The crypt itself is very small, with low vaulted ceilings. The skulls are on shelves around the sides of the crypt, in the centre are two large enclosed areas full of bones, mostly femurs, but some pelvis' and other bones can be seen. There is barely the space to pass other people once down there and no seating or space for a stool. If you still wish to visit the crypt. I would recommend making sure you are at the back of the group entering so that if you do need to leave due to difficulty standing, you are able to.
🎧 Sensory.
The Church: The church is lovely, peaceful and light inside. The walk along the paths from the car park are also very peaceful (this may be different if there is an event or special service on).
The Crypt: The crypt is dark and damp and has a very strong musty odour. There is noise from some fans. The skeletons are all around and close to you once you enter which may be challenging for some people. Due to the nature of it there are cobwebs and spiders hanging from the bones in the centre and the ceiling. Both the staircase and crypt are small with very low ceilings so if you suffer with claustrophobia (even mildly), this may be difficult for you.
🚽 Toilets.
We never saw any toilets in the church, however a quick google search suggests there may be an accessible toilet inside. The Churches Trust simply mentions there is an accessible toilet nearby, but doesn't specify where. There don't appear to be any public toilets in the town. The nearest one (given that the crypt is only open on a Sunday) is in the ASDA in Kettering, approximately 4 miles away.
The nearest Changing Places toilet that would be open on a Sunday is at Wicksteed Park 4.2 miles away.
☕️ Food and Drink.
There are no food or drink facilities in the church, however there are shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes all within a short walking distance from the church which sits in the middle of the town.
🪑 Rest Opportunities.
There are plenty of seats inside the church to sit and rest on. There is also seating in the car park near the entrance.
There is no seating inside the crypt.
🦻 Hearing Assistance.
There is an induction loop inside the church for events and services, but there is no such facility for the crypt tours. There are no audio guides, but there is a lot of written information inside the church about the crypts.
📖 Visual Support.
There is no tactile information inside the church. There are lots of information leaflets, some of which may be in large print but we can't confirm this. The crypt tour is given in person, but the nature of the crypt means joining a tour may not be safe depending on your level of sight. However, there are many volunteers in the church who would be happy to give you any information that may allow you to learn more about the church and the crypt.
🐕🦺 Assistance Dogs.
There are no dogs allowed in the crypt but they are welcome within the church itself.
📜 Our verdict.
This is a tricky review to write, because the disabled person in our group wasn't able to join us because of the nature of their disabilities. We believe that each person should be able to make the decision as to what is and isn't suitable for them, which is why we believe that giving as much information as possible is vital so that people can make informed decisions themselves, as nobody knows your body as well as you.
That being said for those that are able to venture inside the crypt, it is fascinating. As someone who has anxiety, I was very unsure of how I would manage but I was determined to do this and I am glad I did and I made sure to take lots of photos and videos so that Bob could experience as much of it as possible.
Both of the kids enjoyed it as well and we all learned a lot so for that reason I would give the crypt itself 💀💀💀💀.
However, from an accessibility perspective (and only because of how accessible the church itself is) it gets just 💀 .
Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions and I will be happy to answer any that I can for you.
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