The Roman Soldiers in the Cellar
Working in a cellar in York, a young plumber heard a horn and saw Roman soldiers march out of the wall. He could only see them from the knees up.
What was reported
In 1953, an apprentice plumber named Harry Martindale was fitting pipes in the cellar of the Treasurer's House, beside York Minster. He said he heard a horn, and a horse came through the wall, followed by soldiers in Roman armour, tired and dishevelled, who walked across the cellar and disappeared into the opposite wall.
He could only see them from the knees up until they crossed a dug-out part of the floor, where he saw their feet in sandals. He later learned that a Roman road ran under the cellar, below the modern floor. He told the story for the rest of his life without changing it.
Explanations offered
Sceptics point out that York's Roman past is well known and that a frightened young man alone in a cellar might be primed to see things. Others note that details he gave, such as round shields and green tunics, were unusual for the popular image of Roman soldiers but fit late Roman auxiliaries.
- When
- 1953
- Where
- Treasurer's House, York, England
- Witnesses
- A young plumber working in the cellar, and others since
- Status
- Unexplained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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