Alfred's Three Burials

Alfred's first burial - Old Minster

A mid-7th century church had been established at Winchester, which later became known as Old Minster. 

The first church was built on top of a street running along the south side of the forum of Roman Venta Belgarum. It was a cruciform building with rectangular north and south porticus and a square east end. From the later seventh century burials were made around the church and in the early to mid-eighth century St Martin's tower was built to the west, a detached axial structure probably designed to serve as a gatehouse to the cemetery and cathedral complex.   Martin and Birthe Biddle

This church served as the Cathedral church of Winchester when West Saxon bishopric was transferred from Dorchester to Winchester in the 660s. 

By the time of King Alfred's reign in the late ninth century, Old Minster stood at the centre of Winchester's royal and ecclesiastical complex, and served as a place of worship, royal ceremony, and burial.  Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, had been buried outside Old Minster (at his request) in 862.

When Alfred died in 899, he was initially buried inside Old Minster. 

Alfred's translation to New Minster

 In his will, Alfred had left ‘fifty pounds to the church in which I shall rest’. His son, Edward the Elder (king of Wessex 899–924) took forward plans in accordance with the wishes of his father to build a new minster with the purchase of land from Bishop Denewulf ‘so that I might found a monastery there, for the salvation of my soul and that of my venerable father King Alfred’.  

New Minster was founded in 901 and built adjacent to the north side of Old Minster.  The construction of the church and monastery was followed in 903 by a dedication to the Holy Trinity, St Mary, and St Peter. 

To distinguish the two monasteries, the Cathedral church became known as 'Old Minster' from the early tenth century.

In 903, the bodies of Alfred and his wife Ealhswith, founder of Nunnaminster, (d. 902) were moved from Old Minster to New Minster and reburied.  Edward’s younger brother Æthelweard was buried in New Minster c. 920, together with Edward and his son Ælfweard in 924, and King Eadwig in 959.

Why was Alfred reburied at Hyde Abbey?

In 1109, Henry I ordered New Minster to be removed to the suburb of Hyde Mead, to the north of the city walls. Alfred’s body and those of his relatives were moved to the new Abbey in 1110.  Alfred was interred at the high altar and his body remained there through the Abbey's time as a monastery and during its dissolution in 1538.