{
  "id": 8287460,
  "title": "Ancient church unearthed on remote Scottish island",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/ancient-church-unearthed-on-remote-scottish-island",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-18T18:03:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/global-trends/king-charles-alma-mater-students-uncover-possible-10th-century-church-live-without-electricity-and-pump-water-from-1000-year-old-well/articleshow/134341494.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A group of Scottish boarding school students unearthed what might be a 1,000-year-old Viking-era church on the remote Orkney island of Swona during a service trip. The ruins, long known locally as a \"kirk\" or church, were confirmed as a place of worship after students excavated the eastern wall and found altar foundations and a step. The discovery, organized by Gordonstoun school, places the church within the Viking era, likely dating to the 10th or 11th century. Students, who spent a week on the island with no electricity, helped restore an old house and pumped fresh water from a well. The excavation provided a rare chance to witness medieval history up close and could help clarify how Christianity spread in the region.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}