Posted on 12/01/2005 6:10:40 PM PST by blam
Radar pinpoints tomb of King Edward the Confessor
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
(Filed: 02/12/2005)
The ancient tomb of Edward the Confessor, one of the most revered of British saints, has been discovered under Westminster Abbey 1,000 years after his birth.
The original burial chamber of the Anglo-Saxon king, who died in 1066, months before the invasion of William the Conqueror, was revealed by archaeologists using the latest radar technology.
The existence of a number of royal tombs dating back to the 13th and 14th century was also discovered beneath the abbey, the venue for nearly all coronations since 1066.
The forgotten, sub-terranean chambers were located during conservation work on the abbey's medieval Cosmati mosaic pavement around the high altar.
Dr Warwick Rodwell, the abbey's consultant archaeologist, said the find was "extraordinarily exciting".
Until now archaeologists had assumed that the original tomb of Edward the Confessor was near the present high altar, because medieval records referred to him being buried there. It has now emerged, however, that the position of the altar was moved by Henry III in the mid 13th century. The archaeologists have located the original tomb 10 feet behind the present altar, under the shrine built by Henry III in 1269, which still contains the remains of the saint.
"We have never been able to locate the original tomb of Edward until now," said Dr Rodwell. "The Victorians tried to find out more about what tombs were under here, but they simply did not have the technology to do it. The mystery around the location of the crypt has been running for many years. Every day brings new insights and new facts." Dr Rodwell said an archaeological team had been examining the construction of the Cosmati pavement, which dates from 1268, using a very high-frequency radar to a depth of about 20 inches. The power of the radar was intensified to examine deeper sections of the pavement.
"Little did we expect that, by using a lower frequency radar, we would find chambers, vaults and foundations of such fascinating historical interest and dating back to the very founding of the abbey, over a millennium ago," said Dr Rodwell.
There are no plans to excavate the tomb because any such work would destroy the medieval pavement.
The discovery, made in October, has delighted the abbey as it has been marking Edward the Confessor's anniversary with a series of events.
Although not among the better known kings - his reign was relatively peaceful - his presence in British history has endured.
The principal royal crown is still called St Edward's crown, and the Coronation Chair is sometimes called St Edward's chair, even though both were made long after his death.
The son of Ethelred the Unready and Emma, the daughter of Richard I of Normandy, his family was exiled to Normandy after the Danish invasion of 1013 and he was largely educated there.
When his half brother, Hardecanute, died in 1042, he was acclaimed king. On his death he was succeeded by Harold, who was killed at the Battle of Hastings nine months later.
Edward's reputation for sanctity grew after the Norman conquest, and he was canonised by Pope Alexander III in 1161.
Edward was patron saint of England for more than four centuries, until 1415 when he was replaced by St George.
The archaeological team is now preparing further investigations to establish the purpose, history and content of the main tomb and the other chambers, graves and coffins they have found.
The Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Wesley Carr, said: "It is another reminder of how abbey history and humanity are packed together."
I've read about that happening to someone, don't know who though.
Neat
Too cool.
As I remember;
low frequencies pass through both water and earth - used them to communicate to subs and silos.
does not seem TOO difficult to figure out they'd be useful to spot underground crypts as well...?
Yup. there was/is one transmission antenne that is 2500 miles long. (part of it consists of bedrock)
Originally the site of a medieval abbey, Syon was named after Mount Zion in the Holy Land. The abbey was dedicated to the Bridgettine Order, established in the 14th century by the great Swedish mystic St Bridget. One of the last great abbeys to be built (founded by King Henry V in 1415), Syon was dissolved by King Henry VIII in 1539.
Syon Abbey had become renowned for its spiritual learning, public preaching and library. It was favoured and visited by King Henry VIII’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon but it got embroiled in the religious turmoil of the King’s divorce and his subsequent action of making himself Supreme Head of the Church in England. The Father Confessor, of the nuns, Richard Reynolds, could not accept the King’s supremacy and was brutally executed in 1535, his body placed on the abbey gateway. He was later canonised as a martyr.
In 1547, King Henry VIII's coffin was brought to Syon on its way to Windsor for burial. It burst open during the night and in the morning dogs were found licking up the remains! This was regarded as a divine judgement for the King's desecration of Syon Abbey.
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Corpse of William the Conqueror Explodes
England's conqueror died. His servants stripped him bare and abandoned his body, but a kind-hearted knight arranged a funeral for him at the abbey of St. Stephen in Caen.
The funeral was disrupted by the outbreak of a fire. After extinguishing it, the pallbearers tried to cram the king's bloated corpse into a too-small sarcophagus. The body exploded, creating a horrible smell that sent mourners running for the exits.
from everything i have read about william the bastard, it is far from unclear that he didn't plan to invade england no matter what. claims about who promised what to whom(including that harold godwineson had promised to support him as well,during harolds 'visit'), mean the claims alleged were for public consumption.
the picture of william that i have gotten is that the issue was if he could take something, not if it had been promised or not.
obviously through the mist of time and limited sources it is conjecture but there seems no doubt about the ruthless efficiency with which william engaged every military task.
i think his tomb was in normandy before it was vandalized and destroyed.
addendum - apparently the corpse exploded, but in france?
Was he one of the guys who fled to New England for awhile and were successfully hidden by the Puritans? (I think the powers that be caught up with them eventually.)
The rarely seen and artfully executed triple negative!
i hope i did this right? re-reading, I might have said the opposite of what I intended rofl
No, Charles II had General Harrison tried, hung, drawn and quartered and his head displayed on the wall of London. But many of his relitaves decided that it was a good time to come to America. And here we be.
Maybe Harrison is in that picture.
They got kinda spooked, and I don't blame them. Somebody said of Charles I that nothing became him in his life so much as his departure from it -- but he made a most holy, courageous, and impressive death.
Here's Samuel Pepys, that indefatigable diarist:
Saturday 13 October 1660 To my Lord’s in the morning, where I met with Captain Cuttance, but my Lord not being up I went out to Charing Cross, to see Major- general Harrison hanged, drawn, and quartered; which was done there, he looking as cheerful as any man could do in that condition. He was presently cut down, and his head and heart shown to the people, at which there was great shouts of joy. It is said, that he said that he was sure to come shortly at the right hand of Christ to judge them that now had judged him; and that his wife do expect his coming again. Thus it was my chance to see the King beheaded at White Hall, and to see the first blood shed in revenge for the blood of the King at Charing Cross. From thence to my Lord’s, and took Captain Cuttance and Mr. Sheply to the Sun Tavern, and did give them some oysters. After that I went by water home, where I was angry with my wife for her things lying about, and in my passion kicked the little fine basket, which I bought her in Holland, and broke it, which troubled me after I had done it. Within all the afternoon setting up shelves in my study. At night to bed.
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Just updating the GGG info, not sending a general distribution. |
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Saint’s and Royal tombs discovered in Ancient Westminster Abbey crypt (Edward the Confessor)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1533622/posts
This Day in History: April 3rd
April 3, 2014
Kathy Padden
Today in History: April 3, 1045
Edward the Confessor was born in 1003
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/04/day-history-april-3rd/
his father was Aethelred the Unraed (more often, “the Unready”)
Better Know A Despot: Æthelred The Unready
By Richard Stockton on November 6, 2015 in Curiosities, Europe, and History
http://all-that-is-interesting.com/aethelred-the-unready/2
The Diplomas of King Aethlred ‘the Unready’ 978–1016
http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/british-history-1066/diplomas-king-aethlred-unready-9781016
crop of pic of Aethelred’s will:
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/13007323_10153610447536973_4860872065812950415_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoiYiJ9&oh=5bb452acd77b6dfb12a452b20dbeb58a&oe=5771F782
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