A pair of amateur historians believe they may have uncovered the real grave of England's last Anglo-Saxon king who was killed in the Battle of Hastings.
Harold Godwinson, who is famously depicted in the Bayeaux Tapestry taking an arrow in the eye from William the Conqueror's army, is long believed to have been buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex.
However, solicitor Kevin McKenzie and former police officer Terry Muff now believe that the monarch may in fact have been laid to rest under St Michael's Church, in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire...
Is King Harold II buried underneath a Hertfordshire church? Historians cast doubt over the final resting place of England's last Anglo-Saxon monarch after his death in the Battle of Hastings
It's long been believed Harold Godwinson was buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex
But two amateur historians think the king is in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Four decoraive Norman coffins have been found at Harold's wife's local church
By Paddy Dinham For Mailonline
26 June 2017
King Harold II ruled England for just nine months in 1066
A pair of amateur historians believe they may have uncovered the real grave of England's last Anglo-Saxon king who was killed in the Battle of Hastings.
Harold Godwinson, who is famously depicted in the Bayeaux Tapestry taking an arrow in the eye from William the Conqueror's army, is long believed to have been buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex.
However, solicitor Kevin McKenzie and former police officer Terry Muff now believe that the monarch may in fact have been laid to rest under St Michael's Church, in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire.
The cousins' theory stems from the fact that the 'remains' believed to be Harold's that were found at Waltham Abbey could not have been human bones as they had turned into dust.
It is possible that he could have had a 'heart burial' - common for high status individuals - where their heart was buried at a separate location to the rest of their body.
Harold Godwinson, who is famously depicted as taking an arrow in the eye from William the Conqueror's army, is long believed to have been buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex
But two amateur historians think that that the monarch may in fact have been laid to rest under St Michael's Church (pictured), in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
The investigation led them to Bishop's Stortford, where Harold's wife is known to have resided.
There are four surviving, intact Norman stone coffins which have not even been seen since the 19th century in a vault under the church.
Mr McKenzie told the Telegraph: 'Edith the Fair, Harold's common law wife, is recorded in the Domesday Book as the owner of the Manor of Stortford.
'So I think, at the very least, we're going to find Edith – the coffins are too rare for ordinary individuals. Whether we've found the king and his brothers … it's eminently possible.'
However, the team at St Michael's have turned down their request for initial radar tests and are forcing the pair to apply for the Christian equivalent of planning permission.
Waltham Abbey Church in Essex (pictured), which is commonly known as the resting place of King Harold II
The cousins are convinced King Harold's body was carried to Bishop's Stortford, in Hertforshire, by his grieving lover Edith the Fair and buried at St. Michael's Church
It the intrigue surrounding his burial place is not the first theory about King Harold to surface in recent years.
Archaeologists claimed in 2014 that he may have survived the Battle of Hastings, and lived out his years before quietly dying of old age.
An alternative version of events, put forward in a 12th century document housed in the British Museum, discounts the Normans' portrayal of his death in the Bayeux Tapestry.
The same team of historians who discovered the remains of Richard III in a municipal car park in Leicester in 2012, also took an interest in King Harold.
KING HAROLD II: KEY FACTS
Born: c.1020
Parents: Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and Gytha of Denmark
Relation to Elizabeth II: husband of the 30th great-grandmother
House: Wessex
Ascended to the throne: January 5, 1066
Crowned: January 6, 1066 at Westminster Abbey, aged c.43
Married: (1) Edith (Swan Neck, aka the Fair), Daughter of Earl of Mercia (2) Ealdgyth, widow of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
Children: 1 or 2 sons and a number of illegitimate children
Died: October 14, 1066 at Senlac Abbey, Sussex, of wounds following the Battle of Hastings
Reigned for: 9 months, and 8 days
SIMILARITIES WITH RICHARD III
A similar amount of intrigue surrounded the burial place of Richard III
The mystery surrounding the location of King Harold's remains echoes a similar hunt for another lost monarch, Richard III.
In a stunning 2012 discovery, a team of archaeologists were convinced announced they had unearthed what appear to be Richard's remains.
Using historic maps, they traced a friary where he was rumoured to have been buried after being killed in battle – underneath a social services department car park in Leicester.
And after only three weeks of digging, to their astonishment they found the skeleton of an adult male who was well-built and clearly of noble descent.
His injuries – a metal arrowhead embedded in his back, and a severe blow to the head – are consistent with the king's death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
Even more persuasive is the fact that the man has a severely curved spine; Richard was famously nicknamed Crookback.
The revelation that the skeleton had severe scoliosis provoked a gasp at the packed press conference in Leicester's Tudor-era Guildhall building.
In a stunning 2012 discovery, a team of archaeologists were convinced announced they had unearthed what appear to be Richard's remains
He was not a hunchback, the archaeologists said, but his right shoulder was higher than his left – consistent with accounts of Richard's appearance.
However, several months later experts raised serious concerns about the findings.
Michael Hicks, from Winchester University, and archaeologist Martin Biddle, from the Winchester Research Unit, challenged the results of the DNA testing, and the accuracy of the radiocarbon dating.
Earlier this year, experts claimed that remains of Anglo-Saxon king Saint Edmund could be buried under a pair of tennis courts.
The remains of Anglo-Saxon king Saint Edmund could be buried under this pair of tennis courts, experts believe
The ninth century ruler's bones may be in a small graveyard where monks were once laid to rest.
Edmund's bones were on display at the abbey until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century.
Some historians believe the monks may have hurriedly moved the bones to their graveyard, which is thought to be under the tennis courts.
Harold Godwinson, who is famously depicted in the Bayeaux Tapestry taking an arrow in the eye from William the Conqueror's army, is long believed to have been buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex.
However, solicitor Kevin McKenzie and former police officer Terry Muff now believe that the monarch may in fact have been laid to rest under St Michael's Church, in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire...
Is King Harold II buried underneath a Hertfordshire church? Historians cast doubt over the final resting place of England's last Anglo-Saxon monarch after his death in the Battle of Hastings
It's long been believed Harold Godwinson was buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex
But two amateur historians think the king is in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Four decoraive Norman coffins have been found at Harold's wife's local church
By Paddy Dinham For Mailonline
26 June 2017
King Harold II ruled England for just nine months in 1066
A pair of amateur historians believe they may have uncovered the real grave of England's last Anglo-Saxon king who was killed in the Battle of Hastings.
Harold Godwinson, who is famously depicted in the Bayeaux Tapestry taking an arrow in the eye from William the Conqueror's army, is long believed to have been buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex.
However, solicitor Kevin McKenzie and former police officer Terry Muff now believe that the monarch may in fact have been laid to rest under St Michael's Church, in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire.
The cousins' theory stems from the fact that the 'remains' believed to be Harold's that were found at Waltham Abbey could not have been human bones as they had turned into dust.
It is possible that he could have had a 'heart burial' - common for high status individuals - where their heart was buried at a separate location to the rest of their body.
Harold Godwinson, who is famously depicted as taking an arrow in the eye from William the Conqueror's army, is long believed to have been buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex
But two amateur historians think that that the monarch may in fact have been laid to rest under St Michael's Church (pictured), in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
The investigation led them to Bishop's Stortford, where Harold's wife is known to have resided.
There are four surviving, intact Norman stone coffins which have not even been seen since the 19th century in a vault under the church.
Mr McKenzie told the Telegraph: 'Edith the Fair, Harold's common law wife, is recorded in the Domesday Book as the owner of the Manor of Stortford.
'So I think, at the very least, we're going to find Edith – the coffins are too rare for ordinary individuals. Whether we've found the king and his brothers … it's eminently possible.'
However, the team at St Michael's have turned down their request for initial radar tests and are forcing the pair to apply for the Christian equivalent of planning permission.
Waltham Abbey Church in Essex (pictured), which is commonly known as the resting place of King Harold II
The cousins are convinced King Harold's body was carried to Bishop's Stortford, in Hertforshire, by his grieving lover Edith the Fair and buried at St. Michael's Church
It the intrigue surrounding his burial place is not the first theory about King Harold to surface in recent years.
Archaeologists claimed in 2014 that he may have survived the Battle of Hastings, and lived out his years before quietly dying of old age.
An alternative version of events, put forward in a 12th century document housed in the British Museum, discounts the Normans' portrayal of his death in the Bayeux Tapestry.
The same team of historians who discovered the remains of Richard III in a municipal car park in Leicester in 2012, also took an interest in King Harold.
KING HAROLD II: KEY FACTS
Born: c.1020
Parents: Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and Gytha of Denmark
Relation to Elizabeth II: husband of the 30th great-grandmother
House: Wessex
Ascended to the throne: January 5, 1066
Crowned: January 6, 1066 at Westminster Abbey, aged c.43
Married: (1) Edith (Swan Neck, aka the Fair), Daughter of Earl of Mercia (2) Ealdgyth, widow of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
Children: 1 or 2 sons and a number of illegitimate children
Died: October 14, 1066 at Senlac Abbey, Sussex, of wounds following the Battle of Hastings
Reigned for: 9 months, and 8 days
SIMILARITIES WITH RICHARD III
A similar amount of intrigue surrounded the burial place of Richard III
The mystery surrounding the location of King Harold's remains echoes a similar hunt for another lost monarch, Richard III.
In a stunning 2012 discovery, a team of archaeologists were convinced announced they had unearthed what appear to be Richard's remains.
Using historic maps, they traced a friary where he was rumoured to have been buried after being killed in battle – underneath a social services department car park in Leicester.
And after only three weeks of digging, to their astonishment they found the skeleton of an adult male who was well-built and clearly of noble descent.
His injuries – a metal arrowhead embedded in his back, and a severe blow to the head – are consistent with the king's death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
Even more persuasive is the fact that the man has a severely curved spine; Richard was famously nicknamed Crookback.
The revelation that the skeleton had severe scoliosis provoked a gasp at the packed press conference in Leicester's Tudor-era Guildhall building.
In a stunning 2012 discovery, a team of archaeologists were convinced announced they had unearthed what appear to be Richard's remains
He was not a hunchback, the archaeologists said, but his right shoulder was higher than his left – consistent with accounts of Richard's appearance.
However, several months later experts raised serious concerns about the findings.
Michael Hicks, from Winchester University, and archaeologist Martin Biddle, from the Winchester Research Unit, challenged the results of the DNA testing, and the accuracy of the radiocarbon dating.
Earlier this year, experts claimed that remains of Anglo-Saxon king Saint Edmund could be buried under a pair of tennis courts.
The remains of Anglo-Saxon king Saint Edmund could be buried under this pair of tennis courts, experts believe
The ninth century ruler's bones may be in a small graveyard where monks were once laid to rest.
Edmund's bones were on display at the abbey until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century.
Some historians believe the monks may have hurriedly moved the bones to their graveyard, which is thought to be under the tennis courts.
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