Rosemary Cramp

Dame Rosemary Jean Cramp (6 May 1929 – 27 April 2023) was a British archaeologist and academic specialising in the Anglo-Saxons. She was the first female professor appointed at Durham University and was Professor of Archaeology from 1971 to 1990. She served as president of the Society of Antiquaries of London from 2001 to 2004.

Early life and education Rosemary Jean Cramp was born on 6 May 1929 in Cranoe, Leicestershire, England. and was educated at Market Harborough Grammar, a grammar school in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. She said she always felt she was meant to be an archaeologist, wanting a detective kit for her seventh birthday.

Cramp went on to study English language and literature at St Anne's College, Oxford, During her degree, having come to the attention of archaeologist Margerie Venables Taylor, she attended the archaeological field school held at Corbridge, Northumberland, and was an active member of the Oxford University Archaeological Society. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree; as per tradition, her BA was later promoted to Master of Arts (MA Oxon). where she was a fellow and tutor of English, with a specialism in Anglo-Saxon, at St Anne's College from 1950 to 1955. The following year she, along with fellow-archaeologist Eric Birley, formally founded the new Department of Archaeology. Cramp, who specialised in Roman and Anglo-Saxon archaeology, was promoted to senior lecturer in 1966, and in 1971 became the first female professor at Durham when she was appointed Professor of Archaeology. She was head of the Department of Archaeology from 1971 until her retirement in 1990, when she was appointed professor emerita.

In 1992, she was a visiting fellow at All Souls College, Oxford.

Outside of her university work, Cramp held a number of voluntary positions. From 1975 to 1999, she served as a member of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. She was also president of the Society for Church Archaeology (1996-2000), vice-president of the Royal Archaeological Institute (1992-1997), and president of the Society of Antiquaries of London from 2001 to 2004.

Excavations at Monkwearmouth–Jarrow From 1963 to 1978, Cramp excavated at Monkwearmouth–Jarrow Abbey, Northumbria, leading the team which discovered remains of the seventh and eighth-century buildings. A final excavation occurred in 1984. Reflecting on the excavation, Cramp described the moment, saying that the shards of glass "looked like jewels lying on the ground."

The excavation reports were published in 2005 and 2006 through English Heritage. In 2012, a bid to secure the site World Heritage status was launched, but the application was later suspended. The bid described the importance of the site, noting "its direct association with Bede, Biscop and Bede's teacher Ceolfrith makes it one of the most influential monastic sites in Europe."

Cramp's Jarrow excavations led to the development of a museum and education programme, which eventually became Bede’s World. It featured an Anglo-Saxon farm with rare-breed animals, and is now known as Jarrow Hall and Bede Museum.

Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture At the same time as her excavations at Monkwearmouth-Jarrow, Cramp was helping to develop the Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture, which was launched in 1977. This is the first comprehensive catalogue of early medieval English stone sculpture (from the 7th-11th centuries). At the time of her death, it had reached 13 published volumes covering 32 English counties and including more than 3,500 sculptures. Her funeral was held at St Cuthbert's Church, Durham on 19 May 2023, with an additional memorial service held at Durham Cathedral on 14 July 2023.

Honours

On 8 January 1959, Cramp was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA) and served as President from 2001 to 2004. In 2006, she was elected Fellow of the British Academy (FBA).

Dame Iris Murdoch dedicated her 1978 novel The Sea, The Sea to Cramp.

Cramp was awarded a number of honorary degrees. She was awarded Honorary Doctor of Science degrees by Durham University in 1995, She was awarded Honorary Doctor of Letters degrees by University College Cork in June 2003 and the University of Leicester in 2004. A second honorary volume was published in 2008; edited by Catherine Karkov and Helen Damico, Æedificia nova: Studies in Honour of Rosemary Cramp focused on the art, archaeology and literature of Anglo-Saxon England, and included an article by Cramp.

Two blue plaques honouring her were unveiled in 2024, one located at Jarrow Hall; the other, at the house she lived in on Church Street, in Durham, from 1972-1988.

Selected works