After Richard III's discovery, now knight from the Middle Ages is found buried under a car park

Grave found near the foundations of a 13th century monastery in Edinburgh

Blackfriars Monastery was founded by King Alexander II of Scotland

But the building was destroyed during the Protestant Reformation in 1558

Discovery comes just a few months after King Richard's corpse was found



Warrior: The bones of a medieval knight have been discovered under an old city car park in Edinburgh

In life, he would have been among the social elite, a man of honour and privilege befitting his warrior status.



But, in death, it seems the Scottish knight was destined to suffer the same indignity as King Richard III – being buried on a site that was to be later covered by a car park.



Only months after the king’s 500-year-old corpse was found in Leicestershire, the grave of a medieval knight has been uncovered in Edinburgh.



The body was found near the foundations of a 13th century monastery yesterday, on the construction site of a state-of-the-art university research building.



Workers were taken aback when they came across a sandstone slab decorated with elaborate carvings of a cross and a sword.



They called in archaeologists, who found a man's skeleton beneath the stone.

The inscription on the gravestone signifies the skeleton is that of a knight.



The knight's skeleton and teeth are in good condition and have been removed by forensic experts, who will examine them in an attempt to find out as much as they can about his life and death.

The site where the knight was found was once a 13th-century Blackfriars Monastery founded by King Alexander II of Scotland, but was destroyed during the Protestant Reformation in 1558.

Archaelologists say the knight would have paid a toll to the local monastery over the course of his life to make sure he was buried in religious grounds.

Discovery: Archaeologist Ross Murray at the grave which was discovered near the remaining foundations of a monastery built during the reign of King Alexander II of Scotland

Archaeologists discovered the skeleton with many other artifacts when excavating a building site in Edinburgh's Old Town

This is not the first time that archaeologists have excavated in the area; the sites of the 18th- century Old High School and the 16th-century Royal High School were found only yards from the knight’s grave.

Astonished by his unexpected discovery, Ross Murray of Headland Archaeology, who studied at a University of Edinburgh building yards from where the knight was buried, said: ‘We obviously knew the history of the High School Yards site while we were studying here, but I never imagined I would be back here to make such an incredible discovery.

‘We used to take breaks between classes just a few feet away from the building’s doorway – and all the time the grave was lying under the car park.’



The skeleton was found in good condition in grave covered by a stone marked with an inscription of a sword



LIFE IN 13TH CENTURY SCOTLAND

1214: King Alexander II takes the throne of Scotland. 1215: A Scottish army joined English barons in battle against John of England. 1221: King Alexander married Joan of England which strengthened diplomacy. 1234: Independence in Galloway ends after the death of Lord Alan. The King's forces crush rebels there in 1235. 1237: Treaty of York is signed by Scotland and England. 1249: King Alexander II dies of a fever on Isle of Kerrera and is succeeded by his son Alexander III.

1263: The Scots defeat the Norwegians in the Battle of Largs 1292: King Edward I of England interferes in Scottish affairs and appoints John of Balliol King of Scotland 1296 - 1328: First War of Scottish Independence is fought and won by Scotland.



The car park in the Old Town was being demolished to make way for the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI).

The innovative green building has been designed to be highly efficient and sustainable – and is even fitted with a tank which harvests rainwater.



But the building of the future will have to wait as historians go back in time on the site.



ECCI director Andy Kerr said: ‘We always knew that the building retrofit might uncover historical artefacts, given the site’s history – but this knight is an extraordinary and exciting find.



‘We want our new building to play a key role in shaping Scotland’s future, as these historical buildings on this site did in their time.’

Richard Lewis, culture convener for the City of Edinburgh Council said: ' This find has the potential to be one of the most significant and exciting archaeological discoveries in the city for many years, providing us with yet more clues as to what life was like in medieval Edinburgh '.

After King Richard III’s remains were found in a car park in 2012 Leicester cathedral yesterday revealed there will be no grand tomb when his remains are reinterred later this year.



Excavations works revealed the grave in the remains of a thirteenth century monastery built by a king of Scotland

Months after King Richard III's 500-year-old corpse was found in Leicestershire, the grave of a medieval knight has been uncovered in Edinburgh