Westminster Abbey skeleton may belong to one of two medieval abbots

Archaeologists believe they have narrowed down the identity of a skeleton found in a Roman sarcophagus at Westminster Abbey to one of two medieval abbots. The discovery matters because the coffin’s Roman inscription points to a man from a much earlier period, while a cross carved on its lid suggests it was reused centuries later.

Analysis indicates the man was about 5ft 9in tall and died aged between 35 and 49. The candidates are Aelfwig, abbot until his death around 1020, and his successor Wulnoth, who died in 1049; both could fit the estimated age, though Aelfwig’s prior connection to Westminster may favour him. The sarcophagus is now displayed in the abbey’s Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries.