Seeking The Saxon Shore with Dr Maxwell Craven
In the later third century AD, the outer reaches of the Roman empire were being threatened on all sides by hostile powers. Along the southern and eastern coasts of Britain, a series of ten, possibly twelve, vast fortified enclosures were built beside strategic harbours to defend against external threats, mainly from Germanic marauders.
Through sixteen centuries, impressive vestiges of most of them have survived, although three have vanished virtually without trace. Several became the sites of Norman castles; others have associations with early Christianity; all have a story to tell.
Taking the story from the colossal surviving fort at Portchester in Hampshire to the empty, windswept site of Brancaster on the north Norfolk coast, Seeking the Saxon Shore is an introduction to exploring these ancient sites and for bringing them to life; acting as a practical guide to locate and access them. In describing the origins of the forts, their ancient settings, their functions and subsequent histories, this talk will enable us, in the modern landscape, to recognise and visualise the distant past.
The talk is based on a book, Seeking the Saxon Shore which is a Roman-themed voyage of discovery undertaken by Max and Carole Craven in June 2017, taking in the more obscure sections of the southern and eastern coasts of England interspersed with sections on basic facts, location, access and contact details of each, interspersed with enjoyable non-Romam interludes.
Copies of the book will be available at the talk.
About Dr. Maxwell Craven
Dr. Maxwell Craven was born in London, educated in the West Country, at the Universities of Nottingham and Leicester and brought up in North Wales and southwest Herefordshire. He came to Derby first in 1966, took his degree at Nottingham University, which he followed by qualifying as a teacher in 1974 and then studying for an MPhil in Roman Prosopography at Leicester, the latter whilst working as Keeper of Education at Derby Museum. He spent 18 years as Keeper of Antiquities, and was instrumental; in suggesting the purchase of Pickfords House for adaption as a Museum of the Enlightenment and it was, from its acquisition in 1984 until 1988 part of the Antiquities department when it made a separate entity. He oversaw the re-display of the Archaeology Gallery in 1984, and curated exhibitions on Derby Clockmaking, Robert Bakewell, and Derbyshire Country Houses. He undertook three archaeological excavations for the Museum and liaised closely with Professor Martin Biddle during the long excavations at Repton. In 1982 he was appointed Derby Cathedral Archaeologist. He lectured widely during this period, published the first edition of his monograph on John Whitehurst FRS in 1996 but was made redundant by the City Council in 1998.
He then spent a decade writing a twice weekly heritage page for the Derby Telegraph and working (as he still does) as a part time valuer at Bamfords Auctioneers and writing heritage statements for historic buildings.
He wrote his first book about Derby with senior colleague Roy Hughes in 1980 and has since written over thirty others, mainly about Derby but three about Roman History, most recently Magnus Maximus: A Forgotten Roman Emperor and his Legacy (2023). He also writes family histories to order. The University of Derby in 2013 awarded him a DLitt. With Derby Museum geologist Michael Stanley he wrote The Derbyshire Country House in 1982, which ran to three editions, and his new Lost Houses of Derbyshire is due out in April from Amberley. He has contributed to various learned journals on architectural history, as well as having written for numerous magazines, including Country Life, Derbyshire Life and Country Images.
Maxwell Craven lives in Derby with his wife, Carole, who drives him everywhere, dispenses excellent advice and frequently collaborates on the creation of magazine articles and they have a daughter, who also makes her living writing. He became AMA in 1986, was made MBE and elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1999 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2015. He was twice chairman of the Friends of Derby Museum after 1998, is currently chairman of the Cathedral Fabric Advisory Committee and has twice served as chairman of Derby Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee.
Suitable for adults.
Booking essential.
Suggested donation 5 / FREE to Derby Museums Friends.
Accessibility at Derby Museums [https://derbymuseums.org/accessibility/]
Through sixteen centuries, impressive vestiges of most of them have survived, although three have vanished virtually without trace. Several became the sites of Norman castles; others have associations with early Christianity; all have a story to tell.
Taking the story from the colossal surviving fort at Portchester in Hampshire to the empty, windswept site of Brancaster on the north Norfolk coast, Seeking the Saxon Shore is an introduction to exploring these ancient sites and for bringing them to life; acting as a practical guide to locate and access them. In describing the origins of the forts, their ancient settings, their functions and subsequent histories, this talk will enable us, in the modern landscape, to recognise and visualise the distant past.
The talk is based on a book, Seeking the Saxon Shore which is a Roman-themed voyage of discovery undertaken by Max and Carole Craven in June 2017, taking in the more obscure sections of the southern and eastern coasts of England interspersed with sections on basic facts, location, access and contact details of each, interspersed with enjoyable non-Romam interludes.
Copies of the book will be available at the talk.
About Dr. Maxwell Craven
Dr. Maxwell Craven was born in London, educated in the West Country, at the Universities of Nottingham and Leicester and brought up in North Wales and southwest Herefordshire. He came to Derby first in 1966, took his degree at Nottingham University, which he followed by qualifying as a teacher in 1974 and then studying for an MPhil in Roman Prosopography at Leicester, the latter whilst working as Keeper of Education at Derby Museum. He spent 18 years as Keeper of Antiquities, and was instrumental; in suggesting the purchase of Pickfords House for adaption as a Museum of the Enlightenment and it was, from its acquisition in 1984 until 1988 part of the Antiquities department when it made a separate entity. He oversaw the re-display of the Archaeology Gallery in 1984, and curated exhibitions on Derby Clockmaking, Robert Bakewell, and Derbyshire Country Houses. He undertook three archaeological excavations for the Museum and liaised closely with Professor Martin Biddle during the long excavations at Repton. In 1982 he was appointed Derby Cathedral Archaeologist. He lectured widely during this period, published the first edition of his monograph on John Whitehurst FRS in 1996 but was made redundant by the City Council in 1998.
He then spent a decade writing a twice weekly heritage page for the Derby Telegraph and working (as he still does) as a part time valuer at Bamfords Auctioneers and writing heritage statements for historic buildings.
He wrote his first book about Derby with senior colleague Roy Hughes in 1980 and has since written over thirty others, mainly about Derby but three about Roman History, most recently Magnus Maximus: A Forgotten Roman Emperor and his Legacy (2023). He also writes family histories to order. The University of Derby in 2013 awarded him a DLitt. With Derby Museum geologist Michael Stanley he wrote The Derbyshire Country House in 1982, which ran to three editions, and his new Lost Houses of Derbyshire is due out in April from Amberley. He has contributed to various learned journals on architectural history, as well as having written for numerous magazines, including Country Life, Derbyshire Life and Country Images.
Maxwell Craven lives in Derby with his wife, Carole, who drives him everywhere, dispenses excellent advice and frequently collaborates on the creation of magazine articles and they have a daughter, who also makes her living writing. He became AMA in 1986, was made MBE and elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1999 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2015. He was twice chairman of the Friends of Derby Museum after 1998, is currently chairman of the Cathedral Fabric Advisory Committee and has twice served as chairman of Derby Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee.
Suitable for adults.
Booking essential.
Suggested donation 5 / FREE to Derby Museums Friends.
Accessibility at Derby Museums [https://derbymuseums.org/accessibility/]
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