King Alfred statue is recycled Roman sculpture of goddess

A STATUE of King Alfred is 10 times older than previously thought, as historians have discovered that it is partly a reused Roman sculpture of a goddess.

The imposing figure that has stood in south London for 200 years was previously thought to be medieval in its origins, and was perhaps one of the lost statues ordered by Richard II for Westminster Hall. Others argued that the Anglo-Saxon monarch, which sits in Trinity Church Square, Southwark, had been sculpted in the 18th or 19th century.

But conservationists have worked out that the stone used in the lower half dates back to the late first or early second century, during the reigns of Roman emperors Trajan or Hadrian.

The stone carving of a draped robe is believed to have come from a colossal ancient sculpture, almost certainly dedicated to Minerva, the goddess of wisdom and just causes.

The upper half – which depicts a bearded man with a crown and robe – was created in the early 19th century. Together, they formed a statue that is about 2.6 metres (8.5ft) high.

Prof Martin Henig, a leading expert on Roman sculpture, said: “It is a most extraordinary find. It is part of a cult statue of a goddess from a major temple area by Roman Watling Street.” The discovery was made during a restoration project carried out by London Stone Conservation, with funding from Heritage of London Trust (Holt), an independent charity dedicated to rescuing historic buildings and monuments.

Dr Nicola Stacey, Holt’s director, said historians and archaeologists were “incredibly excited” about the discovery: “It’s absolutely wonderful – and a lovely reflection of Southwark’s Roman history, of which there’s very little left.”