I Dig Sheffield | Digging Around Sheffield and the Peaks

Biography of Thomas Bateman published

The Barrow Knight: a life of Thomas Bateman, archaeologist and collector (1821 – 61) by Barry Marsden
Thomas Bateman is an important character in the history of archaeology in Derbyshire and the Peak District. He is also important to the story of the archaeology collections at Weston Park Museum.

Thomas Bateman was the first person to undertake systematic excavation of barrows in Derbyshire, during the 1840s and 1850s. He also collected archaeological material from other parts of the Peak District and from further afield. All this material was displayed in his own museum, at his home at Lomberdale House in Middleton-by-Youlgreave in Derbyshire. He published two important books on the archaeology of the area, as well as a catalogue of his collections.

After his death, the archaeological material from the Peak District was acquired by Weston Park Museum. It is still an important part of its collections today, and crucial to our understanding of Derbyshire’s past. Many of the objects featured on this website were excavated by Bateman. The museum also holds many of his papers and letters in its archives, which reveal a life of scandal and ill health, and provide glimpses into the politics of mid -Victorian archaeology. Now for the first time, a biography of this remarkable man is available.

Its author, Barry Marsden, has studied Bateman’s life and achievements for over 40 years. He has re-excavated several of Bateman’s barrows and studied the Bateman papers in the museum for his M. Phil. His unique knowledge of the man and his times makes him the ideal guide. The book is published by Bannister Publications of Chesterfield (ISBN 0-9509999-5-4) and costs £19.95.

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