Park Restoration Unearths 175-Year-Old Time Capsule

In October, we told you about the rediscovery of a bronze box in New York that turned out to be one of the oldest examples of a time capsule known to us. It was something of a tradition in Victorian times to lay time capsules inside the foundation stone of important buildings. One such Victorian time capsule, thought to be nearly 200 years old, has been discovered in a park undergoing restoration in Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Brooke Park's £5.6 million regeneration will see  many of its features restored to their former glory. In one part of the park once stood the Gwyn's Institute, an orphanage for boys. John Gwyn was a local businessman who left a large chunk of his fortune to "feed, clothe, and educate orphans", and so the Gwyn's Institute was born. Although the orphanage was demolished in 1986, some of the grounds survived, with remnants of grass terraces and the location of the pond still visible. According to Colin Kennedy, Brooke Park's Development Manager, there are papers from the time that indicate a time capsule was inside the foundation stone of the Gwyn's Institute. This would date any such time capsule back to 1840. The local council planned a one-day excavation for the site, and there, carved into the foundation stone, was the promised time capsule in the form of a sealed lead cylinder. The time capsule hasn't been opened yet, but gently shaking it revealed a rattling sound, suggesting that coins lay within. "We know broadly speaking what it would contain," explained Mr Kennedy, "but not in detail." Referencing a time capsule found in the Guildhall Restoration, also in Londonderry, Mr Kennedy said that there was a good chance of finding money inside the lead cylinder. "Traditionally, this was a thing done in Victorian times," he added, "where we would have coins of the day and some papers of the day." Contractors working on the Guildhall in October 2010 came across a glass vessel inside the building's foundation stone. The stone had originally been laid on 23 August 1887. The contents of the Guildhall's time capsule - a glass vessel holding coins, newspapers and a handwritten letter explaining the history of the building - are now on display in the now-restored Guildhall's first floor. The Gwyn's Institute time capsule is thought to be a couple of decades older than the Guildhall artefact, but it's yet to be opened. The local council's Museum and Visitor Service are currently examining the cylinder, wanting to ensure that it is handled with the proper care and attention so as to not destroy it or its contents. "We need to determine the timescale of when we open this," Mr Kennedy said, "but, obviously, everyone is very excited." And we'll be sure to update you as soon as we find out what's inside!