John Skinner (archaeologist)
Encyclopedia
The Rev.
John Skinner (1772 – 1839) was a parish vicar
and amateur antiquarian
and archaeologist operating mainly in the area of Bath and the villages of northern Somerset
in the early nineteenth century.
and educated at Oxford
, before becoming vicar of Camerton, Somerset
from 1800 to 1839. He excavated numerous antiquities, especially barrows, such as those at Priddy
and Stoney Littleton
; and he made visits for antiquarian purposes to many places.
. He also left other manuscripts (The Diary Junction), and published accounts of a West Country
tour (1797), Hadrian's Wall
(1801) and the isle of Anglesey
(1802).
His tour of Wales in 1835, when he was 63, now consists of 4 bound volumes comprising descriptive text (rather difficult to read) and nearly 750 sketches, an average of 15 a day, starting with coastal scenes taken when on the packet from Bristol to Swansea, landscapes, castles, abbeys, cromlechs, inscribed stones and towns, but rarely mansions. His obsession with Roman roads is reflected in the illustrations – any road which was reasonably straight was sketched and commented on.
by shooting himself in 1839, despite which he may have been buried in consecrated ground at Camerton.
The Reverend
The Reverend is a style most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style but is often and in some dictionaries called a...
John Skinner (1772 – 1839) was a parish vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
and amateur antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
and archaeologist operating mainly in the area of Bath and the villages of northern 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...
in the early nineteenth century.
Life
Skinner was born in ClavertonClaverton, Somerset
Claverton is a small village and civil parish about east of Bath at the southern end of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in Somerset, England...
and educated at Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, before becoming vicar of Camerton, Somerset
Camerton, Somerset
Camerton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, south west of Bath, lying on the Cam Brook. The parish has a population of 660.-History:...
from 1800 to 1839. He excavated numerous antiquities, especially barrows, such as those at Priddy
Priddy
Priddy is a village in Somerset, England in the Mendip Hills, close to East Harptree and north-west of Wells. It is in the local government district of Mendip....
and Stoney Littleton
Stoney Littleton Long Barrow
The Stoney Littleton Long Barrow is a Neolithic chambered tomb with multiple burial chambers, located near the village of Wellow, Somerset. It is an example of the Severn-Cotswold tomb....
; and he made visits for antiquarian purposes to many places.
Writings
His journals (1803-34), published many years after his death, are reckoned to be an important historical document, and they are preserved at the British LibraryBritish Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
. He also left other manuscripts (The Diary Junction), and published accounts of a West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
tour (1797), Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
(1801) and the isle of Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
(1802).
His tour of Wales in 1835, when he was 63, now consists of 4 bound volumes comprising descriptive text (rather difficult to read) and nearly 750 sketches, an average of 15 a day, starting with coastal scenes taken when on the packet from Bristol to Swansea, landscapes, castles, abbeys, cromlechs, inscribed stones and towns, but rarely mansions. His obsession with Roman roads is reflected in the illustrations – any road which was reasonably straight was sketched and commented on.
Death
Skinner committed suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by shooting himself in 1839, despite which he may have been buried in consecrated ground at Camerton.
External links
- Rev. John Skinner at Somerset.gov.uk, accessed 11/05/2007
- Details of archives containing Skinner's papers, accessed 11/05/2007
- Details of Radstock Museum Exhibits, accessed 25/07/2008
- "The Good Man of Camerton", a recent (2009) novel based on John Skinner's life, by Gillian Garnham, accessed 24/11/2009 (Review, accessed 24/11/2009)