Coffin-within-a-Coffin Found at Richard III Site

Posted on July 29, 2013

The University of Leicester research team lifted the lid of a coffin at the Richard III site this past week. The medieval king was discovered at the site last September. When the researchers lifted the lid of the stone coffin lid they found an inner lead coffin inside. The researchers know there is a body in the second coffin because they can see the individual's feet through a hole in the bottom of the coffin. The researchers say they need to carry out further analysis before they can open the second box. The researchers want to find the safest way of opening it without damaging the remains within. They have taken the inner lead coffin to the University of Leicester School of Archaeology and Ancient History to study it.

It took eight people to carefully remove the stone lid from the outer coffin. The outer coffin is 2.12 meters long, 0.6 meters wide at the head end, 0.3 meters wide at the foot end and 0.3 meters deep.

The researchers say the inner coffin is likely to contain a high-status burial. The archaeologists do have theories as to who is buried in the coffin. They suspect the grave could belong to one of three prestigious figures:

Peter Swynsfeld, a leader of the English Grey Friars order, who died in 1272.
William of Nottingham, a leader of the English Grey Friars order, who died in 1330.
A 14th century knight, Sir William de Moton of Peckleton, who died between 1356 and 1362

The body could also belong to an unknown individual buried in the Greyfriars church.

Grey Friars site director Mathew Morris, of the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS), said in a statement, "None of us in the team have ever seen a lead coffin within a stone coffin before. We will now need to work out how to open it safely, as we don't want to damage the contents when we are opening the lid."

Morris is pictured below looking at the lead coffin found in the stone coffin.

ARCHAEOLOGY