Edward the Confessor’s Shrine in Westminster Abbey: its Date of Construction Reconsidered

A re-evaluation of Edward the Confessor’s shrine at Westminster Abbey challenges long-standing assumptions about its construction date. The study identifies a scribal error in manuscript evidence that has been used to support a later dating, tracing this error to its source and proposing an alternative original reading for the inscription on the shrine pedestal. This finding suggests that the shrine may have been constructed earlier than previously thought, reshaping our understanding of its historical significance within Westminster Abbey's architectural and religious landscape.

Payne, M., & Rodwell, W. (2017). EDWARD THE CONFESSOR’S SHRINE IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY: ITS DATE OF CONSTRUCTION RECONSIDERED. The Antiquaries Journal, 97, 187–204. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003581517000269