The genealogies and regnal lists are unanimous in describing Sæberht as the son of Sledd, who may have been regarded as the founder of the East Saxon dynasty.

[12] Later medieval legend claimed that Sæberht and his wife Ethelgoda had founded a monastery in London dedicated to St Peter at the site of the present Westminster Abbey, and that they had been buried in the church there.

[14] In the reign of Henry III, during rebuilding work in 1245-1272, their supposed remains were transferred into a tomb which the king had especially erected for them in the Chapter House, close to the entrance of the Royal Chapels.

The artefacts found were of such a quality that archaeologists surmised that Prittlewell was a tomb of one of the Kings of Essex, and the discovery of golden foil crosses indicates that the inhabitant was an early Christian.

As the initial evidence pointed to an early seventh-century date, Sæberht was considered the most likely candidate for the burial,[20][21] although other possibilities such as his Christian grandson Sigeberht the Good, or an unknown individual of high status, were not ruled out.