Monthly Archives: February 2014

Holy Islands (hidden bits of)

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Francis Pryor

This coming Sunday (March 2nd), at 8.00 PM on Channel 4 we’re going to be shown the latest of the Time Team documentaries we filmed last summer. They were fun to shoot, but I must admit I very much missed … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Broadcasting, Time Team | Tagged defences, holy island, lindisfarne, lindisfarne priory, low hauxley, shooters hill, Time Team, World War II | Leave a comment

Egg on Face…

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Francis Pryor

A charming reporter from the National Geographic phoned me this evening. She wanted to do a piece on Stonehenge and the new visitor centre for their travel supplement. Suitably flattered I said something gracious and then started to answer her … Continue reading →

Posted in books | Tagged Britain BC, English Heritage, National Geographic, Stonehenge | Leave a comment

New Directions: Two Very Original Books on Archaeology

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Francis Pryor

One consequence of the general ‘dumbing-down’ that is such a sad feature of so much modern marketing is that one rarely comes across anything interesting to read in an English Heritage or National Trust bookshop. Site guidebooks aside, it’s just … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, books | Tagged Alan Cadbury, Group VI, Mark Edmonds, neolithic, Pagan Britain, polished stone axes, ritual, Ronald Hutton, Rose Ferraby, Stonework, tuff | Leave a comment

More Words on the Weirdness of the Season

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Francis Pryor

At last I now understand why politicians have invented Quangos (Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organizations). It is of course to avoid blame. More to the point it’s to avoid having to make long-term decisions. So you tie the Quangos’ hands with stupid … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Tirades | Tagged David Austin roses, Environment Agency, fens, flooding, Iris unguicularis, roses, Somerset Levels | Leave a comment

At Last, Signs of Change

Posted on February 8, 2014 by Francis Pryor

What a weird winter we’ve been having so far. In December we had those terrible storms down the east coast, and now poor old Somerset and the West Country are facing a terrible onslaught. Yet still many people confidently assert … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | Tagged aconites, climate change, hellebores, snowdrops, weather | Leave a comment

Of This, of That (and the Other)

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Francis Pryor

Living as I do a mere metre and a half above sea level (which at this time of year means several metres below high tide levels), I was astonished to hear that the chairman of the Environment Agency has written in … Continue reading →