Paul Ashbee

Updated on Nov 25, 2023

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Citizenship British Fields Archaeology Alma mater University of London		Died August 19, 2009 Name Paul Ashbee

Born 23 June 1918 Bearsted, near Maidstone, Kent ( 1918-06-23 ) Known for Leading authority on Neolithic and Bronze Age barrows Books Wilsford Shaft, The earthen long barrow in Britain

Fussell's Lodge Long Barrow Model

Paul Ashbee (23 June 1918 – 19 August 2009) was a leading British archaeologist, celebrated for his many excavations of barrows, or burial mounds, and for co-directing the Sutton Hoo digs (with Rupert Bruce-Mitford) from 1964 to 1972; he was perhaps less well known as president of the Just William Society, established in 1995 to celebrate the literary oeuvre of Richmal Crompton. He died of cancer on 19 August 2009, aged 91.

Personal life

An only child Paul Ashbee was born in Bearsted, near Maidstone, Kent. He made national headlines when he uncovered the remains of a Roman villa on a farm at Thurnham when still a teenager. He joined the Royal West Kent Regiment for the duration of the war, followed by the Control Commission for Germany. Although without any qualifications he studied for a diploma in European prehistoric archaeology at the University of London in 1952, followed by a diploma in education at Bristol University and a MA at Leicester University. He became an assistant history master at Britain's first comprehensive school, Forest Hill School, Forest Hill, London where he stayed until 1966. He married Richmal Disher in 1952; she was a history student and they met at a dig at Verulamium, St Albans in 1949. She was the niece, and later literary agent, of Richmal Crompton, author of the Just William stories. Both Paul and Richmal served successive terms as president of the Just William Society. Richmal died in 2005, and Paul is survived by his son and daughter.

Archaeology

Ashbee went into archaeology (during school holidays) after service in the army through the Second World War. He excavated widely across southern Britain and is best known as a leading authority on Neolithic and Bronze Age barrows. From 1976 to 1980 he was the President of the Cornwall Archaeology Society, and was also a commissioner of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England for 10 years.

Excavations

1949–50 — cemetery at Porthcressa, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

1950–52 — assistant to Rupert Bruce-Mitford on the early medieval settlement at Mawgan Porth

1955 — barrow at Tregulland, north-east of Bodmin Moor

1960 — barrow at Wilsford, Normanton Down, Wiltshire

1964–71 — co-director with Rupert Bruce-Mitford at Sutton Hoo

1970–? — replacement of the capstones of the entrance grave at Bant's Carn and the multi-period settlement at Halangy, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

Published work

Ashbee, Paul (October–November 1954). "Excavation of the Great Barrow at Bishop's Waltham: Possible Burial of a Chief". The Archaeological News Letter. Linden Publicity. 5 (6): 109–110.

Ashbee, Paul; Ashbee, Richmal C. L. (December 1954). "Excavation of a Barrow at Hindlow". The Archaeological News Letter. Linden Publicity. 5 (7): 134–135.

1960 The Bronze Age Round Barrow in Britain, Littlehampton Book Services Ltd, ISBN 978-0460076173

1970 The Earthen Long Barrow in Britain, University of Toronto Press, ISBN 978-0802015723

1974 Ancient Scilly, David & Charles, ISBN 978-0715365687

1978 The Ancient British, Geo Abstracts, ISBN 978-0860940142

1996 Halangy Down, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, Excavations 1964-1977, Cornish Archaeology No 35

2005 Kent in Prehistoric Times, The History Press, ISBN 978-0752431369