MIGHT HAVE BEEN ALFRED'S

West Coast Times, Issue 12002, 30 August 1901, Page 4

MIGHT HA VE BEEN ALFRED'S

OLD SHIP FOUND BURIED IN

THE BED OP THE lEA

During the excavations for the gigantic reservoirs in course of construction by the East London Y\ ater Company at Tottenham and Walthamstow, what has been considered to be a Viking ship was recently discovered. The excavations are being made in the o!d bed of the River Lea, the course of which has been diverted.

The bow part of the vessel was in danger of being carried away piecemeal by relic-hunters, so the taik of laying bare the rest of its limbers wag deferred, and the exposed part covered up again.

The whole was laid baro on Saturday for the Essex Field Club. The vessel was seven feet below the surface. 'J his depth is no indication of its age, however as under favourable circumstances this might be done in a few hours. , The vessel is about fifty feet long, and is of oak, with the exception of tho keel which is of elm. The rib? are held to the sides by jvooden pega, and tha timbers are fastened with roughly finished but well made iron nails. The caulking is done with felt. The floor boards are rivetted together with nails.

In the opinion uf sc-mr, the boat 33 of more recent origm tlwn the Viking ago

Some think it formed part of the fleet built by Alfred the Great to harry the Danes, while others incline to the opinion that ifc is a seventeenth century eel boai or barge. A third suggestion is that it is part of the Thames steamboat fleet gone astray. A dug out boat was also discovered, which is going to the British Museum It is estimated to be 2500 yeirs old. Many other interesting relics have been discovered during the excavationsbronze and bone spearhead?, iron swords, handcuffs, ancient Saxoa clubs, and curious mediaeval horseshoes. Bones of extinct animals and many interesting shelh have also been found.