The Buildings Archaeologist with Dr James Wright
The Brampton Museum, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, ST5 0QP
Thursday 26th November 2026 2:30PM
The Buildings Archaeologist
Why do we know so little about the ancient buildings which surround our everyday lives?
Britain can be justifiably proud of approximately 500,000 listed buildings. Yet as many as 60% may have been identified incorrectly. Behind a Victorian façade is a Tudor house. Underneath a Georgian frontage is a mediaeval cottage. What is now a farm was once a castle. Many buildings, hundreds of years old, are entirely unlisted.
How can a nation, so obsessed with history, have missed so many ancient buildings?
The Buildings Archaeologist is the first book in over a quarter of a century which offers clues for discovering the secrets of Britain’s ancient buildings. It looks at the ways in which historic architecture has been observed, studied, and conserved. The puzzles surrounding why some buildings were listed and others overlooked will be solved. It acts as a field guide to the written records, tree-ring dating, and archaeology which help us to investigate the age, development, and social history of ancient buildings. These include houses, castles, churches, mills, factories, and warehouses hidden in plain sight.
With over a quarter of a century of field experience, James Wright explains the fascinating, enigmatic, and surprising world of The Buildings Archaeologist.
This talk coincides with the publication of James's new book, The Buildings Archaeologist, which will be on sale at the event!
Why do we know so little about the ancient buildings which surround our everyday lives?
Britain can be justifiably proud of approximately 500,000 listed buildings. Yet as many as 60% may have been identified incorrectly. Behind a Victorian façade is a Tudor house. Underneath a Georgian frontage is a mediaeval cottage. What is now a farm was once a castle. Many buildings, hundreds of years old, are entirely unlisted.
How can a nation, so obsessed with history, have missed so many ancient buildings?
The Buildings Archaeologist is the first book in over a quarter of a century which offers clues for discovering the secrets of Britain’s ancient buildings. It looks at the ways in which historic architecture has been observed, studied, and conserved. The puzzles surrounding why some buildings were listed and others overlooked will be solved. It acts as a field guide to the written records, tree-ring dating, and archaeology which help us to investigate the age, development, and social history of ancient buildings. These include houses, castles, churches, mills, factories, and warehouses hidden in plain sight.
With over a quarter of a century of field experience, James Wright explains the fascinating, enigmatic, and surprising world of The Buildings Archaeologist.
This talk coincides with the publication of James's new book, The Buildings Archaeologist, which will be on sale at the event!
Event Details
Starts at 2:30PM
