Archaeologists Finally Locate the Site of the 'Lost Residence' of Anglo-Saxon King Depicted in the Famous Bayeux Tapestry

Archaeologists re-examined evidence from a U.K. excavation from 2006 and found the real-life counterpart of a house shown in the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Researchers believe they have spotted one of the power centers belonging to Harold Godwinson, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, stated Phys.org. As per the findings of the reassessment, the house is placed in West Sussex. Findings regarding this discovery have been published in The Antiquaries Journal. 

Bayeux Tapestry is an artifact that depicts Harold’s final moments in power, before he is dethroned by William, Duke of Normandy. The lost house is depicted in the artwork as a place where Harold enjoys a feast before going to France and after returning from there. It has been mentioned in the tapestry that the property is situated in Bosham.

Assertions regarding this particular building which is the focus of the study, being the legendary "lost" residence located in Bosham had been made by multiple experts over the last few decades. However, archaeologists did not have enough evidence to back this claim. The site is now a private complex. Researchers associated with the study employed several methods to find out the early history associated with the property. Some of the methods employed by the team include an assessment of standing remains, an analysis of past maps and records, a geophysical survey of the surrounding areas, and a re-examination of evidence collected from the 2006 excavation conducted by West Sussex Archaeology.

The 2006 excavations led to the finding of a latrine in a large timber building inside the property. The study claims that as per records, starting from the 10th century high-status houses in England began integrating toilets. This implied to the team that the establishment was of elite status. During their investigation, the team also found proof of two previously unidentified medieval buildings. One of them had been incorporated into the main building over the years, while the other one remained in the garden.

All these observations made researchers conclude that the property was a portion of Harold's residence showcased in Bayeux Tapestry. Other parts include a church, which survives in a nearby location. "The realization that the 2006 excavations had found, in effect, an Anglo-Saxon en-suite confirmed to us that this house sits on the site of an elite residence pre-dating the Norman Conquest," Dr. Duncan Wright, Senior Lecturer in Medieval Archaeology at Newcastle University who led the study stated. "Looking at this vital clue, alongside all our other evidence, it is beyond all reasonable doubt that we have here the location of Harold Godwinson's private power center, the one famously depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry."

The discovery is crucial because the change of dynasties after the Norman conquest led to the destruction of almost all Anglo-Saxon structures. "The Norman Conquest saw a new ruling class supplant an English aristocracy that has left little in the way of physical remains, which makes the discovery at Bosham hugely significant—we have found an Anglo-Saxon show-home," Professor Oliver Creighton of the University of Exeter, and Co-Investigator of the project explained.