The King of England may be under a prison car park

The tomb of King Henry I is found in the ruins of the monastery beneath the prison of Reading, Berkshire, England.

Archaeologists discovered a number of graves in the ruins of Reading monastery while searching for the resting place of King Henry I, BBC on September 12.

The tomb found in the ruins of Reading could be King Henry I. (Photo: Reading Museum).

Reading Monastery was built by King Henry I (1068 - 1136) in 1121. This is the place where the king's body was buried after his death in January 1136 in Normandy, northwestern France. Today, this area is a car park of the prison of Reading, Berkshire, England.

The Justice Department, the owner of the prison, allowed 12 archaeologists to conduct excavations to determine how deep the monastery was under the prison area.

By using radar technology to sweep around the Abbey Quarter, the old Reading monastery area, archaeologists found 3-4 tombs located next to or behind the main chapel of the monastery. This discovery is seen as an important step forward to find the remains of King Henry I.

Image of King Henry I. (Photo: BBC).

"These graves may be of important characters because they are located inside the monastery, not a grave of serfs," Mullaney, a local historian, said.

"After the initial results, there are still many things to do. The search plan can bring about great cultural, historical and economic benefits for Abbey Quarter," Tony Page, a member of the Society. Reading City Council, said.

About $ 4 million has been added to the remnant preservation project of the Reading monastery and the monastery gate. It is expected to reopen in 2018.