Doubts cast on King Alfred’s remains in Great British burnt bake-off

A BBC2 documentary is attempting to identify bones exhumed from an unmarked Winchester grave.

The search for the remains of the Anglo-Saxon king, famous in legend for having burned cakes, comes after a Channel 4 documentary featured the discovery of Richard III’s remains beneath a Leicester car park.

Historian Edward Fennell, who is involved in the project, told the Radio Times that the documentary was not jumping on a bandwagon.

“We commenced the search for Alfred a long time before the publicity about Richard III hit,” he said.

“Some people in the area had done research and were emotionally convinced (that the remains were Alfred’s). Circumstantial evidence said it might be possible... it was definitely worth investigating.”

According to the Radio Times those involved in the exhumation have signed non-disclosure contracts, meaning that they cannot reveal whether the bones dug up really are the ninth century monarch’s.

But academic Dr Charles West, a lecturer in medieval history at the University of Sheffield, was sceptical that DNA testing would provide a conclusive result.

“Alfred is buried with his son Edward and I don’t think they will be able to distinguish between their bones,” he told the magazine.

“Furthermore, even if a living descendent came forward to help corroborate the find - as in the case of Richard III - it would be difficult to prove a genetic link.

“Alfred died such a long time ago that even if they did prove descent, we’re all likely to be related in one way or another...

“Even if they could prove it was Alfred, it really wouldn’t change anything about him or the period.”