Gloucester’s links to King Alfred the Great, described –  ‘ as not just the greatest Briton, but one of the greatest rulers of any time or place’ – are to feature on a BBC TV series next week.

In the series historian, Michael Wood, tells the story of King Alfred including his famous victory against the Vikings.

The second programme in the series to be screened on BBC4 on Tuesday August 13th at 9.00pm examines his daughter,  Æthelflæd,, The Lady of the Mercians.

She is credited with reconstructing Gloucester from a Roman ruin and with laying out the core street plan which is still in use today. She ruled the Kingdom of Mercia from the lost Palace of Kingsholm and was buried at St Oswald’s Priory.

Filming for the series took place at The Priory as well as at Gloucester’s City Museum including what is thought to have been her grave slab excavated at The Priory 38 years ago.

Council Leader, Paul James, said: “ It is programmes such as this which serve to remind us just what a fantastically rich history Gloucester has. We trace our roots back a very long way and have been connected with some of the most famous people and events in the story of this country.

“Aethelflaed was a formidable leader in her own right and her hand ‘on the tiller of Gloucester’ can still be seen around us today.”