Skeleton in Westminster Abbey sarcophagus may be medieval abbot

Summarised from This Is Local London's report · Updated 21 Oct, 05:44 · Archive

Archaeologists believe a skeleton found in a Roman sarcophagus at Westminster Abbey more than 150 years ago belonged to a tenth-century abbot.

A skeleton discovered inside a Roman sarcophagus at Westminster Abbey in 1869 may finally have been identified as Aelfwig, an abbot who died around 1020. The limestone sarcophagus bore an inscription for Valerius Amandinus, a wealthy fourth-century Briton, but a Latin cross carved into the lid pointed to a much later burial, dating from the tenth or eleventh century. A wooden coffin had been placed inside the stone sarcophagus before the lid was re-carved with the cross.

Professor Warwick Rodwell, a consultant archaeologist at Westminster Abbey, concluded that Aelfwig is the most likely occupant. However, Rodwell acknowledged two viable contenders for the sarcophagus's occupant. He noted that 'the fact Aelfwig was already a monk of Westminster might favour him', and that either candidate could fit the timeline if the abbot was in his early twenties when appointed and close to fifty when he died. His findings were published in the Journal of the British Archaeological Association.

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• Mystery of 1,000-year-old skeleton at Westminster Abbey may be solvedA mysterious skeleton discovered inside a Roman sarcophagus at Westminster Abbey more than 150 years ago may finally have been identified.This Is Local London · 21 Oct, 00:01

In this story: Westminster Abbey · Aelfwig · Warwick Rodwell · Valerius Amandinus

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