Kent's King Arthur? 200-year-old 'Excalibur' sword is found in castle lake after water levels plummet due to heatwave

Published: 12:41, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 12:47, 12 August 2026 A 200-year-old sword has been discovered in a castle lake after water levels plummeted during Britain's latest heatwave. The blade – dubbed Kent's Excalibur – was discovered at Chiddingstone Castle in Edenbridge. Excalibur was the mythical sword belonging to King Arthur, the legendary British leader of the fifth and sixth centuries. It is said that the sword was endowed with 'magical' powers that made him such a formidable warrior. As the legend goes, it was thrown into a lake by King Arthur as he lay dying, following his final battle somewhere in Britain. Kent's answer to the weapon of legend, however, is thought to have come some time later, possibly belonging to a Victorian bandsman or even a Second World War soldier. Volunteers uncovered the sword when they were clearing fallen branches on Thursday, August 6, at the Kent castle.  They fished the object out with a grappling hook and handed it to the castle's curator Naomi Collick, who started investigating its origin.  Naomi Collick, Curator at Chiddingstone Castle inspecting the sword, which was fished out of the lake with a grappling hook The sword was discovered at a lake in the castle grounds - leading to links between it and King Arthur's legendary Excalibur Theories began to swirl about the sword's original owner, with some suggesting an art dealer or a soldier. Its location led to social media commenters making the connection between the sword and the legendary Excalibur – after the famous sword thrown into a lake as King Arthur lay dying. Ms Collick, 33, said: 'The volunteers were called Gordon and Paul, so not Arthur unfortunately - but quite noble names still I think. 'You never know, maybe they will be called to rule the country. Hopefully the sword is at the centre of another great story. 'I think [the volunteers] were very excited and proud to have discovered it. When [they] showed it to me, I was just in shock really. I was so amazed. 'We have not discovered anything like this before on the grounds, so it was absolutely fascinating.' Research suggests that it might be a Victorian bandsman's sword from the early 1800s, which was used for ceremonies. The lake was built in the 1800s, so it is expected to be a maximum of 200 years old. The sword has a gilded hilt featuring a lion on the end, which is believed to be made of brass and is in very good condition. The curved blade itself, however, is coated in rust and covered in mud from the lake. Staff at the castle have wrapped it in acid-free tissue and are using gloves to handle it. Eccentric former owner Denys Eyre Bower was an art dealer who collected swords, so it is also thought it could be one of his. Another theory is that it might have belonged to troops who were stationed there during the Second World War. Others suggested that it belonged to the ghost of a soldier who is said by local legend to haunt the lake. Chiddingstone Castle in Kent was once home to an eccentric art dealer who collected swords According to legend, Excalibur was located at a magical lake where the Lady of the Lake, a character of Arthurian legend, gave it to Arthur. Ms Collick added: 'There are a few different theories but it is still a bit of a mystery. There are so many options really. 'It could have been from the early 1800s and have been hidden in the lake all this time. 'There is a local ghost story about a soldier falling in the lake but I don't know if that can be verified in any way. There are definitely some interesting local stories about the lake and the castle.' The curator said they have contacted a number of other museums and experts to see if anyone can help confirm its identity. They are also doing extensive research and looking through their archives. The curator has also reported the sword to the finds liaison officer for the area. She said: 'Really I am hoping that someone might come forward with some information on it. 'It is basically a case of detective work, really. It is definitely very fragile so we need to be very careful.' The castle is not the only area facing lower water levels, with officials confirming that more than two-thirds of England is now in a drought. Ms Collick said this has had a huge impact on the grounds of the castle. She said: 'If the water level goes down any further due to the heatwaves and droughts maybe there is more to be discovered. 'The grass on our lawns is totally browned and dry. You can definitely see the impact of the heat on the grounds. Trees are dropping leaves early as well.' The low water levels also led to the ruins of a lost medieval village being revealed in the East Midlands. Nether Hambleton was demolished in the 1970s so the surrounding 3,000-acres could be flooded to form Rutland Water, in the East Midlands. The village was demolished 50 years ago and flooded in order to create the Rutland Water reservoir Stonework and rubble that once formed the village of Nether Hambleton has been exposed Relics of a medieval settlement were found at the site of the village when it was knocked down, and for 50 years have lain submerged alongside the modern material. But now, the stonework and rubble have emerged once again – after roasting temperatures and an extraordinary lack of rain shrank Rutland Water significantly. Slabs of brickwork and the footprints of buildings can be seen pockmarking parched, brown land that is usually the reservoir bed. At its maximum, the reservoir is 34m deep.  Residents of the hamlet, along with other small villages including Middle Hambleton, were relocated from 1973 to clear the way for Rutland Water, which supplies around half a million people in the East Midlands. The creation of the reservoir, which involved damming the Gwash valley near Empingham, was finished in 1976 – and flooding took a further three years to create what was then Europe's largest man-made lake.