Richard Gough (antiquarian) facts for kids
Richard Gough (born October 21, 1735 – died February 20, 1809) was an important English historian who loved old things. People like him are called antiquarians. He was in charge of a group called the Society of Antiquaries of London for many years. He also wrote a big book about old church monuments in England. Plus, he helped translate and update a famous book called Britannia by William Camden.
He is not to be confused with another Richard Gough who wrote a "History of Myddle" in 1700.
Richard Gough's Life
Richard Gough was born in London, England. His dad, Harry Gough, was a successful businessman who worked for the British East India Company. He was also a member of Parliament, which means he helped make laws for the country.
When Richard was 16, in 1751, he went to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge university. There, he started studying the history and geography of different places in Britain. This type of study is called topography. He left Cambridge in 1756 without finishing his degree. After that, he traveled around Great Britain on many trips to study old things.
In 1767, Gough became a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London. This is a group of people who study history and old objects. He was the director of this group from 1771 to 1791. As director, he wanted the Society to publish more books and papers. He especially wanted them to record England's beautiful Gothic architecture. He also became a member of the Royal Society in 1775, which is another important group for scientists and scholars.
Richard Gough gave many of his books and old papers to the University of Oxford. These included his collections about Anglo-Saxon history and old maps. One very special item he gave was a famous medieval map of Britain. Today, this map is known as the Gough Map, named after him!
Richard Gough's Works
Richard Gough was very smart even when he was young. When he was only twelve, he translated a history of the Bible from French. His mother even printed it for their family and friends. At fifteen, he translated another book about the Israelites. When he was sixteen, he published a detailed book called Atlas Renovatus, which was about modern geography.
In 1773, he started working on an English version of William Camden's famous book, Britannia. This updated version was published in 1789, and a second edition came out in 1806.
In 1786, he published the first part of his own big work. It was called Sepulchral Monuments in Great Britain. This book looked at old tombs and monuments in churches. It used them to show the history of families, how people lived, what they wore, and the art of different times. This first part covered the first four centuries after the Norman Conquest. A second part, covering the 15th century, came out in 1796.
Gough also wrote several other books. These included A Catalogue of the Coins of Canute, King of Denmark (1777), History of Pleshey in Essex (1803), and An Account of the Coins of the Seleucidae, Kings of Syria (1804). He also wrote a history of the Society of Antiquaries of London.
