Medieval History
With the media sensation caused by the recent discovery of Richard III, and the resulting boom in interest at it is not surprising that that some communities aredesperate eager to find another lost monarch in their midst. In recent weeks a couple of stories have come out about searches being done in England.
At Queen Elizabeth School in Faversham, Kent, the building of a school auditorium is allowing archaeologists to explore an area where King Stephen was laid to rest back in 1154. Back in the twelfth-century, this site was home to Faversham Abbey, and the English monarch was buried there along with his wife and son. In the sixteenth-century, this Abbey was destroyed, leaving unknown the whereabouts of Stephen.
Laurence Young, the Manager of Faversham Enterprise Partnership, commented ?It?s time to get to the truth about King Stephen and his burial place. The worldwide interest in Richard III has been colossal and, while Stephen doesn?t have his profile as a leading historic figure, he is one of very few English kings whose fate is not known certainly. From a national perspective it is something that ought to be investigated and settled one way or the other.?
Click here to read this article from Kent Online
Meanwhile in Winchester they have already found a body, and are now working to see if they are the remains of the famous Anglo-Saxon ruler Alfred the Great. In March, the skeletal remains discovered in an unmarked grave at the church of St Bartholomew in Wincester were exhumed. Some scholars and archaeologists believe that these might belong to Alfred, who died in 899. Archaeologist Katie Tucker who is leading the search says that while it would be difficult to prove they belong to Anglo-Saxon monarch, "if the bones are from around the 10th century then that is proof they are Alfred and his family, because Hyde Abbey was not built until the 12th Century, and there is no reason for any other bones from the 10th Century to be there."
Click here to read this article from The Guardian
According to The Independent, searches are also underway for both King Arthur (good luck on that one) and Boudicca, who fought the Romans in the first century AD. The enthusiasm for finding lost kings has also spread to Scotland, where local politicians and history-lovers are calling for a search to be made for the grave of King James I, who was murdered on February 21, 1437.
Murdo Fraser, the Member of Scottish Parliament for Perth, told The Herald "Leicester will no doubt benefit from the worldwide attention brought by the exhumation of Richard III. A similar project in Perth would have the potential to attract similar global acclaim ? which can do no harm in promoting the city. The story behind the assassination of King James I is well known and historians are almost certain that he lies buried underneath Hospital Street in Perth."
Click here to read this article from The Herald
Finally, it looks like the people at the University of Leicester are not done with looking for kings themselves. Yesterday, they announced the search was on...for Richard IV.
- After Richard Iii, Archaeologists Set Their Sights On Alfred The Great
His remains are believed to lie in an unmarked grave in Winchester and a team is reportedly applying for permission to dig up the spot at St Bartholomew?s Church. It is thought Alfred?s skeleton could be found among a collection of bones there. But the...
- Archaeological Dig Inches ?tantalizingly Closer? To Possible Burial Place Of King Richard Iii
The University of Leicester is announcing that the archaeological dig at Greyfriars will continue for a third week as archaeologists get ?tantalisingly close? in their search for King Richard III. The University of Leicester is leading the archaeological...
- Have Archaeologists Found Church Where Richard Iii Was Buried?
Archaeologists searching for the remains of King Richard III have unearthed remnants of walls which could belong to the church where he was buried. The stone remains are the first clue identified by a Leicester University team who last weekend began...
- Richard Iii Foundation Supports Archaeological Project To Find Missing Monarch
The Richard III Foundation has come out with strong support for the archaeological dig that is underway in Leicester, which hopes to find the remains of King Richard III and end a 500-year-old mystery of where is his last resting place. The University...
- Search Begins For Lost Grave Of King Richard Iii
The University of Leicester and Leicester City Council, in association with the Richard III Society, are starting an archaeological dig to find the remains of King Richard III, the only English monarch whose resting place remains unknown. On Saturday...
Medieval History
Which medieval king will they find next?
With the media sensation caused by the recent discovery of Richard III, and the resulting boom in interest at it is not surprising that that some communities are
 |
| King Stephen |
Laurence Young, the Manager of Faversham Enterprise Partnership, commented ?It?s time to get to the truth about King Stephen and his burial place. The worldwide interest in Richard III has been colossal and, while Stephen doesn?t have his profile as a leading historic figure, he is one of very few English kings whose fate is not known certainly. From a national perspective it is something that ought to be investigated and settled one way or the other.?
Click here to read this article from Kent Online
Meanwhile in Winchester they have already found a body, and are now working to see if they are the remains of the famous Anglo-Saxon ruler Alfred the Great. In March, the skeletal remains discovered in an unmarked grave at the church of St Bartholomew in Wincester were exhumed. Some scholars and archaeologists believe that these might belong to Alfred, who died in 899. Archaeologist Katie Tucker who is leading the search says that while it would be difficult to prove they belong to Anglo-Saxon monarch, "if the bones are from around the 10th century then that is proof they are Alfred and his family, because Hyde Abbey was not built until the 12th Century, and there is no reason for any other bones from the 10th Century to be there."
Click here to read this article from The Guardian
 |
| St.Bartholomew's Church in Winchester |
According to The Independent, searches are also underway for both King Arthur (good luck on that one) and Boudicca, who fought the Romans in the first century AD. The enthusiasm for finding lost kings has also spread to Scotland, where local politicians and history-lovers are calling for a search to be made for the grave of King James I, who was murdered on February 21, 1437.
Murdo Fraser, the Member of Scottish Parliament for Perth, told The Herald "Leicester will no doubt benefit from the worldwide attention brought by the exhumation of Richard III. A similar project in Perth would have the potential to attract similar global acclaim ? which can do no harm in promoting the city. The story behind the assassination of King James I is well known and historians are almost certain that he lies buried underneath Hospital Street in Perth."
Click here to read this article from The Herald
Finally, it looks like the people at the University of Leicester are not done with looking for kings themselves. Yesterday, they announced the search was on...for Richard IV.
- After Richard Iii, Archaeologists Set Their Sights On Alfred The Great
His remains are believed to lie in an unmarked grave in Winchester and a team is reportedly applying for permission to dig up the spot at St Bartholomew?s Church. It is thought Alfred?s skeleton could be found among a collection of bones there. But the...
- Archaeological Dig Inches ?tantalizingly Closer? To Possible Burial Place Of King Richard Iii
The University of Leicester is announcing that the archaeological dig at Greyfriars will continue for a third week as archaeologists get ?tantalisingly close? in their search for King Richard III. The University of Leicester is leading the archaeological...
- Have Archaeologists Found Church Where Richard Iii Was Buried?
Archaeologists searching for the remains of King Richard III have unearthed remnants of walls which could belong to the church where he was buried. The stone remains are the first clue identified by a Leicester University team who last weekend began...
- Richard Iii Foundation Supports Archaeological Project To Find Missing Monarch
The Richard III Foundation has come out with strong support for the archaeological dig that is underway in Leicester, which hopes to find the remains of King Richard III and end a 500-year-old mystery of where is his last resting place. The University...
- Search Begins For Lost Grave Of King Richard Iii
The University of Leicester and Leicester City Council, in association with the Richard III Society, are starting an archaeological dig to find the remains of King Richard III, the only English monarch whose resting place remains unknown. On Saturday...