Cheers and boos: plan to demolish Avebury, Stonehenge train may be built in Scotland and Britain triumphs over the world!

Plan to demolish Avebury ….
“It would be an irreplaceable loss” says a protestor and we wholeheartedly concur with their opinion that “Demolition is permanent, and once destroyed, a place is lost forever“.

Scottish firm “preferred bidder” to supply Stonehenge transport system.
Dunfermline’s Greenfold Systems has been named as preferred bidder to provide 15 carriages for the new Stonehenge land train.

Britain triumphs over the rest of the world!
A while back the public had to raise £3.3 million pounds to give two people a “reward” for finding and handing over national treasure that never belonged to them. Now, 4 years later a team of archaeologists has been paid to visit the site a second time to find more of it and they’ve done so. So another public appeal is having to be made in order to raise a further £57,395 to pay to the same two people. Nothing wrong with that. Nor with the fact the two new millionaires haven’t renounced their right to receive it. It’s the British way, and it’s the law innit? As is everything that is done legally in the name of metal detecting in Britain.

Be proud! It’s the rest of the world, which foolishly imposes clear, fair, rational, conservation-related statutory rules on all elements of metal detecting, that is utterly misguided.

Dates for your Diary – June 2013

Thanks once again to Sue Brooke for compiling next month’s Diary Dates.

The following events will be taking place next month, why not add one or two to your diary and join in the fun?

CORNWALL

Cornwall Archaeological Society, Regular walks and talks of interest:

The Society was formed in 1961 – it grew out of the West Cornwall Field Club, itself founded in 1935 by a group of enthusiasts who were studying the archaeology of West Cornwall.

Walks - Every month there is an archaeological walk somewhere in Cornwall led by members or an invited expert.

Talks – During winter months talks are given at centres in Truro and Liskeard by speakers, national and local (and including members) who are specialists in their field of interest.

Activities - The Society gives opportunities for those interested in practical archaeology to participate in fieldwork and learn archaeological techniques. Members often take part in excavations run by the Cornwall County Council’s Historic Environment Service (HES). See http://www.cornisharchaeology.org.uk/ for more details.

Cornish Ancient Sites Protection Network

‘A charitable partnership formed to look after the ancient sites and monuments of Cornwall, currently working closely with local communities and official organisations to protect and promote our ancient heritage landscape through research, education and outreach activities’.

Volunteers are always very welcome at the monthly clear-ups. These events are a really good opportunity to get a bit more hands-on whilst helping to clear an ancient site in the landscape. This not only allows for physical preservation of the site itself but helps it to be kept safe for others to enjoy in the future. Please note that suitable footwear and clothing is needed although tools or any necessary equipment will be provided.

The next clean-up will be held on Sunday JUNE 9th BOSCAWEN-ÛN STONE CIRCLE o/s 4122 2736. Meet by A30 – starts at 14.00. See website for more details.

DEVON

Barnstaple – North Devon Archaeological Society was established in 1959, and for many years concentrated on providing lectures and visits for members. The society merged with North Devon Rescue, a campaigning organisation which had been instrumental in ensuring proper recording and excavation in the area. At the time of writing there were no events planned for June so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on their website. http://www.ndas.org.uk/

 

ESSEX

West Essex Archaeology Group, Woodford Green. WEAG’s aim is ‘to promote the advancement of knowledge and education by a study of archaeology, history and kindred subjects ‘.

10th June 2013 – London’s Food Plant Remains. Karen Stewart, Museum of London Archaeology
The lectures take place in the sixth form block of the Woodford County High School, High Road, Woodford Green IG8 9LA on Mondays at 7:45pm unless otherwise stated. Non members are welcome to attend – voluntary contribution appreciated. For further information, see the website at http://www.weag.org.uk/

12th March to 22nd June: Exhibition at Redbridge Museum: 1st Floor Exhibition Area, Redbridge Central Library, Clement Road, Ilford. 500 Years of Redbridge Gardens, Parks and Open Spaces, Tuesdays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Free Admission.

Barking and District Historical Society: Harp House, 16 Helmore Road (off Goodey Road), Barking, IG11 9PH

Monday 3rd June: The Princess Alice Disaster, Keith Langridge, 7:30 p.m

KENT

Council for Kentish Archaeology

The Society was founded in 1857 and is now a registered charity with the following objects: To promote the study and publication of archaeology and history in all their branches, especially within the ancient county of Kent.

Much of the County has been lost to London since 1857 so the “ancient county” is treated as including the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham, as well as Medway and the administrative county. The Society’s interests are not confined to fieldwork. Its objects cover archaeology and local history in the widest sense.

1st. June: Fieldwork, 10.30, Library
8th June: Council, 10.30, Guildhall Museum, Rochester
22th June: Churches visit to St Mary-in-the-Marsh and St Nicholas, New Romney
29 June: One-day conference ‘New Developments in Kentish Urban Studies’, Old Sessions House

http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/diary/

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE/DERBYSHIRE

MBArchaeology specialises in Community Archaeology, Education & Research. Based in Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire and offering educational talks, walks, workshops and courses on a whole variety of archaeological topics.

Derbyshire – full-day field visits that run throughout the summer to sites of historical and archaeological interest.

June 9-22 – University of Nottingham,  Southwell Project

June 11th – Talk: Archaeology of the Peak District, South Normanton History Group, 1pm

June 13th – Talk: Archaeology of Creswell Crags, Southwell Rotary Club, 7pm

June 29 – Archaeology Walk: Iron Age Nottinghamshire (see Current Projects tab ‘Archaeology Walks’ for details)

See http://www.mbarchaeology.co.uk/upcoming-events/ for further details

WILTSHIRE

Wiltshire Heritage Museum runs a large number of events, exhibitions and activities both for the general public and members of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society.

6:30 pm, Thursday, 27 June, 2013: A TALE OF TWO VILLAGES: An evening walk around Alton Barnes and Alton Priors, led by local historian David Carson. Find out fascinating facts about the two churches, what the villages used to look like, the civil war, and eye witness accounts of the machinery riots of 1830.

10:00am, Saturday, 06 July, 2013: EXHIBITION: Inspirations from the Bronze Age: an exhibition by six outstanding contemporary designers and makers

http://www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk/events/ for more details.

PETERBOROUGH

Flag Fen Archaeology Park. The Droveway, Northey Road, Peterborough, PE6 7QJ

Flag Fen is open daily from 10am-5pm (last entry at 4pm) from April to October and provides a marvelous opportunity to see the finds discovered there during excavations, as well as to see some of the reconstructions and experimental archaeology work undertaken there.

WALES

National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP

Static exhibition in The Archaeology Gallery – Origins: In Search of Early Wales. This traces life in Wales from the earliest humans 230,000 years ago. Who were our ancestors, and how different were they from us? What has changed and what has caused these changes?

Visit the Origins – In Search of Early Wales webpages for more details. FREE ENTRY.

Nation History Museum of Wales – St Fagans

Saturday 15^th to Sunday 16^th June: 2013 Summer food in the Iron Age. Find out what’s bubbling in the Iron Age cauldron.

Saturday – 22^nd. June 2013. 2pm to 3pm:  Life in the Iron Age. Looking at everyday life in the Iron Age.

 FREE ENTRY – CAR PARKING FEE.

 

 CARDIFF CASTLE

Saturday 22 – Sunday 23^rd. June 2012:  JOUST! A fun event for all the family. For more information: www.cardiffcastle.com

If you have an upcoming event you’d like included in our listings, please Contact Us with details. We tend to publish events near the start of the month prior to the actual event, so please allow enough notice to be included!

Stonehenge: a not-so-subtle hint of change?

It’s inevitable that major changes to the physical environment of Stonehenge will also involve a radical re-think of how it’s managed. Not that you’d realise that from the recent headlines – those seem to suggest managing the place involves only one thing …

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Those headlines must be irksome for EH. The new Stonehenge General Manager will have massive responsibilities. (Although if the world thinks a small minority of people are the dominant stakeholders in Britain’s national icon EH have no-one to blame but themselves!). We should stress we’re not anti-Druid though – if they wish to celebrate solstice at Stonehenge good luck to them. But the trouble is the Druids say there are often only a dozen or two actual Druids there together with tens of thousands of others comprising pagans, pagans-of-convenience and party-goers in proportions unknown (but suspected). Again, we’re not anti-solstice-celebrations, but we’re anti-overcrowding, clambering on the stones and treating the place disrespectfully. So we’re pleased to note some clues below the headlines that suggest EH agree:

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None of that can be achieved without changes. It will be fascinating to see what EH has in mind. Our own idea is this: http://heritageaction.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/time-to-rethink-the-annual-free-bash-at-stonehenge/ . It costs only £2 per participant (the cost of a bit of food) so it’s economical as well as respectful and maybe even authentic – what’s not to like?

A Heritage Drive through Herts, Cambs and Essex

Last weekend was a Bank Holiday Weekend in the UK, and with the first real view of blue skies of the Summer, it was time to take to the road for another Heritage Drive. The plan this time was to take a circular route from London, up the A1 to Letchworth, across to Cambridge, then heading south again via Saffron Walden and Bishop’s Stortford back to London, taking in various heritage sites en route.

Turning off the A1M at the Letchworth junction, our journey proper starts with a trip northeast across the ‘Baldock Bowl’, so called by the Norton Community Archaeology Group, who have a long term project running just north of Letchworth on the western side of the bowl, investigating a Class Ia henge with internal post setting and two ditches, amongst evidence of other contemporary monuments. But as we follow the A505 toward Baldock we pass an area which includes another prehistoric monument, the Weston Hill Henge.

Past Baldock, we continue on the A505, which for some of its length follows the line of the Icknield Way ancient track, until just before Royston we see on the horizon to the right the barrow cemetery of Therfield Heath, which we’ve featured here on the Journal before. Royston of course, is named after the glacial erratic stone which features in the centre of the town, close to the entrance to Royston Cave, a possible medieval hide-away or meeting place with some intriguing carvings.

Joining the A10, we next head up toward Cambridge, turning off after the village of Harston, to head toward Hauxton and the Shelfords. Our next scheduled stop is the church at Little Shelford (turn left into Church Lane), where although the church has a web site there is no information whatsoever about the history or structure of the church, which has several old carved stones embedded within the tower, porch and on the southeast wall. It would be interesting to know the history of these stones, but the church was locked on my visit, so I don’t know if an information booklet is available.

Porch stone at Little Shelford church.

Another stone in the porch at Little Shelford Church

Back on the road, we head toward Great Shelford, and the A1301. Our destination is a short distance north east on Granham’s Road. After passing the White House farm, there is a pull-in with a Public Footpath sign. From here we set off on foot toward Addenbrooke’s Hospital in the distance, before following the bridle path round to the left, to Nine Wells nature reserve. This is a small area, with several natural springs, now formed into three separate springheads. In 1614, Cambridge needed a new water supply. Thomas Hobson built a causeway bringing water from the springs at Nine Wells into the city centre. But he had another claim to fame. Thomas Hobson hired out horses, but hirers had to take the horse closest to the door. This led to the expression “Hobson’s Choice” meaning “No choice”!

One of the springheads at Nine Wells

The main springhead at Nine Wells. I counted at least 4 separate springs feeding this pool.

Continuing on, and turning right onto the A1307, we come to Wandlebury Park on the left by the dual carriageway, the site of an Iron Age Hill Fort,  within the Gog-Magog Downs, site of Tom Lethbridge’s now legendary hill figures. The hill fort is now part of a Country Park and popular with families and dog walkers alike. The car park was busting at the seams when we arrived and we did not stop to investigate on this occasion.

Wandlebury Ring, Wikimedia Commons, © Sebastian Ballard via the Geograph Project http://www.geograph.co.uk

We then headed down to Saffron Walden, site of a turf maze and Audley End House and Gardens,  an English Heritage property, for a spot of lunch at the weekend market in the town.

Cutting back west past Audley End to head south on the B1383 we passed close by the site of the Ring Hill hill fort, now overgrown and as far as I know, inaccessible on private land. The next village south was Newport, home of the Leper Stone, a prehistoric standing stone more recently used as a receptacle for alms for inhabitants of a nearby leper hospital. Also in the town, near the railway station, is a large puddingstone, possibly one of the sites on the supposed ‘Puddingstone Trail‘.

Nearing the end of of own trail, we pass through Ugley, where another Puddingstone lies at Ugley Green, and Stansted Mountfitchet, site of a replica Norman Castle and Toy Museum – fun for all the family is apparently guaranteed!

And finally to Bishops Stortford, where Wallbury Camp, yet another hillfort in this mostly flat part of the country, lies just to the south of the town on a private estate, hidden by trees.

The variety of heritage on a trip like this just goes to show how much it’s possible to see, from many different periods, on a day trip by car from North London. Why not tell us about your own trips?

Would the prehistoric stone rows of Devon and Cornwall be dismissed as mere “lines of stones” if they’d been found at Mynydd y Betws?

by Sandy Gerrard

On a pleasant day Bodmin Moor is clearly visible from Dartmoor. Yet it was not until the 1970’s that Martin Fletcher of the Royal Commission identified the first stone row in the area. Since that time others have been discovered and recorded. It’s funny how the discovery of one site rapidly led to the identification of others. Plans of seven rows appear in “Bodmin Moor – An archaeological survey Volume 1: The human landscape to c 1800” by Nicholas Johnson and Peter Rose published in 1994. This publication makes a number of interesting comparative points between the Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor rows and would seem fairly helpful in any consideration of that “line of stones” at Mynydd y Betws.

The Bodmin Moor volume notes (green text below):

The Bodmin Moor rows, like the Dartmoor examples, are orientated in the north-east to south-west quadrants
[Mynydd Y Betws is orientated north-east to south-west]

and exhibit certain noteworthy characteristics:
a If they are on a slope, however slight, the lower end is the southerly end.
[The lower end is the southerly end at Mynydd y Betws]

b Six of the seven rows have taller stones, transverse stones, or other structures at the southern terminal.
[The largest stone at Mynydd y Betws is at the southern terminal]

c There are two distinct types of row: (1) those with small stones and small gaps between the stones and (2) those with larger stones and larger gaps between the stones.
[Mynydd y Betws has small stones and small gaps]

Four out of four is not bad. So the Mynydd y Betws stone alignment shares the broad characteristics of the Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor stone rows as identified by the Royal Commission, English Heritage and Cornwall Archaeological Unit. Any claims for a different interpretation will obviously need to explain why these characteristics are not pertinent and furthermore provide equally persuasive parallels for any alternative explanations. Simply stating that there is no dating evidence, will not suffice. Most Dartmoor rows and all of the Bodmin Moor rows would also fall at this hurdle.

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For all previous and subsequent articles put Mynydd Y Betws in our Search Box.

See also this website and Facebook Group

Stonehenge and Avebury: An Avebury landowner avows to protect the stones

Postcards to friends of the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site

George Brown was only four when his home was burgled a few days before Christmas, but along with Avebury Great Farm he would inherit his father’s doggedness. In sight of Cherhill White Horse in 1850 George famously beat off an attempt to part him from his gig, then tracked the culprits down to discover one of them had been armed with a loaded pistol. Of this uncompromising character Dean John Merewether would the previous year write:

It is some comfort to know that the present owner of the circle and the western avenue, Mr George Brown, will not allow a single stone to be defaced or removed; and has been the means in time past also, of preserving them. George Brown of Avebury has engaged that he will take care, and his sons after him, that not a stone at Avebury shall again be injured or removed, I feel confident that a general spirit of antiquarian conservatism has been widely and effectually instilled, from which the cause of archaeology and our Institute will reap much advantage.

George Brown died at Avebury in July 1881 aged 87, the following year Sir John Lubbock introduced the Ancient Monuments Protection Act.

B.E.

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This is part of a series of short “postcards” that anyone with something to share is welcome to submit, whether that is a digital snap and a “wish you were here” or something more involved. Please do join in by sending your postcards to theheritagejournal@gmail.com

For others in the series put postcards in the search box.

Spare a thought for the Finds Liaison Officers

We grumble about PAS but it’s only fair to distinguish between the organisation and those who have to carry out the policies – sometimes with distaste, no doubt. Take the upcoming Central Searchers Summer Rally where 500 people will pay £30,000 to dig. The FLOs aren’t fans of large rallies anyway but they have extra reasons to dislike this one as it’s being run under the notorious Central Searchers “rule”: all non-Treasure item worth up to £2,000 are owned by the detectorist alone.

Everyone knows that’s designed to be grossly unfair to the landowner yet the FLOs have to pretend they don’t know what is happening. In addition, they can hardly fail to know it guarantees a lot of stuff won’t get reported – the sort of person that thinks such a rule is OK is hardly going to be scrupulous about what they (alone) assess as worth less than £2,000 and is unlikely to reveal anything really valuable lest people point out it’s worth more than the threshold and needs to be shared with the farmer!

And there’s more. The advert says FLOs will be there yet incredibly there’s no rally rule or even request to report finds to them.  Thus we have FLOs as educated, cultured people having to attend a mass, self-seeking event in the humiliating role of supplicants on behalf of the public, having to appear grateful for whatever limited favours acquisitive people with Lilliputian moral comprehension deign to bestow. And always to smile.

“I really admire you artefact hunters!”

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More Heritage Action views on metal detecting and artefact collecting

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Roger Farnworth 1937-2013

We recently included in our Diary Dates notice of a talk to be given by Roger Farnworth later this month, not knowing at the time that he had sadly passed away earlier in the year. We offer our apologies and condolences to his family and friends. The following short article appears in the latest Meyn Mamvro magazine, to whom we are indebted for permission to reproduce the article here. 

Roger Farnworth sadly and unexpectedly died from lymphoma at the end of January this year. Roger was an original thinker and researcher of Cornwall’s ancient sites, and was a member of the Cornwall Archaeological Society, to whom he gave a talk in November 2012 on “Platform Cairns and the winter solstice alignments on Rough Tor”, a talk that he was planning to write up for Meyn Mamvro. He was a MM subscriber and contributor, and was particularly interested in alignments and other kinds of ‘alternative archaeology’. He wrote a two-part article on “Sightlines to the Tors and Stars” in MM63 & 64, in which he examined the relationship of the Hurlers stone circle on Bodmin Moor to the prehistoric pole star Thubon, and the ‘view frames’ that he believed were deliberately created amongst the tor rocks to highlight significant features in the Bodmin Moor landscape. As interesting as these ideas were for readers, his lively mind extended in many other directions, and he had completed two original articles for MM, one on an idea about the use of fogous, and a longer piece on the significance of cliff castles (that he was due to talk about at Pathways to the Past in May this year). MM will be publishing both of these articles, and in the current issue (no.81) are his ideas on a possible use of fogous.

More detailed obituaries, covering Roger’s wider interests can be found here and here.

Caerau Hillfort: Part 9 – They came, dug holes, made a mess and left.

Oh, did I mention the helicopter?

The final installment in Sue Brooke’s story of her experiences with Time Team at Caerau Hillfort in Wales.  New readers should start at Part 1 or see here for all previous installments and get right up to date.

Lots of emails started flying about that the Time Team programme would start its final run in January 2013. It seemed that the Caerau episode was one of the last series that would be filmed. Lots of excitement among everyone involved and who couldn’t wait to see the programme. Oddly I felt a little bit apprehensive. I wasn’t sure how the area and community would be shown or perceived, whether all the filming with the youngsters would be included, what the overall outcome would be. Anyway on the day it turned out to be difficult as the programme was scheduled to go out whilst I was working. Sod’s Law. No problem really as it was easy to record it. The thing is I just couldn’t wait to see this recording and I wouldn’t be home until about 11.30pm. Luckily there was a telly where I was to be working for the first half hour of the show. We put it on and I watched anxiously. Up pops Tony Robinson and one of the first things he did was pronounce the name Caerau wrongly. I groaned. Then the texts started arriving on my phone!

Overall the programme was really well done. OK, some of the shots, particularly the one of the sign saying ‘no guns’ could have been placed into a better context but having said that, I liked what I saw. The young people were included really well throughout the programme. The episode agreed with my work more or less, in the interpretation of the site. The fact that there were no human remains or shiny swords found would, I hoped, show that this site was interesting only in a people and place historical context rather than from a night-hawk perspective.

One of the best features, for me, were the aerial shots taken from the helicopter. OK, it has to be said that a lot of the texts I got were from people saying they had just seen my house (!) but for me it helped set the site in a brilliantly wider community context within Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. Thank the gods for the pause button on the remote control. Luckily they didn’t manage to pick out me waving madly from the garden fence but it was a real shame I couldn’t have gone up in it! I have some aerial images but due to copyright difficulties I can’t share them here. But there is a lovely aerial shot on the CAER Heritage website.

I had seen the important ‘finds’ as they had come out of the ground but was surprised that a lot of others weren’t included. Perhaps there is scope for another programme. Perhaps they simply wanted to focus on the Iron Age rather than how the site was used following that. I’ve ‘seen’ this programme about five times since it aired but I haven’t actually ‘watched’ it yet, if you know what I mean. I get so distracted with the various elements of it that I haven’t yet been able to grasp the whole story, as Time Team tells it. In case you’re wondering, I actually did appear, for about 30 seconds but it was the back of my head, luckily!

Some of the ‘finds’ just after discovery.

The upshot of all this has been that it has enabled the CAER Heritage Project to move on quickly and professionally. Olly has written a booklet to accompany both the project and the TT episode which was launched at The Senedd in Cardiff (the main public building for the National Assembly of Wales), with various political party members attending. The local press picked up the story again and the display of work undertaken by the local schools has been on the road, so to speak, visiting St. Fagans Museum of Welsh Life, The Senedd and the Cardiff Story Museum. More funding has been secured so much more work can be carried out. The importance of the site has been highlighted which, hopefully, will protect it further.

So from my very serious misgivings about the total madness of letting Time Team dig it up there has been lots of positives. The field itself recovered well from the trenches dug and the vehicles churning it up, and as promised by CADW they did not dig it all up. Overall those lovely lumps and bumps remain intact. So that’s another good thing! There has been increased interest locally and even from other people who lived here once and moved away. I’ve chatted to lots of interested and interesting people who all have had another story to add to my collection. I’ve run out of the launch booklets, such has been the interest. Primary schools have contacted me asking for talks and more information on linking in with the work the CAER Project is doing. One little girl’s mum rang me to say her daughter marched into school telling her teachers that I was her friend (her mum refused to allow her to say aunty!) and that I knew everything about the Celts and had even been on the telly. I’ll be visiting there shortly to talk to the kids about it all.

So, the final opinion of the Time Team professionals was that this area, with its commanding views and good strategic position was probably very important in the area that would become modern Cardiff. They actually named it Capital Hill. All really good telly stuff.

The view from the hillfort site across Cardiff.

The thing is, and this is really important to both me and my ever changing research, I don’t agree with that. But, that’s another story.

Very many thanks to Sue for putting this story together for us! We hope you’ve enjoyed reading it as much as we did. There’s a lot more information about Caerau and the surrounding district on Sue’s own blog. 

Caerau Hillfort:

OS Reference ST13377498

CADW SAM Number GM 018

National Public Record Number 94517

 For those who may wish to visit then please note that there are various access points. However, the safest access to the hillfort site is via Church Road, Caerau, Cardiff. 

For sat nav purposes use the postcode CF5 5LQ

Vehicles may not access the lane without prior consent of the landowner. The lane access gate is kept locked. It is however possible to walk up the hill but access is very steep and may be quite risky when wet. Visitors are asked to take care when in the grounds of the church due to the age and nature of the cemetery in the churchyard of the remains of St. Marys Church. Always remember that the area is a Scheduled Ancient Monument so may not be interfered with in any way.

Antiquarians: William Camden 1551-1623

William Camden, antiquary and historian, and 462 years old today was born in the Old Bailey in London on 2 May 1551. His father Sampson moved to London from Lichfield and was a member of the Guild of Painter-Stainers. His mother Elizabeth was from Lancashire, and was from the old Cumberland family of Curwen in Workington.

William Camden (by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger)

Having survived an attack of the plague in Islington, aged 12, William attended St Paul’s School, and later Oxford, under the patronage first of Dr Thomas Cooper, and later Dr Thomas Thornton. It was at Oxford that his antiquarian interests first stirred, and were encouraged. However, his studies were fruitless, and he returned to London both without a degree and without employment in 1571.

For the next few years he began to compile the research for his work, the ‘Brittania’. From the Dictionary of National Biograghy:

In the address ‘ad Lectorem,’ which he added to the fifth edition of that work, Camden has himself given us an interesting sketch of the way in which his studies were directed to antiquarian subjects, and how the ‘Britannia’ grew under his hand. From his earliest days, we are told, his natural inclination led him to investigate antiquity; as a boy at school, and afterwards as a young man at Oxford, all his spare time was given to this favourite pursuit. He specially mentions the encouragement he had from his fellow-student at Christ Church, Sir Philip Sidney. Much of his leisure after leaving the university was passed in travelling through the kingdom and noting its antiquities. But his collections at this time were not made with any view to publication.

In 1575 he was appointed as schoolmaster at Westminster, a role which still left his school holiday time free to pursue his antiquarian interests, travelling around the country. His reputation as an antiquary and topographer grew as a result of these travels. Urged and encouraged by Abraham Ortelius, Camden began the systematic preparation of his ‘Brittania’.

The Rollright Stones, from Camden’s Britannia.

The work took ten years, and was published on his 35th birthday, 2 May 1586. It was an enormous success, with three reprints within four years, and a fourth edition within eight, all personally overseen and expanded by Camden himself.

In 1593 he succeeded to the headmastership of Westminster School, and in 1597 was appointed to the office of Clarenceux king-of-arms. Freed from school life, he continued his travels, visiting Carlisle and the northern counties in 1600, as well as preparing a fifth edition of ‘Britannia’, which answered various criticisms of the genealogies in the earlier editions, and acknowledged a debt to Leland’s earlier work.

Despite several periods of severe illness he continued working on improving both ‘Britannia’ and his many other works as late as 1621. Camden spent the latter years of his life in retirement at Chislehurst. He died unmarried at his home at Chislehurst in Kent on 9 November 1623 following further bouts of illness, and his body was laid in the southern transept of Westminster Abbey. A monument of white marble, affixed to the wall above his grave, represents him at half length, his left hand resting on a closed book on which is the word ‘Britannia’.

Camden’s house at Chislehurst passed into the hands of the family of Pratt, barons Camden, who took their title from the property. Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1714–1794) started the development of the settlement that was later to become known as Camden Town in London.