The urban centre of "Lundenwic" was unearthed in the 1980s after extensive excavations, and were reinterpreted as being urban in character. These conclusions were reached independently by two archaeologists (Vince and Biddle). Recent excavations in Covent Garden adjoining have uncovered an extensive Anglo-Saxon settlement, covering about , stretching from the present-day National Gallery site in the west, to Aldwych in the east. As the presumed locus of the city, "Lundenburh", was moved back within the old Roman walls, the older settlement of "Lundenwic" gained the name of "ealdwic", 'old port', "eald" and the softer form of "wic" transposed to "ald" and "wich" in Middle English orthography.