A Hampshire historian has helped bring the Wessex of King Alfred the Great back to life on TV.

Dr Ryan Lavelle, an expert in medieval history at the University of Winchester has helped to make the hit BBC TV series The Last Kingdom historically accurate.

Winchester academic Dr Lavelle, who is Reader in Early Medieval History, was invited by the producers of the show to be a historical advisor on both series of the critically-acclaimed drama.

During the making of the new series, he gave advice on a diverse range of subjects, from the composition of the court and politics and everyday life in Anglo-Saxon England, to marriage traditions, costumes and head coverings. He also worked with set designers to help ensure authenticity.

Set in Ninth Century Anglo-Saxon England, The Last Kingdom is an epic adaptation of English author Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling historical novels series The Saxon Stories. With the Danes invading the north of the country, only King Alfred’s kingdom of Wessex in the south remained defiant. The drama follows warrior Uhtred as he seeks to avenge Earl Ragnar’s death and recapture his ancestral lands of Bebbanburg.

Dr Lavelle said: “I have really enjoyed providing historical background detail and notes for the scriptwriter and the production team on The Last Kingdom. The first series was not only popular with viewers but earned some great reviews, which has made the experience even more rewarding.”

He Added: “Popular dramas such as this, which bring history vividly to life in people’s homes, are a fantastic gateway to inspire viewers about the past and encourage them to want to explore it for themselves.”

The University of Winchester has been at the forefront of Anglo-Saxon research, shedding light on this period and the final resting place of King Alfred. In 2014, the University and Hyde900 discovered a pelvic bone thought to belong to Alfred the Great, or his eldest son.

Winchester was the capital of the Kingdom of Wessex and is the burial place for some of the earliest kings of Wessex, including King Alfred the Great.

The Last Kingdom is broadcast each Thursday at 9pm on BBC Two or watched on BBC iPlayer.