Glastonbury has a knack of attracting stories. It is a place where legends of a once and future king and feet in ancient time provide a beguiling backdrop to remarkable archaeological remains. The ruins of Glastonbury Abbey enticed a succession of investigators in the 20th century, but all of them left their endeavours incompletely published. Now a major project has tackled this backlog, and proved that fact can be every bit as fascinating as folklore.
In contrast, Apethorpe languished in obscurity for most of the 20th century. This country house gradually mouldered until it was taken into state care in 2004. Since then, study has revealed a residence fit for royalty, where a queen dined, and a king cavorted in the cellar.
Even well-known sites can still have secrets to share. Recent geophysical survey at Durrington Walls revealed that a handful of post-pits known from earlier investigations formed part of a gigantic monument. It stood for about 50 years before being dismantled and replaced by the famous henge.
The Roman townhouse that once stood at Lime Street in London was also demolished so that it could be replaced by a massive structure, in this case a new forum. Amid the rubble, archaeologists found a substantial chunk of a fresco that gives a glimpse of London’s polychrome past.
Finally, this issue ushers in the latest addition to the CA magazine typology, which I think we should call the Type 320. We hope that youlike the new look, and enjoy the extra features.
Matt Symonds
IN THIS ISSUE:/n
FEATURES/n
GLASTONBURY ABBEY/n
The archaeological story
Attracted by its reputation as the mythical burial placeof King Arthur and the earliest Christian church inBritain, archaeologists have excavated at GlastonburyAbbey for generations. We take a look at their workand new evidence from the sacred site.
BECAUSE I’M WORTH IT/n
Apethorpe preserved
The great Northamptonshire country house ofApethorpe was rescued from dereliction by the statesome ten years ago. We follow its story from theoriginal 15th-century building to its recent restoration.
RETHINKING DURRINGTON WALLS/n
A long-lost monument revealedbeneath a famous henge
Ongoing fileldwork at Durrington Walls has revealed thepresence of a palisaded enclosure beneath the banksof the famous Neolithic henge. What can we learn fromthis previously unknown monument and its demise?
THE LIME STREET FRESCO/n
Revealing Roman London’spolychrome past
How does a fragment of painted wall plaster fromLondinium fit in with decorative trends from acrossthe empire? We examine this Roman status symbol.
WAR AND PEACE/n
Saving the cell walls at Richmond Castle
A project is underway to record and researchthe fragile graffiti in Richmond Castle’s cell block.What does the writing on the wall reveal aboutthe conscientious objectors held there duringthe First World War?
NEWS/n
Norman mottes: not all they seem; Teesside’s oldesthouse; Record-breaking bullets at Burnswark; Mysteryannexed at Camelon Roman fort; Colourful lives ofLincoln priests revealed; Staffordshire Hoard enters nextstage; Plague DNA identified; Reading Abbey: first clues;Identifying Britain’s last hunter-gatherers; Finds tray
REGULARS/n
Comment
Joe Flatman excavates the CA archive
Context
Virtual visiting on the Antonine Wall
Reviews
The Small Isles; Art of the Islands; Ritual in EarlyBronze Age Grave Goods; Stepney Green; A MosaicMenagerie; The Neolithic of Mainland Scotland
Museum
The Mary Rose revisited
Confernece
A round-up of what happened at Hadrian’s Wall:40 years of frontier research
Sherds
Chris Catling’s irreverent take onheritage issues
Odd Socs
TheScythe Association