200-year-old sword dubbed ‘Kent’s Excalibur’ pulled from castle lake after Britain’s scorching summer
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A mysterious 200-year-old sword dubbed “Kent’s Excalibur” has been hauled from a castle lake after Britain’s scorching summer sent water levels plummeting.
The muddy blade was discovered sticking out of the water at Chiddingstone Castle in Edenbridge, Kent, last Thursday.
Volunteers Gordon and Paul were clearing fallen branches when they spotted the metal poking from the shrinking lake.
They used a grappling hook to pull it out before handing the astonishing find to castle curator Naomi Collick.
And now the big question is: who did the sword belong to?
Theories range from Victorian soldiers and ceremonial bandsmen to eccentric art collector Denys Eyre Bower, who was once the castle’s owner and famously collected swords.
There is even a spooky possibility.
Local legend tells of a soldier who fell into the lake – prompting some to wonder whether the rusty relic could somehow be linked to the ghost story.
Social media users, meanwhile, have compared the discovery to the legendary Excalibur, the magical sword thrown into a lake in the King Arthur tale.
Naomi, 33, joked: “The volunteers were called Gordon and Paul so not Arthur unfortunately – but quite noble names still I think.”
She added that she was “in shock” when she first saw the sword.
Research so far suggests it could be a Victorian bandsman’s sword dating from the early 1800s and used for ceremonial purposes.
Its gilded hilt features a lion at the end and appears to be made from brass, while the curved blade is heavily rusted and caked in lake mud.
Staff have wrapped the fragile weapon in acid-free tissue and are wearing gloves while handling it.
Naomi said: “There are a few different theories but it is still a bit of a mystery.”
The team has contacted museums and experts and is trawling the castle archives for clues. The discovery has also been reported to the local finds liaison officer.
And with drought conditions affecting much of England, Naomi believes the lake could reveal even more secrets.
“If the water level goes down any further due to the heatwaves and droughts maybe there is more to be discovered,” she said.
Could Kent’s Excalibur be just the first treasure to emerge?
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