Dr Andrew Richardson: Finding Eanswythe - Major Archaeological Rediscovery!

Time Team: Unearthing the Past

Dani Wootton gets the lowdown on an incredible 1400-year old detective story, concerning the major rediscovery of an early Anglo-Saxon saint and member of the Kentish royal family.

St Eanswythe was the grand-daughter of King Ethelbert of Kent and aunt of the two princes murdered at Eastry (featured in the Time Team episode S13E06). Local legend placed her mortal remains in the local church dedicated to her in Folkestone, Kent. Then, in the 1880s an ancient reliquary casket containing a pile of bones was discovered in a hidden alcove. Could they possibly belong to the early English princess and saint?

Dr Andrew Richardson (Canterbury Archaeological Trust) explains how modern scientific techniques – including carbon dating, isotope analysis and DNA analysis – are shedding light on the discovery, helping to settle the mystery once and for all.

Discover more about Finding Eanswythe Time Team Official shop.

Watch the original video interview here.