An Anglo-Saxon King in Southend: The 'Prince of Prittlewell'
Background
The King’s burial chamber was uncovered following an archaeological investigation carried out in Southend in connection with the Priory Crescent road improvement scheme.
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s consultants Atkins Heritage and the Museum of London Archaeology Service undertook the evaluation survey of an area of known archaeological interest that could be affected by the proposals to dual the road. On the verge, between Priory Crescent and the railway line, they unearthed the burial chamber of the 'Prince'.
Working with experts in human history from the Council's own Museums Service, the burial was fully excavated, recovering for conservation all the objects associated with it.
The burial is probably contemporary with the Sutton Hoo burial (c.AD 630), and it is quite possible that the two men knew each other. This is the period when royalty flaunted their wealth at extravagant feasts in smoky halls, and epic poems like Beowulf told of heroic feats of valour.
What was found
The chamber was about four metres square by one and a half metres high. The contents of the tomb had been held in place by the sand from the mound sealing the grave which seeped in, filled the air spaces and supported the roof timbers. This has meant that all the objects were found in situ when the site was excavated, many of them fixed in place on the walls of the chamber by iron pegs. The find is spectacular in its size and quality, but what makes it unique is that all the objects were in their original positions, just as they had been arranged on the day of the funeral.
Most of the organic material on the site has been destroyed by the acidity of the soil, but fragments of wood from the burial chamber and from some of the vessels have survived.
There is no trace of the body, however, as it too has been dissolved by the acid soil, but the coffin had been placed in the chamber surrounded by objects of rare splendour.
Two gold foil crosses suggest this king may have been a newly-converted Christian, but he was also taking everything he needed to carry on his life of feasting and lavish display.
Some of the treasures were imported from the farthest corners of the world, and many have survived in remarkably good condition. The most exotic finds are a decorated flagon and bowl that were both imported from the eastern Mediterranean, possibly Asia Minor. A particularly unusual item is the frame of a folding stool, which could also be from Asia Minor or from Italy.
Other highlights among the sixty or more finds are a hanging bowl decorated with metallic strips and medallions, and two cauldrons, one small and one vast (measuring 75cm across). There are also two pairs of coloured glass vessels, eight wooden drinking cups decorated with gilded mounts, buckets, and the remains of a large casket that may have originally contained textiles.
And, of course, the gold buckle, a beautiful example of metalwork that could also be used as a reliquary (to hold a religious object), and the two crosses, the first of their type to be found in England.
Ian Blair, Senior Archaeologist on the site, said: "To find an intact chamber grave and a moment genuinely frozen in time is a one-in-a-lifetime discovery. The fact that copper-alloy bowls were still hanging from hooks in the walls of the chamber, where they had been placed nearly 1,400 years ago, is a memory that I'm sure will remain with all of us forever."
What next?
Much work has still to be done on conserving and stabilising the finds, and in fully excavating other artefacts from the earth that still holds them. Further research may provide more substantial clues to the identity of the man buried in the chamber, but we may never know for sure. This work may take many months, if not longer, but at the end of it, Southend will have a unique collection of Anglo-Saxon grave goods for a King who had lain undisturbed for nearly one and a half millennia.
Photos by Ian James, reconstruction of burial chamber by Faith Vardy @ MoLAS.
Reviewed 21 December 2009
Frequently Asked Questions
The Prince of Prittlewell
- Do we know who was buried at Prittlewell?
- In the absence of any inscription naming the occupant of the chamber grave we will never know for certain. However, analysis of the grave goods will give us a good idea when the burial took place and may provide clues as to the identity of the occupant.
- How do we know that is the occupant of the grave was a man?
- As no skeletal remains survived we cannot be 100 per cent certain. The presence of weapons and feasting paraphernalia and the absence of beads, brooches or other items associated with female burials amongst the grave goods make it most likely that the deceased was male.
- How do we know that he was a king?
- The richness and diversity of the grave goods buried with the deceased mark his high status. Our understanding of early Anglo-Saxon kingship is not well developed, however, an individual with significant wealth to be disposed of at burial and whose relatives felt the need to mark his status by doing so is clearly a member of a ruling elite, if not a king as we know it.
- Was the ‘king’ a Christian?
- The practice of burial with grave goods is at this period (late 6th/early 7th Century) not incompatible with Christian belief. The presence of two crosses among the contents of the coffin, the possible ritual use of the ‘Coptic bowl’ and flagon and the potential interpretation of the gold buckle as a reliquary strongly suggest a degree of Christian belief. Of course we cannot know how much hedging of bets was involved.
- Is there another chamber grave on the site?
- The evaluation of the site examined only a portion of the site by excavation, the remainder being examined by non-intrusive geophysical survey. Neither exercise indicated the presence of another chamber grave, and these are considered to be reliable evaluation techniques. However, other graves may be located in the vicinity.
- How important is this find?
- Unplundered chamber tombs of this period are rare and this example is particularly rich. It is possibly unique in that the chamber and its contents were substantially undisturbed to the extent that many objects were still where they were placed as they had been when the grave was sealed.
- How valuable is this find?
- It is not possible to put an accurate cash value on a find of this rarity.
- Were there other burials on the site?
- The chamber grave seems to have been located adjacent to an existing cemetery the remains of which were found in the evaluation and during earlier work. Burials of both Anglo-Saxon and Roman date have been found.
- Who is going to pay for the final display of the Tomb/How will it be displayed?
- A final display of the tomb finds will have to await the complete conservation and analysis of all the finds together with research. This is going to take many months of very careful work. In the meantime we are investigating various options for the final display, which could include a complete reconstruction of the tomb. The display of the tomb, or finds from the tomb, will require extra funding which will be sought from external sources. We cannot say at this stage what form this funding will take, from whom it will be sought, or how much we would be seeking.
- How does the Princely Tomb fit in with the archaeology of the area?
- We knew from the finds of 1923 when the Priory Crescent was being constructed, and from other finds from 1930, made during the construction of railway sidings, that we were dealing with a Saxon cemetery of quite high status. This was because of the number of "warrior" burials, with sword, spear and shield, and the female burials with gold brooches and beads, and the glassware and imported pottery. It was still totally unexpected to find such a rich "princely" burial on the site.
Elsewhere in south east Essex there have been other cemeteries, many rather earlier than Prittlewell, such as Shoebury and a disturbed cemetery at Wakering. Evidence for Saxon settlements has been found in Southend, Wakering and Barling.
- Where did the Prince live, and where are the homes of the "warriors"?
- In fact we do not know. Two Saxon buildings probably from a larger settlement were excavated during building work to the north east of the cemetery site, but there is no way of knowing whether this was the settlement associated with this cemetery. One would expect that the "Prince" would have lived in a rather grand "hall", but this has never been found. Unfortunately, the chances of ever finding it are remote for several reasons. First, such buildings were constructed of timber, leaving only slight traces in the ground. Secondly, so much building has gone on in Southend, that such a settlement many already have been destroyed without trace. Thirdly, if the settlement lay under Priory Park it would, at least, be protected.
- Did this Prince 'found' Prittlewell Church?
- This is not known. It is believed that an archway on the north side of the church is a remnant of a Saxon building, perhaps a Saxon minster church. We are seeking expert opinion on the dating of this feature. We will never know for certain, of course, whether our prince was connected in any way with the church.
- What does the name Prittlewell mean; is it a Saxon name?
- The name Prittlewell probably means a sparkling spring. The fishponds in Priory Park are fed by a spring, and this may be the one from which the place got its name. Experts in place names tell us that places with the 'well' element are normally not dated before the early 8th century.
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