Leslie Peter Wenham"Obituary - Leslie Peter Wenham", ''The Antiquaries Journal'' 70, 528 FSA (1911 – 29 January 1990) was a British

archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

, historian, and professor who excavated in

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

, on

Hadrian's Wall Hadrian's Wall (, also known as the ''Roman Wall'', Picts' Wall, or ''Vallum Aelium'' in Latin) is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Roman Britain, Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. Ru ...

and Malton. He was the first to produce a comprehensive report of a Romano-British Cemetery. He is known for his extensive publications in archaeology. He was elected a Fellow of the

Society of Antiquaries of London The Society of Antiquaries of London (SAL) is a learned society of historians and archaeologists in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1707, received its royal charter in 1751 and is a Charitable organization, registered charity. It is based ...

in 1970. Wenham served with the

Royal Army Ordnance Corps The Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) was a corps of the British Army. At its renaming as a Royal Corps in 1918 it was both a supply and repair corps. In the supply area it had responsibility for weapons, armoured vehicles and other military equi ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Education and work

Wenham graduated from

Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...

in 1933 with an honours degree in modern history. He spent some time excavating under

Eric Birley Eric Barff Birley Housesteads Roman Fort Housesteads Roman Fort was an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall, at Housesteads, Northumberland, England. It is dramatically positioned on the end of the -long crag of the Whin Sill over which the Wall runs, overlooking sparsely populated hil ...

. During the

he served with the

. In 1951, he was appointed lecturer in history at St. John's College, York. He would later become head of the History department and remained part of the college until his retirement in 1974. Wenham was a prolific excavator in and around

, frequently publishing his excavations with the

Yorkshire Archaeological Society The Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society (YAHS), formerly known as the Yorkshire Archaeological Society, is a learned society and registered charity founded in 1863. It is dedicated to the study of the archaeology, history and people of ...

. He had a particular interest in the defences of the Fortress at

Eboracum Eboracum () was a castra, fort and later a coloniae, city in the Roman province of Roman Britain, Britannia. In its prime it was the largest town in northern Britain and a provincial capital. The site remained occupied after the decline of the ...

(modern day

). He excavated throughout the city during the 1950s, 60s and 70s, at locations including King's Square,

Davygate Davygate is a major shopping street in the city centre of York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss ...

Petergate Petergate is a street in the city centre of York, in England. It is divided into High Petergate and Low Petergate. The well-known view of the Minster from Low Petergate is described by the City of York Council as "excellent". History Petergate ...

and

St Mary Bishophill Junior, York St Mary Bishophill Junior, York is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England, in the Bishophill area of York. History The church dates from the 10th century with the oldest part being the tower, which reuses some Roman stones. ...

. His excavations at Trentholme Drive resulted in the first comprehensive report of a Romano-British Cemetery; it had been excavated as part of an archaeological investigation rather than during building work.Ottaway, P. 2004. ''Roman York'' Stroud: Tempus. pp: 18 Wenham was the editor of the ''Yorkshire Archaeological Journal'' between 1955 and 1968. He was elected a Fellow of the

on 8 January 1970. After retirement, Wenham moved to his native

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

Publications

* Wenham, L. P. 1954. 'Blossom Street Excavations 1953'. ''Yorkshire Arhchitectural and York Archaeological Society Proceedings'' Vol. 11. pp: 523-4 * Wenham, L. P. 1958. ''The History of Richmond School, Yorkshire''. Herald Press * Wenham, L. P. 1960. 'Seven archaeological discoveries in Yorkshire'. ''Yorkshire Archaeological Journal'' Vol. 40. pp: 298-328 * Wenham, L. P. 1961. 'Excavations and discoveries adjoining the south-west wall of the Roman legionary fortress in Feasegate, York, 1955-7'. ''Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 40''. pp:329-50 * Wenham, L. P. 1962 'Excavations and discoveries within the Legionary Fortress in Davygate, York, 1955-8'.''Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 40''. pp:507-87 * Wenham, L. P. 1965 'The South-West defences of the Fortress of

' in Jarrett, M. G. and Dobson, B. (eds.) ''Britain and Rome''. pp: 1-26 * Wenham, L. P. 1967 'Two Excavations: No.2 Ryethorpe Grange and Appletree Farm, York, 1959'. ''Transactions of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society'' pp: 45-60 * Wenham, L. P. 1968 'Discoveries in King's Square, York, 1963'. ''Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 42''. pp: 165-8 * Wenham. L. P. 1968. 'Fourteen Roman Finds from York'. ''Yorkshire Philosophical Society Annual Report 1968''. pp: 38-48 * Wenham, L.P., Warwick, R., Cooke, C., Rowbotham, T. C. 1968. ''The Romano-British Cemetery at Trentholme Drive, York''. Ministry of Public Building and Works Archaeological Report no. 5. London: HSMO * Wenham, L. P. 1972. 'Excavations in Low Petergate, York, 1957-8'. ''Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 44''. pp: 65-113 * Wenham, L. P., Hall, R. A., Bride, C. M., and Stocker, D. A. 1987. ''St Mary Bishophill Junior and St Mary Castlegate'' (Archaeology of York 8/2). York: Council for British Archaeology * Wenham, L. P. and Heywood, B. 1997. ''The 1968 to 1970 Excavations in the vicus at Malton, North Yorkshire'' (Yorkshire Archaeological Reports no.3). Leeds: Yorkshire Archaeological Society

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wenham, Leslie Peter 1911 births 1990 deaths Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London British historians Alumni of University College, Durham Royal Army Ordnance Corps soldiers People associated with York St John University People from Richmond, North Yorkshire 20th-century British archaeologists British Army personnel of World War II Military personnel from North Yorkshire

Education and work

Publications

See also

References