Description
Highlights:
- Roman recycling at Reedham: Exploring the imperial origins of a Norfolk church
- From brewing to bread: Exploring the buildings of the British malting industry
- Bronze Age brutality? Exploring evidence for interpersonal violence at Charterhouse Warren
- ‘A neat and beautiful theatre’: Tracing the surprising story of Bury St Edmunds Market Cross
This month’s articles follow two main themes, highlighting the latest insights from the worlds of historic architecture and archaeological science. We begin in the latter category, with two reports drawing on recently published research. The first covers intriguing analysis of ancient adhesives and how they were used between the 5th century BC and the 1st century AD; this is followed by details of a new data analysis method that has transformed our understanding of migration patterns across Europe in the 1st millennium AD.
We then travel to St John the Baptist, Reedham: a strikingly attractive church in my native Norfolk, which was largely built from reused Roman stone, brick, and tile. Could these have come from a possibly military predecessor that now lies buried beneath the church? We discuss the findings of geophysical surveys and excavations that set out to learn more.
From religious buildings to structures associated with more worldly delights, our next feature traces evidence of malt production from prehistory to the present day, and examines the evolution and outputs of British malthouses.
Departing from the cheer of the alehouse, we then examine a rather darker episode in human history, which is reflected by an unusual group of Bronze Age human remains from Charterhouse Warren in Somerset. What do they add to our understanding of interpersonal violence in prehistoric Britain? We end with a close look at the elegant neoclassical Market Cross in Bury St Edmunds, which recently celebrated its 250th birthday, and whose colourful history includes theatrical episodes and an unusual artistic link to the National Anthem.
Cover Date: Mar-2025, Volume 35 Issue 12
