Archaeologists in "extraordinary" search for remains of abbey where Alfred the Great was buried

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

The latest excavations in the grounds of King Alfred the Great took place over an exciting weekend in a Hampshire garden

Community archaeologists in Winchester have spoken of the “absolute rollercoaster” they embarked upon during a back garden dig which revealed major architectural structures from Hyde Abbey – a massive 12th century minster where Alfred the Great and his family were buried.

In an “extraordinary” late April weekend when the Hyde900 group almost left the site with a sense of resignation, two test pits revealed artefacts at a depth matching other finds linked to the medieval abbey in the area. Previous research had suggested the wall of the abbey’s south transept might be found there.

David Spurling, the manager of the excavations, expects more discoveries to lie in wait. “We could not have choreographed it more,” he says. “There was a slight feeling of flatness at a point when we thought that nothing very significant had been discovered and discussions were held as to whether it was worth continuing.

“At one moment, in fact, we were prepared to stop everything and pack up. But then we put in the probe in the early afternoon of the third day and got a result. From then on it was very exciting for us onlookers as more of the masonry was revealed. This is something which is, potentially, very important indeed.

“We have literally broken new ground here. Although the east end of the church – now covered by Hyde Abbey Garden – was extensively investigated in the 1990s, no-one has systematically dug on the area to the south-west.

“By digging two test pits in this crucial area we have put down an important marker in understanding exactly what lies beneath the surface.”

An extra day was eventually added to the planned three-day excavation after Don Bryan, a member of the Winchester Archaeological Research Group, exposed a large, robust masonry structure following the discovery of a solid surface in the easterly pit and the remains of the abbey structure in its westerly counterpart.

A neolithic scraper, Roman tile and fragments of glazed and decorated tiles had earlier surfaced at the site, where the abbey flourished for 400 years before being dissolved in 1538 by Thomas Wriothesley, an agent of Henry VIII who ordered its buildings to be razed and its stone and materials to be sold for recycling.

The pits were dug in the back yard of Martin and Chrissie Leyden. “It was an extraordinary weekend for us,” says Chrissie.

“Living on the site of the abbey church, we had always been interested in what the garden might hold – and now we know. At times, I must say, it almost felt as if we were going through a medical operation as, with great professionalism, the garden was dug to greater and greater depths.”

Local MP Steve Brine also praises the group, having watched the search unfold. "Hyde 900's work is always impeccable in its planning and application and this was no different,” he says. “It was genuinely a community event with young and old from across Winchester literally getting their hands dirty.

“I continue to be one of many enthralled by the legend of Alfred and love bringing up my own children here watching them learn as history comes alive."

A local prison was constructed on part of the site in the late 18th century, and the last people to investigate the plot under scrutiny were inmates digging over rough ground to make a garden for the prison governor.

The eastern part has been periodically investigated, with the position of the royal graves identified during the 1990s. Experts suspect the undiscovered coffins were broken up and scattered in the surrounding area, where houses and gardens cover the abbey church and monastery cloisters. 

“It has been a serious community archaeology effort but undertaken with great humour,” says Techer Jones, of the research group. “Everyone has mixed in and we've had a lot of good fun.

“Irrespective of the importance of what we have found in these test pits, the great achievement of these two days is that Hyde900 has put together a wonderful community exercise involving lots of people from the local community, WARG and the University of Winchester.”

“The enthusiasm shown by so many local people in getting involved over the past few days has shown that there is a real appetite in Hyde for small-scale local archaeological projects of this kind,” says Spurling.

“We are currently putting together a proposal to the Heritage Lottery Fund to finance more exercises in this series. We are very privileged to have in Hyde the remains of one of Winchester's greatest medieval buildings.”

• For more on the Hyde900 Community Archaeology Project visit hyde900.org.uk/events/dig.

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More from Culture24's coverage of the search for Alfred the Great

Archaeologists find suspected remains of Alfred the Great in Winchester

Curator's Choice: Professor Barbara Yorke on Alfred the Great's micro-management skills

"Well and truly flabbered": BBC Two show to reveal Search for Alfred the Great

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art553709-hyde-abbey-alfred-great-winchester-archaeologists