On 9 February 1538, Abbot Thomas Rowland signed a Deed of Surrender, formally handing over his monastery to Henry VIII, and the 1,000-year history of Abingdon Abbey came to an end. As a reward for giving up their property voluntarily,…
Recent renovations at Durham Castle have revealed new details of how the fortification was redecorated and altered over its almost 1,000-year history. With the renovation of the castle presenting a rare opportunity to learn more about this World Heritage Site’s…
New heritage law for Jersey New legislation unanimously passed by the States of Jersey will make it compulsory to report archaeological finds to Jersey Heritage within a fortnight of their discovery, with those who fail to comply facing fines or…
The ceiling of St Mary’s Church in Grantully, Perthshire, is intricately painted with coats of arms, images of saints, and proverbs, with a central panel depicting what is thought to be the Last Judgement – all in a typical Scottish…
Blue plaque unveiled for Reverend Wilbert Awdry Historic England has unveiled a National Blue Plaque honouring children’s author and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, the Reverend Wilbert Awdry. The plaque is located at 30 Rodborough Avenue in Stroud, on…
Counting Quaker Meeting Houses I enjoyed the article on the Quaker Meeting Houses in CA 422. I have searched for the Meeting Houses associated with 250 years of my Quaker ancestors, via train, bus, and foot, and found seven extant,…
Looking for signs of hope that heritage and culture will be safe in the hands of future generations, Sherds spotted a number of media reports recently that claimed to know the minds of young people. Recent surveys have stated that Zoomers (Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012) are currently into churchgoing, barn dancing, and buying telescopes.
The Westminster Government has published its revised National Planning Policy Framework amid a flurry of boosterish phrases about ‘backing builders not blockers’, ‘unleashing billions in economic growth’, and introducing ‘seismic reforms to help builders get shovels in the ground quicker’.
Of the many new religious groups that emerged from the ferment of ideas that characterised the Civil War and Commonwealth era (1630s to 1666), the Quakers proved to be one of the best organised and most influential. They have also gone further than other dissenting congregations in abandoning the architectural form that has been used for worship since the earliest days of Christianity by inventing a new kind of worship space – the meeting house. Chris Catling reports on a study of this distinctive Quaker building and its 17th-century origins.
Recently published archaeological research has shed vivid light on the power centres of the Anglo-Saxon aristocracy that were swept away by the Norman Conquest – including a site associated with Harold Godwinson. Carly Hilts spoke to Duncan Wright and Oliver Creighton to learn more.
In 1946, 500 fragments of brightly coloured stained glass were removed from the window of St Andrew’s Church, Heckington, to make way for a modern replacement. This was not their first move – the fragments, which are mainly thought to…
Historic England continues to explore working-class heritage Historic England has announced the funding of 30 new projects through its Everyday Heritage grants programme, which will explore rural and coastal communities and celebrate working-class histories from across the country. The projects…
Bury St Edmunds’ neoclassical Market Cross recently celebrated its 250th anniversary – but the structure has a much longer tale to tell. Former County Archaeologist Adrian Tindall explores the Suffolk landmark’s colourful past, including its role as a playhouse and its place in the story of the National Anthem.
A major project at the Tower of London has revealed hundreds of graffiti written by prisoners, as well as other historical visitors to the site, thanks to cutting-edge technology. The initiative, conducted by Dr Jamie Ingram as part of his…
REVIEW BY MATTHEW CHAMPION The history of the English parish church has long been of fascination to historians, buildings archaeologists, and the general public. As a result, the number of books on the subject published over the last two centuries…
Previously undiscovered markings identified as apotropaic symbols (protective carvings sometimes referred to as ‘witch marks’), as well as a rare ‘curse’ inscription, have been revealed during volunteer research at English Heritage’s Gainsborough Old Hall in Lincolnshire. The hall was originally…
REVIEW BY ADAM KLUPS Nicola Coldstream’s latest book showcases more than 40 ecclesiastical buildings in and around Gloucestershire, highlighting their fantastically diverse architectural styles and hidden treasures. The publication contains entries for places of worship in both rural and urban…
A handful of tiny paper items discovered at Sutton House in Hackney offer a unique insight into the interests of the girls who were educated there in the 17th century. Carly Hilts spoke to Nathalie Cohen, Isabella Rosner, Kate Simpson, and Abigail Winslow to find out more.
REVIEW BY WILL FLETCHER This is a charming book. It features the conservation of a fine Grade II*-listed English vernacular building, situated in rural Norfolk. In total, the 13 chapters and appendices describe the building, its history, the former occupants,…
In 2014, archaeologist Warwick Rodwell and art restorer Diane Gibbs bought the Grade II*-listed manor house in Northwold, Norfolk, after it had been neglected for 60 years. With water pouring in and roofs, ceilings, and floors collapsing, they set about rehabilitating the house, and much has been learned in the process about the construction of the manor, the families who lived in it, and its place in the history of the parish, as Chris Catling reports.
REVIEW BY KATE GILES Do secret tunnels connect the ruins of ancient castles, churches, and lost monasteries across England? Are spiral staircases designed to favour the right-handed defenders of castles against disadvantaged attackers? And what about the strange burn marks…
This image shows a castle door, which was etched with some macabre graffiti by English soldiers during the Napoleonic era. The simple wooden plank door, from the top of a remote tower in Dover Castle, was rediscovered years ago, but…
Secret tunnels are a trope of local folklore – many a town in the UK has its story about long-lost underground passages, doubtless providing the inhabitants of a monastery or castle an escape route from their confinement.
Historic Buildings & Places (HBAP) is the working name of the Ancient Monuments Society (AMS), founded in 1924 and thus celebrating its centenary this year. Giles Quarme, Chair of HBAP, explains in the spring edition of Heritage Now, the society’s…
The latest on acquisitions, exhibitions, and key decisions.
In last month’s ‘Sherds’ column, Chris Catling described the threat to the future of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), so we asked him to tell us more about the work of the Commission, as well as the heritage sector in Wales more generally. Here is his report.
Much that is done in the name of access is admirable: lectures are now broadcast to the world; collections can be searched online; journals and academic papers can be read free of charge
For the past two years, Cotswold Archaeology – led by their Senior Heritage Consultant Clive Meaton – have been working with the Tamara Landscape Partnership to survey a series of mining sites in the Tamar Valley of Cornwall and Devon,…
Rare early 16th-century wall paintings have been uncovered – for the first time in almost 300 years – in the loft space of the First Court building at Christ’s College, Cambridge. Restoration work to the 15th-century building revealed three crowned…
A round-up of some of the latest archaeology news from around the UK.
Christopher Catling, Contributing Editor for CA, delves into the eccentricities of the heritage world.
Many societies are concerned with a specific aspect of church heritage (monuments, sculptures, or wall paintings, for example) but the National Churches Trust (NCT) is arguably the most holistic, raising money for places of worship of all denominations and in…
England’s largest annual community heritage festival returns this month with a programme of activities themed around creativity, ranging from fashion and the arts to archaeological excavations and museum open days. Ceri Pennington has picked out a selection from this year’s events.
Paranormal phenomena (meaning those that can’t be explained by science) tend to be associated with old buildings. What self-respecting historical house lacks a story of somebody whose death in sudden and often tragic circumstances has left a restless spirit wandering…
When, in 1988, the National Trust for Jersey purchased a semi-derelict farmstead called Hamptonne, a detailed archaeological investigation followed as part of a seven-year restoration programme. The multi-period site, with 15th-century origins, opened to the public as the Hamptonne Country Life Museum. Building on what was learned from this project, Warwick Rodwell’s newly published research report tells us almost everything you need to know about the archaeology of vernacular houses in Jersey, as Chris Catling reports.
Christopher Catling, Contributing Editor for CA, delves into the eccentricities of the heritage world.