Widow returns medieval Glastonbury Abbey relic stolen 70 years ago
A medieval abbot's kneecap and a floor tile have been returned to Glastonbury Abbey more than 70 years after they were taken by an 11-year-old schoolboy during an archaeological dig. The artefacts were kept in Australia for decades before the boy's widow brought them back following his death in 2025.
A medieval kneecap believed to have belonged to a Glastonbury Abbey abbot has returned to the Somerset abbey after more than 70 years of being stolen by an 11-year-old schoolboy. The bone, along with a piece of medieval floor tile, was taken in 1956 by George Box during an archaeological dig at the abbey. Box, who later emigrated to Australia, owned the items for decades before his death in 2025.
His widow recently returned both artefacts to Glastonbury Abbey during a visit to scatter his ashes near Brent Knoll, the place where he had grown up. The museum now displays the kneecap and the tile. Abbey staff stated that although they cannot confirm the exact identity of the kneecap's owner, it is believed to be one of three abbots who died between 1250 and 1290.
The abbey appreciates the return of the items after decades in Australia, though they do not support the removal of archaeological objects from the site.
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