ANGLO-SAXON OXFORDSHIRE

ANGLO-SAXON BURIALS FOUND AT MINSTER LOVELL

Three burials were discovered at Minster Lovell in 1872 whilst the side of the road from Witney to Burford (A40) was being levelled. One burial had no grave-goods, whilst the other graves contained a shield boss, spear, knife and other fragments in the first, and a knife, brooches and other ornaments in the second; suggesting male and female burials.

Beads and two finger bones (AN1886.1447) with traces of copper alloy found in the female grave (grave no 3) at Minster Lovell. (Click on the large bead to see it from a different angle)

The remains of a dog were discovered mixed with one of the burials and the bones of a young child were found nearby. The finds from these burials, which are in the Ashmolean Museum, suggest they date from the early fifth to sixth centuries.

Documents compiled by E.T. Leeds listing the finds from Minster Lovell in 1872 (Click on images to see larger versions)

Minster Lovell Priory was excavated during the First World War. In 1953 several items from this site also came to the Ashmolean Museum.

Other Anglo-Saxon Finds from Minster Lovell

The Minster Lovell Jewell is also one of the more impressive and famous items to be found at Minster Lovell, although it is more modest than its contemporary, the Alfred Jewel.

The Minster Lovell Jewell (AN1896.20) is similar to the Alfred Jewell in that it seems to have served as the top for a pointer to aid the reading of manuscripts (Click on image to see a larger version)

REFERENCES:

A. MacGregor and E. Bolick (1993) Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non- Ferrous Metals), BAR British Series 230.