The tomb of an English king may lie beneath a prison parking lot.

The suspected tomb of King Henry I has been found in the ruins of a monastery located beneath the car park of Reading Prison in Berkshire, England.

The tomb found in the ruins of Reading Abbey may belong to King Henry I. Photo: Reading Museum.

Archaeologists have discovered several tombs in the ruins of Reading Abbey while searching for the resting place of King Henry I, BBC reported on September 12.

Reading Abbey was built by King Henry I (1068–1136) in 1121. It was the burial place of the king after his death in January 1136 in Normandy, northwestern France. Today, the site is a parking lot for Reading Prison in Berkshire, England.

The British Ministry of Justice, the owner of the prison, allowed 12 archaeologists to conduct an excavation to determine how deep the monastery lies beneath the prison grounds.

Using radar technology to scan the Abbey Quarter, the site of the former Reading Abbey, archaeologists found 3-4 tombs located next to or behind the main altar of the abbey. This discovery is considered a significant step towards finding the remains of King Henry I.

Image of King Henry I. Photo: BBC

"These tombs could belong to important figures because they are located inside the monastery; they couldn't possibly be the tombs of serfs," commented Mullaney, a local historian.

"Following the initial findings, there is still much work to be done. The search plan could bring significant cultural, historical and economic benefits to the Abbey Quarter," said Tony Page, a member of Reading City Council.

Approximately $4 million has been added to the project to preserve the ruins of Reading Abbey and its gate. It is expected to reopen in 2018.

According to VNE