Ernest Greenfield
Encyclopedia
Ernest Greenfield was a British
archaeologist
. He served with the Royal Air Force
during the Second World War
. During war service he became friends with Philip Rahtz
who persuaded Greenfield to take up professional archaeology. His excavations included the Great Witcombe Roman Villa, Gloucestershire
(1960–1973), and Chew Valley Lake
, north Somerset
(1953). Greenfield grew up in Sidcup, Kent and was a schoolboy when he set out to single-handedly excavate a Roman site at Horwood's Pit, St. Pauls Cray, whilst gravel extraction operations were being carried out in the 1930s. He was not popular with the gravel company, and subsequently contacted A.H.A. Hogg for help in the investigations. Hogg later drew up a plan of the site, and sought further help for Greenfield from Norman Cook at Maidstone Museum. In a letter to Cook, preserved at the museum, Hogg stated that Greenfield 'had the right ideas, but was discouraged 'after having lost his finds and site notes off the back of his motorbike!' Later Greenfield set up a local archaeological group which discovered many new sites including the famous Lullingstone Villa.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
archaeologist
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
. He served with the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During war service he became friends with Philip Rahtz
Philip Rahtz
Philip Arthur Rahtz was a British archaeologist.Rahtz was born in Bristol. After leaving Bristol Grammar School, he became an accountant before serving with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. During war service, Rahtz became friends with the archaeologist Ernest Greenfield...
who persuaded Greenfield to take up professional archaeology. His excavations included the Great Witcombe Roman Villa, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
(1960–1973), and Chew Valley Lake
Chew Valley Lake
Chew Valley Lake is a large reservoir in the Chew Valley, Somerset, England, and the fifth-largest artificial lake in the United Kingdom , with an area of 1,200 acres...
, north Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
(1953). Greenfield grew up in Sidcup, Kent and was a schoolboy when he set out to single-handedly excavate a Roman site at Horwood's Pit, St. Pauls Cray, whilst gravel extraction operations were being carried out in the 1930s. He was not popular with the gravel company, and subsequently contacted A.H.A. Hogg for help in the investigations. Hogg later drew up a plan of the site, and sought further help for Greenfield from Norman Cook at Maidstone Museum. In a letter to Cook, preserved at the museum, Hogg stated that Greenfield 'had the right ideas, but was discouraged 'after having lost his finds and site notes off the back of his motorbike!' Later Greenfield set up a local archaeological group which discovered many new sites including the famous Lullingstone Villa.