Archaeologists are to start digging for another of Britain’s ‘lost’ kings - this time under a school playing field.
The team searching for medieval monarch King Stephen, who died in 1154, hope to follow in the footsteps of those who found Richard III in Leicester in 2012.
Is another of Britain's medieval monarchs about to be dug up? Archaeologists to dig for King Stephen - grandson of William the Conqueror - under a school playing field
Archaeologists to looking for the monarch who reigned from 1141 - 1154
They hope to follow in the footsteps of recent Richard III excavators
Kent archaeologist Dr Brian Philp claims bones lie beneath a playing field
Hopes to being exploration at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School this week
By Callum Paton For Mailonline
26 March 2015
Daily Mail
Archaeologists are to start digging for another of Britain’s ‘lost’ kings - this time under a school playing field.
The team searching for medieval monarch King Stephen, who died in 1154, hope to follow in the footsteps of those who found Richard III.
Thousands gathered to witness his burial at Leicester Cathedral yesterday after his discovery under a car park in the city.
Archaeologist Dr Philp (left) is searching for medieval monarch King Stephen (right), who died in 1154 and was monarch during the 19 year civil war known as the Anarchy. He is believed to be buried beneath Queen Elizabeth school playing field in Kent
The team searching for medieval monarch King Stephen, who died in 1154, hope to follow in the footsteps of those who found Richard III in Leicester in 2012.
The fresh search is set to take place this week 160 miles away at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Faversham, Kent.
Stephen, grandson of William the Conqueror (William I), was crowned in 1135 after the death of his uncle Henry I.
Henry I's only legitimate son, William Adelin, the heir to the throne, died in the White Ship disaster in the English Channel in 1120. Henry's attempts to install his daughter, the Empress Matilda, as his successor failed and his nephew, Stephen of Blois, took power as King Stephen in 1135.
Stephen's reign therefore saw his cousin, Matilda, try to take the English throne and become the kingdom's first queen. This plunged the country into a civil war known as the Anarchy, which lasted from 1135 to 1154, virtually the whole of Stephen's reign.
Matilda's forces captured Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, but Matilda's attempt to be crowned at Westminster collapsed in the face of bitter opposition from the London crowds. As a result of this retreat, Matilda was never formally declared Queen of England, and was instead titled the Lady of the English, a title she held between 7 April and 1 November 1141, until Stephen reclaimed the throne. In 1153 Stephen agreed to the Treaty of Westminster with Matilda's son Henry of Anjou. This stated that Stephen should remain king for life (in the event this was less than one more year) and then Henry should succeed him.
Stephen died on 25 October 1154 and was buried in the grounds of Faversham Abbey along with his wife, who was also called Matilda, and son Eustace. Matilda's son became King Henry II, whose reign became known for his rivalry with his former friend, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket, a rivalry which led to Becket's murder in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.
Stephen, grandson of William the Conqueror (William I), was crowned in 1135 after the death of his uncle Henry I.
Henry I's only legitimate son, William Adelin, the heir to the throne, died in the White Ship disaster in the English Channel in 1120. Henry's attempts to install his daughter, the Empress Matilda, as his successor failed and his nephew, Stephen of Blois, took power as King Stephen in 1135.
Stephen's reign therefore saw his cousin, Matilda, try to take the English throne and become the kingdom's first queen. This plunged the country into a civil war known as the Anarchy, which lasted from 1135 to 1154, virtually the whole of Stephen's reign.
Matilda's forces captured Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, but Matilda's attempt to be crowned at Westminster collapsed in the face of bitter opposition from the London crowds. As a result of this retreat, Matilda was never formally declared Queen of England, and was instead titled the Lady of the English, a title she held between 7 April and 1 November 1141, until Stephen reclaimed the throne. In 1153 Stephen agreed to the Treaty of Westminster with Matilda's son Henry of Anjou. This stated that Stephen should remain king for life (in the event this was less than one more year) and then Henry should succeed him.
Stephen died on 25 October 1154 and was buried in the grounds of Faversham Abbey along with his wife, who was also called Matilda, and son Eustace. Matilda's son became King Henry II, whose reign became known for his rivalry with his former friend, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket, a rivalry which led to Becket's murder in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.
Is another of Britain's medieval monarchs about to be dug up? Archaeologists to dig for King Stephen - grandson of William the Conqueror - under a school playing field
Archaeologists to looking for the monarch who reigned from 1141 - 1154
They hope to follow in the footsteps of recent Richard III excavators
Kent archaeologist Dr Brian Philp claims bones lie beneath a playing field
Hopes to being exploration at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School this week
By Callum Paton For Mailonline
26 March 2015
Daily Mail
Archaeologists are to start digging for another of Britain’s ‘lost’ kings - this time under a school playing field.
The team searching for medieval monarch King Stephen, who died in 1154, hope to follow in the footsteps of those who found Richard III.
Thousands gathered to witness his burial at Leicester Cathedral yesterday after his discovery under a car park in the city.
Archaeologist Dr Philp (left) is searching for medieval monarch King Stephen (right), who died in 1154 and was monarch during the 19 year civil war known as the Anarchy. He is believed to be buried beneath Queen Elizabeth school playing field in Kent
The fresh search is set to take place this week 160 miles away in Faversham, Kent.
Stephen, grandson of William the Conqueror, was crowned in 1135 after the death of his uncle Henry I.
His reign was dominated by civil war and he died from illness in 1154 and was buried in the grounds of Faversham Abbey along with his wife Queen Matilda and son Eustace.
The abbey was demolished by Henry VIII in 1538 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries and when it was excavated by archaeologists in 1965 the bones of Stephen were not found.
But local archaeologist Dr Brian Philp claims he has located the site of the former abbey’s royal vaults and believes an excavation will unearth Stephen’s tomb.
Dr Philp, director of the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, has identified the playing fields at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School as his resting place.
Dr. Philp claims he has located the site of the former abbey’s royal vaults and believes an excavation will unearth Stephen’s tomb
Director of the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, Dr. Brian Philp has identified the playing fields at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School as his resting place
He said: “I have now relocated the site of the royal vaults. We did not find any human bones in 1965 but the vaults were not fully excavated.
“Once we have found the exact location, we may be able to find the bones.”
He added: “As Richard III has been so celebrated recently, we want to have a big ceremony and a plaque to commemorate King Stephen.
Richard III: Archaeologists are hoping to recreate the success that followed the discovery of the lost king. Thousands gathered to witness his burial at Leicester Cathedral after his discovery under a car park
“After all, Stephen was buried 330 years before Richard III and certainly not in a car park.
“We hope the school and the Faversham Society will have a part in this project. This is a crucial historical site in Kent.”
Dr Philp hopes to begin excavation of the playing fields this week.
RULE OVERSHADOWED BY CIVIL WAR: THE TRYING TIMES OF KING STEPHEN
Stephen, grandson of William the Conqueror, was crowned in 1135 after the death of his uncle Henry I
Described as chaming and brave, Stephen lacked decisiveness and strong leadership
His reign was dominated by civil war - the Anarchy - after his cousin Empress Matilda, Henry I's daughter, invaded to claim the throne
Nobles and allies quickly deserted King Stephen who had difficulty inspiring loyalty
He was captured at Lincoln in 1141 at the Battle of Lincoln and Matilda was installed as Lady of the English for seven months, but Stephen was later released in a prisoner exchange and re-took the throne in November that year
In 1149 and 1153 Matilda’s son Henry of Anjou invaded England to challenge Stephen unsuccessfully
Stephen had had his son Eustace crowned in his own lifetime to secure the throne
The long civil war finally came to an end in 1154 with Stephen, and Matilda's son Henry of Anjou, agreeing in the Treaty of Westminster in 1153 that Stephen can reign until his death as long as Henry takes over after him
He died from illness in 1154 and was buried in the grounds of Faversham Abbey along with his wife, also called Matilda, and son Eustace
Empress Matilda's son, Henry of Anjou, duly became King Henry II
Source: royal.gov.uk
Read more: Is another of Britain's medieval monarchs about to be dug up? Archaeologists to dig for King Stephen - grandson of William the Conquerer - under a school playing field* | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Stephen, grandson of William the Conqueror, was crowned in 1135 after the death of his uncle Henry I.
His reign was dominated by civil war and he died from illness in 1154 and was buried in the grounds of Faversham Abbey along with his wife Queen Matilda and son Eustace.
The abbey was demolished by Henry VIII in 1538 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries and when it was excavated by archaeologists in 1965 the bones of Stephen were not found.
But local archaeologist Dr Brian Philp claims he has located the site of the former abbey’s royal vaults and believes an excavation will unearth Stephen’s tomb.
Dr Philp, director of the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, has identified the playing fields at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School as his resting place.
Dr. Philp claims he has located the site of the former abbey’s royal vaults and believes an excavation will unearth Stephen’s tomb
Director of the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, Dr. Brian Philp has identified the playing fields at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School as his resting place
He said: “I have now relocated the site of the royal vaults. We did not find any human bones in 1965 but the vaults were not fully excavated.
“Once we have found the exact location, we may be able to find the bones.”
He added: “As Richard III has been so celebrated recently, we want to have a big ceremony and a plaque to commemorate King Stephen.
Richard III: Archaeologists are hoping to recreate the success that followed the discovery of the lost king. Thousands gathered to witness his burial at Leicester Cathedral after his discovery under a car park
“After all, Stephen was buried 330 years before Richard III and certainly not in a car park.
“We hope the school and the Faversham Society will have a part in this project. This is a crucial historical site in Kent.”
Dr Philp hopes to begin excavation of the playing fields this week.
RULE OVERSHADOWED BY CIVIL WAR: THE TRYING TIMES OF KING STEPHEN
Stephen, grandson of William the Conqueror, was crowned in 1135 after the death of his uncle Henry I
Described as chaming and brave, Stephen lacked decisiveness and strong leadership
His reign was dominated by civil war - the Anarchy - after his cousin Empress Matilda, Henry I's daughter, invaded to claim the throne
Nobles and allies quickly deserted King Stephen who had difficulty inspiring loyalty
He was captured at Lincoln in 1141 at the Battle of Lincoln and Matilda was installed as Lady of the English for seven months, but Stephen was later released in a prisoner exchange and re-took the throne in November that year
In 1149 and 1153 Matilda’s son Henry of Anjou invaded England to challenge Stephen unsuccessfully
Stephen had had his son Eustace crowned in his own lifetime to secure the throne
The long civil war finally came to an end in 1154 with Stephen, and Matilda's son Henry of Anjou, agreeing in the Treaty of Westminster in 1153 that Stephen can reign until his death as long as Henry takes over after him
He died from illness in 1154 and was buried in the grounds of Faversham Abbey along with his wife, also called Matilda, and son Eustace
Empress Matilda's son, Henry of Anjou, duly became King Henry II
Source: royal.gov.uk
Read more: Is another of Britain's medieval monarchs about to be dug up? Archaeologists to dig for King Stephen - grandson of William the Conquerer - under a school playing field* | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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