# Discovery At Westminster Abbey



## Rosemary (Dec 3, 2005)

"The ancient tomb of St Edward the Confesser has been discovered under Westminster Abbey 1000 years after his birth.
The original burial chamber of the Anglo-Saxon king, who died in 1066 was revealed using the latest radar technology.
Several royal tombs dating to the 13th and 14th century were also found.  
The forgotten,subterranean chambers were locating during conservation work on the abbey's medieval Cosmati mosaic pavement around the high altar.
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 that Henry III in the mid-13th century move the altar about 3m away.
There are no plans to excavate the tomb because any such work would destroy the medieval pavement."

Great moment for historians.  I for one will have to update my Anglo-Saxon research notes but with pleasure.


----------



## littlemissattitude (Dec 3, 2005)

Thanks for that, Rosemary.  I was quite impressed by the Abbey when I visited many years ago.


----------



## fallenstar (Dec 18, 2005)

Ah...I really want to visit England nowadays....


----------



## Rosemary (Dec 18, 2005)

fallenstar said:
			
		

> Ah...I really want to visit England nowadays....



I hope you like history, as well as looking at the country itself.  The whole of the United Kingdom is steeped in history....


----------



## Esioul (Dec 22, 2005)

Shame they aren't excavating it.


----------



## Rosemary (Dec 22, 2005)

Well, it is in a way Esioul.  Still at least we now know the correct burial place and still get to keep the medieval pavement intact, although I would have thought they could have removed that with the technology they have these days....


----------



## fallenstar (Dec 26, 2005)

Rosemary said:
			
		

> I hope you like history, as well as looking at the country itself. The whole of the United Kingdom is steeped in history....


 
o yes...I love history...England, Scotland and Ireland...all of them fascinates me.....I love them!!!!


----------



## Rosemary (Dec 26, 2005)

I have always found it a marvellous subject...so glad that you do as well. 

Do you have a favourite 'Historical Period' and special sources for your information?


----------



## cornelius (Dec 26, 2005)

Love England, try to visit it once a year. Dover is great, Canterbury too... 
maybe I'll go there for more than a day this year.


----------



## Rosemary (Dec 26, 2005)

Both places full of history Cornelius....I am sure you will enjoy it there


----------



## fallenstar (Dec 30, 2005)

Rosemary said:
			
		

> I have always found it a marvellous subject...so glad that you do as well.
> 
> Do you have a favourite 'Historical Period' and special sources for your information?


 
lol...I am overly obsessed over the Wars of the Roses at this point...Middle Age is always a wonderful time period for Europe, it's a time when Europeans are still fairly romantic in my opinion ...(did I mention Romanticism rules? ), especially the merry Irish people and the fair Scots...

and since I am a Romanticist, you can expect me to be a fan of the Eighteenth Century English romantic novels, but I am not actually that familiar with the history of that period as I do for the Fifteenth century. 

Currently trying to see if I can write my Extended Essay on the Wars of the Roses...

I wish I could visit the British Isles soon....and I MUST learn the British accent before I die... ....it just sounds so much more elegant and aristocratic(without the wrong connotation) and rich in history than the Canadian/American accent (I can't tell personally if there's a difference)


----------



## Rosemary (Dec 30, 2005)

War of the Roses is a great historical period, among many. I definately don't  like the  Romantic Historical Novels either.

I wish you well with your Essay, Fallenstar.
By the way... WHICH British accent do you wish to learn?


----------



## cornelius (Dec 30, 2005)

the aristocratic one, I bet, the one from Austin powers perhaps?
the UK is far more than that. I like all of the accents, depends on my mood. I don't use them all as much as I'd like to, I think the people around me just aren't waiting for a scottish reply...
I don't say that I'm good, but my english teachers throughout the ages had a great time listening to them... 
It is not a form of mockery, dear God no, it's my tribute to the wonderfull UK


----------



## the_faery_queen (Dec 30, 2005)

scotland is my fav place in the uk, and its why i live there! the uk does have a great history, lots of old stuff and ruined places to explore, but scotland, esp edinburgh, has a really gorey, dark, ghostly past, which suits me


----------



## fallenstar (Dec 30, 2005)

cornelius said:
			
		

> the aristocratic one, I bet, the one from Austin powers perhaps?


 
o dear no...I don't actually watch that movie....

There is a different British accent? Or you mean the different Scottish/Irish/English ones? honestly I can't really tell the difference(English is not exactly my first language)...as I said, I should beg my English teacher to speak with a Scottish accent...


----------



## the_faery_queen (Dec 30, 2005)

english accent depends on what part of england you're in! there isn't one overall accent, unless you mean the sort of posh giles accent from buffy. that's a middle class london accent


----------



## fallenstar (Dec 31, 2005)

the_faery_queen said:
			
		

> english accent depends on what part of england you're in! there isn't one overall accent, unless you mean the sort of posh giles accent from buffy. that's a middle class london accent


 
lol..I think that just added one more purpose for me to go to England....To see what kind of accent I want to learn!!!


----------



## Esioul (Jan 2, 2006)

Yeh wan tna' lurn fen mate


----------



## Rosemary (Jan 2, 2006)

Have you heard anymore about the tomb, Esioul?


----------



## Kettricken (May 19, 2006)

Really interesting, Rosemary. Didn't know this! Looked on the internet if more is known about this, but all the sites show the other tomb of Edward the confessor. Maybe you've read it in this article, but the only thing I found was this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/02/ntomb02.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/12/02/ixhome.html

I've been to Westminster Abbey twice. I was lucky to be there the first time with my sister (who's a student of the english language & history), and the second time with my boyfriend (who's english and also studied the same as my sister). They could tell me a lot about the most important people who are buried there, very interesting. So, if you go to Westminster Abbey it's a good idea to read something about English history. It makes visiting the places where historical events happened, or tombs of kings/queens, much more special.


----------



## Harpo (Oct 20, 2006)

Rosemary said:
			
		

> "The ancient tomb of St Edward the Confesser has been discovered under Westminster Abbey 1000 years after his birth.
> The original burial chamber of the Anglo-Saxon king, who died in 1066 was revealed using the latest radar technology.
> Several royal tombs dating to the 13th and 14th century were also found.
> The forgotten,subterranean chambers were locating during conservation work on the abbey's medieval Cosmati mosaic pavement around the high altar.
> ...



I love the Cosmati Pavement - I have a book about it.


----------

