Chelsea Old Church's original chancel dated from around the 13th century, with further additions made in the 14th and 17th centuries. The South Chapel was rebuilt in 1528 by Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor and Catholic martyr. Developments in 2000 resulted in the excavation of almost 300 18th- and 19th-century burials. Surviving coffin plates and biographical data allowed full identification of 25 individuals. This information, along with evidence provided by the skeletons themselves, suggests that the cemetery contained mostly high-status residents of Chelsea. It was then, as it remains today, a mostly affluent area. This image shows the church grounds as they are today, with a statue of Thomas More erected in 1969.