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Hampshire Chronicle THE discovery of a 10th century Anglo Saxon Queen is set to rekindle interest in the historic royal bones in Winchester Cathedral. 
Queen Eadgyth, the granddaughter of King Alfred the Great, is related to the Saxon royalty whose bones lie in mortuary chests in the cathedral. Historians have long been keen to research the bones and hope the new discovery will spark public interest. Eadgyth lay undisturbed for hundreds of years until her nearcomplete skeleton, wrapped in silk, was found in a stone sarcophagus in Magdeburg Cathedral. Now fragments of her body have been returned to Wessex for analysis that is expected to show she could have been born in Winchester, then the capital of Wessex. Prof Mark Horton, of Bristol University, said tests were expected to reveal she grew up on the chalk area of Wessex. "We think it is going to be either Winchester or Wilton, the two main strongholds at the time," he said. Radioactive isotopes in her bones will be matched with isotopes from soil in Hampshire and Wiltshire. "We hope to be able to map where this individual spent her childhood and so confirm that she came from Wessex, not Germany," Prof Horton said. "It puts the spotlight on this period of English history that has been much neglected," he added. "Her brother Athelstan was the first king of a unified England, her husband became the first Holy Roman Emperor, and her blood runs through the veins of every royal family in Europe." The research is to be undertaken soon, with the results due to be revealed in the summer. The seemingly careful preservation of Eadgyth is in contrast to the treatment of the royal bones in Winchester Cathedral, including her great-grandfather Athelwulf. In 1642, during the English Civil War, Roundheads ransacked the cathedral and damaged the chests, scattering the bones, also said to include King Canute. Dr John Crook, cathedral consultant archaeologist, said of Eadgyth. "It is a very exciting discovery." He has long been keen for a research project into the royal bones, using DNA analysis, but the idea did not win support from higher church authorities. Another interesting factor about the discovery is that whereas Eadgyth is still intact, the cathedral bones are jumbled. "The main problem we have is identifying which bones goes with which," Dr Crook said. But there is the prospect of making a family connection between Alfred's father, Athelwulf, and Eadgyth, he said. "It is a lovely idea. I would support any initiative which helps to increase knowledge of individuals in the mortuary chests," added Dr Crook. "What would be fascinating, if you could extract the DNA from Eadgyth's teeth, that information might in future help identifying some of the individuals in the chests." Professor Barbara Yorke, from Winchester University, who attended a conference in Bristol about Eadgyth, said: "Her father Edward the Elder was closely connected with Winchester. I am sure she would have been baptised here. "There is the potential that we have a large number of her family in the mortuary chests." Prof Yorke said research into the Winchester bones would be of great historical interest. Interest in Saxon history is set to be boosted by the forthcoming Treasures of Hyde Abbey' exhibition at Winchester Discovery Centre. It marks the 900th anniversary of the opening of Hyde Abbey, which was built to house the bones of King Alfred the Great, his wife and son.
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