Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Mark Brown North of England correspondent

Alfred the Average? Court case coins may alter the view of a king

Alfred Gareth Williams Craig Best Roger Pilling Durham
Alfred the Great as illustrated on a Latin manuscript
Alfred the Great became king of Mercia while Ceowulf, who appears to have been his ally, disappeared from history. Photograph: Granger/Historical Picture Archive/Alamy

He’s been known as Alfred the Great since the 16th century, celebrated for his wisdom, generosity and mercy.

But coins at the heart of a major heritage crime court case suggest we may have to rethink the ninth-century Anglo-Saxon king. “Alfred the Average?” suggested Det Supt Lee Gosling, who led the police operation which resulted in guilty verdicts for two men on Thursday.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Alice Zaslavsky’s shortcut beetroot baked risotto – recipe
An unconventional technique makes this vibrant rice – finished with dill fronds – a lower-touch dinner for weeknights
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Does your sleep tracker get it right? A Pittsburgh neuroscientist weighs in
On a typical night, I go to bed wearing a tracking watch on one wrist and another type of tracker on the other wrist. Then I compare their sleep findings while I drink my morning coffee.
The Conversation
The Conversation
There's A Reason Taxi Cabs Are Almost Always Yellow
Yellow taxis are easy to spot in traffic, but the color's history goes far beyond simple visibility.
Motor1
Motor1
How ‘technoference’ can disrupt parent-child connections
Have you ever been telling someone a story when their phone lights up, and their eyes flicker toward their device?
The Conversation
The Conversation
Holding Lightning by Emily Lordi review – an intimate portrait of Whitney Houston
An empathetic biography of the the singer recasts her tumultuous later career as a triumph of self-expression
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Brian May says Queen are retiring from live tours: ‘Maybe 50 years is enough’
Rock guitarist suggested creating an interactive experience for fans similar to the ‘Abba Voyage’ show
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play