Rosemary Cramp facts for kids

Dame Rosemary Jean Cramp (born May 6, 1929 – died April 2023) was a British archaeologist. She was an expert in the history of the Anglo-Saxons. She made history as the first female professor at Durham University. She held the title of Professor of Archaeology from 1971 to 1990. She also led the Society of Antiquaries of London as its president from 2001 to 2004.

Early Life and Education

Rosemary Jean Cramp was born on May 6, 1929, in Cranoe, England. She grew up on her father's farm in Leicestershire. She went to Market Harborough Grammar School. When she was just 12 years old, she found proof of a Roman villa on her family's land.

Cramp later studied English language and literature at St Anne's College, Oxford. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Later, her BA was changed to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon), which is a tradition there. She continued her studies at St Anne's. In 1950, she completed a postgraduate Bachelor of Letters (BLitt) degree. Her research looked at how archaeological finds could help understand Old English poetry.

Academic Career and Discoveries

Rosemary Cramp started her teaching career at the University of Oxford. She was a fellow and tutor in English at St Anne's College from 1950 to 1955.

In 1955, she moved to Durham University. She became a lecturer in archaeology there. The Department of Archaeology was officially started the next year. It focused on Roman and Anglo-Saxon archaeology. She was promoted to senior lecturer in 1966. In 1971, she became the first female professor at Durham University. She retired in 1990 and was given the title of professor emerita. After she retired, the Rosemary Cramp Fund was created. This fund celebrates people who help with archaeology and heritage in Britain and Ireland.

Outside of her university work, she held many volunteer roles. She was a member of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. She also served as a trustee for the British Museum. She was part of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England. She also chaired the Archaeology Data Service.

Cramp held many important positions in academic groups. She was President of the Council for British Archaeology. She was also President of the Society for Church Archaeology. From 2001 to 2004, she was president of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Rosemary Cramp also appeared on TV and radio. In 1958, she was a guest on the game show Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?. In 2007, she was an expert guest on the radio show In Our Time, discussing the life of St. Hilda.

Excavations at Monkwearmouth–Jarrow

From 1963 to 1978, Cramp led important excavations at Monkwearmouth–Jarrow Abbey in Northumbria. Her team found parts of buildings from the 7th and 8th centuries. Another excavation happened in 1984. At the same time, Cramp helped create the Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture. This was published by Durham University.

Before these excavations, not much was known about the actual buildings. We only had written records from Bede. During the digs, some of the earliest stained glass in Britain was found. This glass is the largest collection of 7th and 8th-century stained glass in Western Europe. Cramp said the glass shards "looked like jewels lying on the ground." Her excavations also showed later communities lived on the site from the 11th to the 16th century.

The reports about these excavations were published in 2005 and 2006. In 2012, there was an effort to make the site a World Heritage Site. This bid said the site was very important. It noted its connection to Bede, Biscop, and Ceolfrith. This made it one of the most important monastic sites in Europe.

Honours and Awards

Rosemary Cramp received many honours for her work. On January 8, 1959, she became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA). In 2006, she was elected a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA). In 2008, she was given the Gold Medal of the Society of Antiquaries of London. This award is for great contributions to archaeology.

In 1987, Cramp was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 2011, she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This was for her services to scholarship.

Cramp also received several honorary degrees. She was awarded Honorary Doctor of Science degrees by Durham University, the University of Bradford, and the University of Cambridge. She also received Honorary Doctor of Letters degrees from University College Cork and the University of Leicester.

In 2001, a special book called a Festschrift was published in her honour. It was titled Image and Power in the Archaeology of Early Medieval Britain: Essays in Honour of Rosemary Cramp. Another honorary book was published in 2008. It focused on Anglo-Saxon art, archaeology, and literature.

Death

Dame Rosemary Cramp passed away in April 2023. She was 93 years old.