Wall foundations, numerous carved stone blocks and an earlier floor level: excavations underway since mid-September 2026 in the choir of Saint Peter’s Cathedral are uncovering new clues to the monument’s past. Among the discoveries are remains that may have belonged to a former rood screen.
At Beauvais Cathedral, visitors naturally look upwards towards the vaults. For several weeks, however, part of the building’s history has been emerging beneath the choir floor. Ahead of work to redesign this space, archaeological excavations are investigating traces of its earlier arrangements.
The Likely Remains of a Former Rood Screen
In the France 3 report, Sébastien Lefèvre, an archaeologist with Beauvais’s municipal archaeological service, presents the discovery of wall foundations alongside numerous carved stone blocks. He believes these elements most likely belonged to a former rood screen in the cathedral.
The rood screen separated the liturgical choir from the other parts of the building. Its remains therefore offer an opportunity to better understand an interior arrangement that has since disappeared.
The identification as a former rood screen remains an archaeological interpretation, however. The evidence presented in the report does not yet establish its date or allow its appearance to be reconstructed.
A Floor Level Possibly Linked to the Collapse of 1573
Archaeologists have also identified an earlier floor level. Sébastien Lefèvre suggests that it may date from around the time of the collapse of the cathedral’s spire in 1573.
This possible connection has yet to be confirmed. Nevertheless, it offers a promising avenue for investigating the condition of the choir at the time of this major event and understanding how the space changed over the centuries.
Exploring the Past Before Redesigning the Choir
These investigations precede the redesign of the choir and the installation of new liturgical furnishings. Led by the Diocese of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis, the project has been entrusted to the sculptor and goldsmith Goudji. It includes a new altar, a cathedra — the bishop’s chair — and an ambo, the lectern used for readings.
This programme is separate from the extensive state-funded restoration campaign launched in 2022, which includes work on the roof, vaults and structural safety of the cathedral. The redesigned choir is scheduled to be inaugurated in early May 2027.
A History Still Being Uncovered
These initial discoveries remind us that the cathedral also preserves its history beneath our feet. Buried remains provide evidence of altered spaces, lost decoration and the different stages of the building’s life.
The ongoing excavations offer a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding of the choir before a new chapter in its history begins.
Source: report by Guillaume Gorgeu, with Mary Sohier, France 3 Hauts-de-France / France Télévisions — read the original article in French.