Westminster Abbey sarcophagus reveals medieval abbot

Archaeologist Warwick Rodwell believes he has identified the man buried in a Roman sarcophagus discovered at Westminster Abbey in London.

The sarcophagus first appeared in records from 1820 and was formally excavated in 1869, located in an area once part of a royal treasury courtyard. While the sarcophagus itself dates to the Roman period and bears a Latin inscription referencing Valerius Amandinus, later excavations found no other Roman artifacts nearby, suggesting it was moved.

Rodwell examined archaeological findings, the sarcophagus, and radiocarbon dating of the bones to reach his conclusion. He believes the remains likely belong to Ælfwig, the abbot of Westminster Abbey who died around 1020. A large carved cross on the sarcophagus lid, typical of late Anglo-Saxon designs, and the discovery of skeletal remains matching 19th-century drawings supported this theory.

Further investigation revealed the skeleton belonged to a man approximately 1.75 meters tall, between 35 and 49 years old, and that his body had been covered in powdered lime before being placed in a wooden coffin inside the stone sarcophagus. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the bones originated from the late 10th or early 11th century, ruling out Valerius Amandinus and pointing to a medieval figure.

While Wulfnoth, another abbot, remains a possibility, Rodwell considers Ælfwig the more likely candidate due to his long tenure.