Page 84 - All About History - Issue 27-15

Alfred vs the Vikings

Search for a Alfred later ordered the
construction of a small
king’s remains fleet of longships

Although we do
not know the exact
circumstances of
Alfred’s death, it is
known that he
suffered from a
lifelong condition
that may have been
Crohn’s disease. After
his death, Alfred was
first buried in the
Old Minster in Winchester in 899, but four years later his body
was moved to the New Minster. According to legend, this was
because his body wandered around the church, but it is more
likely that New Minster was the original intended resting place.
He didn’t get to rest for long though, as in 1110 Alfred’s body,
along with the monks, was transferred to Hyde Abbey. In 1539,
during the reign of Henry VIII, the church was demolished,
however, the graves remained intact.
The site lay pretty much untouched, until it was purchased
to construct a prison in 1788. Convicts likely discovered the
coffins while ridding the site of rubble, and promptly pocketed
anything of value. Any bones found were simply tossed
around the area. The prison was torn down between 1846
and 1850, and in 1999 an excavation discovered not only the
foundations of the abbey, but also some bones. However, to
much disappointment, these bones were found to belong to
an elderly woman, and the rest of the excavation objects were
placed in a store room in Winchester museum. However, in
2014, it was announced that a fragment of pelvic bone from
this find had belonged to a man aged between 26 and 45,
who died between 895 and 1017. Although it has not yet been
proven, this age and date range makes it very likely that the
bone belongs either to Alfred or his son, Edward.

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