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Ben Cunnington

1861 – 1950

British archaeologist

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About Ben Cunnington

Lived 1861 – 1950 (aged 88–89). Ben Cunnington was an anthropologist, archaeologist and prehistorian.

Edward Benjamin Howard Cunnington (1861–1950), was a British archaeologist most famous for his work on prehistoric sites and features in Wiltshire, England. He was the great-grandson of the famous antiquarian William Cunnington, and the fourth generation of his family to work recording and preserving Wiltshire's past.

The son of Henry Cunnington, a wine merchant, and his wife, Benjamin worked as a journalist before joining his father's business. For sixty years he served as the unpaid honorary curator of Devizes Museum.

In 1889, he married Maud Pegge. They had one son, Edward, who was killed in the First World War.

The couple devoted their lives to archaeology in Wiltshire, carrying out formal excavations at highly significant sites. The Cunningtons carried out excavations at some of the most important sites in British archaeology. These included the first known Neolithic causewayed enclosure at Knap Hill, the Iron Age village at All Cannings Cross, West Kennet Long Barrow, Woodhenge, (which they named) and The Sanctuary. This last monument they rediscovered, as it had been lost since William Stukeley saw it in the eighteenth century. The Cunningtons bought the properties underlying Woodhenge and The Sanctuary, and donated the sites and features to the nation.

Cunnington died in 1950; his wife Maud died in 1951.

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Important facts

Born
1861
Birth century
Died
1950
Positions held
Curator
Also known as
Edward Benjamin Howard Cunnington, E. B. H. Cunnington, E B H Cunnington, Edward Cunnington, Ben Cunnington, Captain Cunnington
moreBH Cunnington

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Ben Cunnington's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Ben Cunnington?

British archaeologist (1861-1950)

When was Ben Cunnington born?

Ben Cunnington was born in 1861.

When did Ben Cunnington die?

Ben Cunnington died in 1950.

What was Ben Cunnington's occupation?

Ben Cunnington was an anthropologist, archaeologist and prehistorian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Ben Cunnington

· Wikidata: Q4885489

· DBpedia: Ben Cunnington (archaeologist)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ben Cunnington. https://biography.guide/ben-cunnington-anthropologist/

MLA: "Ben Cunnington." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ben-cunnington-anthropologist/.

Chicago: "Ben Cunnington." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ben-cunnington-anthropologist/.

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