BBC History UK 04.2020

GETTY IMAGES/WAKEFIELD COUNCIL/DURHAM UNIVERSITY-RAH PETHERBRIDGE/REUTERS →

NAVAL HISTORY

The mastermind behind the

evacuation of Dunkirk is to be

honoured with a new museum.

Scottish Borders Council has

approved plans for a garden

store at the Coldstream home

of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay

(above) to be converted into

an attraction exploring his life.

ROMAN VILLAS

The remains of a recently

discovered Roman villa have

been saved after 6,000 people

signed a petition to stop them

being damaged by developers.

Bovis Homes has agreed to

‘replan’ its new estate in Cam,

Gloucestershire so the remains

are not covered by housing.

A GOOD MONTH FOR...

A BAD MONTH FOR...

ANCIENT GRAFFITI

An archaeologist who claimed

to have found the earliest known

depictions of Christ’s crucifixion

is standing trial in Spain accused

of forgery. Some experts believe

that the ancient ‘graffiti’ on

items discovered by Eliseo Gil

are historically inaccurate fakes.

A selection of the stories

hitting the history

headlines

HISTORY IN THE NEWS

Rare

gaming

piece found

on Lindisfarne

A piece from a 1,200-year-old

board game has been unearthed on

the island of Lindisfarne, Northumber-

land. The blue glass artefact, topped with a

white ‘crown’, was found during a community

archaeology dig on the site of the island’s monastery,

which was raided by the Vikings in AD 793. You can listen to

an extended discussion about the discovery on our podcast at

historyextra.com/lindisfarne-podcast

Prized sculpture located on top of cupboard

A ‘lost’ 15th-century sculpture has unexpectedly been

discovered at a National Trust property in Cambridgeshire.

The walnut bust, depicting St Agnes holding a lamb,

was found on top of a cupboard at Anglesey

Abbey as part of a Trust-wide cataloguing

project. Carved by the Dutch sculptor

Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden, the

artwork was one of four busts

that adorned a church in

Wissembourg,

France.

BP

protest

strikes

museum

Hundreds of

eco-activists took part in

a weekend of protests

calling for the British Museum to

sever its sponsorship ties with oil

giant BP. Organised by pressure group

BP or Not BP?, the demonstrations on

7–9 February saw protesters occupy the

main courtyard with a Trojan Horse –

a reference to the BP-sponsored

Troy: Myth and Reality

exhibition.

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

An 1806–12 diary belonging to Matthew

Tomlinson, now in the collections of Wakefield

Library, West Yorkshire; the glass gaming

piece recently unearthed on Lindisfarne; the

‘lost’ carving of St Agnes found at Anglesey

Abbey; protesters dressed as Trojan warriors

outside the British Museum on 8 February

Diary sheds

light on gay views

A diary entry penned by a farmer

in 1810 suggests Georgian Britons may

have been more tolerant of homosexuality

than previously thought, say historians.

Writing about a sodomy trial reported in

the press, Matthew Tomlinson

argues that it “seems cruel” to

punish people for something

decided by “nature”. The

entry was found by

student Eamonn

O’Keeffe at

Wakefield

Library.

GETTY IMAGES/WAKEFIELD COUNCIL/DURHAM UNIVERSITY-RAH PETHERBRIDGE/REUTERS

NAVALHISTORY

Themastermindbehindthe

evacuationof Dunkirkis to be

honouredwith a new museum.

ScottishBordersCouncilhas

approvedplansfor a garden

storeat the Coldstreamhome

of AdmiralSir BertramRamsay

(above)to beconvertedinto

an attractionexploringhis life.

ROMANVILLAS

The remainsof a recently

discoveredRomanvillahave

beensavedafter6,000people

signeda petitionto stopthem

beingdamagedby developers.

BovisHomeshas agreedto

‘replan’its new estatein Cam,

Gloucestershiresotheremains

arenot coveredby housing.

A GOOD MONTH FOR...

A BAD MONTH FOR...

ANCIENTGRAFFITI

Anarchaeologistwhoclaimed

to havefoundthe earliestknown

depictionsof Christ’scrucifixion

is standingtrialin Spainaccused

of forgery.Someexpertsbelieve

thatthe ancient‘graffiti’on

itemsdiscoveredbyEliseoGil

are historically inaccurate fakes.

A selectionofthestories

hittingthehistory

headlines

HISTORY IN THE NEWS

Rare

gaming

piecefound

onLindisfarne

A piecefroma 1,200-year-old

boardgamehasbeenunearthedon

theislandof Lindisfarne,Northumber-

land.Theblueglassartefact,toppedwitha

white‘crown’,wasfoundduringa community

archaeologydigonthesiteof theisland’smonastery,

whichwasraidedbytheVikingsin AD793.Youcanlistento

anextendeddiscussionaboutthediscovery on our podcast at

historyextra.com/lindisfarne-podcast

Prizedsculpturelocatedontopof cupboard

A ‘lost’15th-centurysculpturehasunexpectedlybeen

discoveredat a NationalTrustpropertyin Cambridgeshire.

Thewalnutbust,depictingStAgnesholdinga lamb,

wasfoundontopof a cupboardat Anglesey

Abbeyaspartof a Trust-widecataloguing

project.CarvedbytheDutchsculptor

NiclausGerhaertvonLeyden,the

artworkwasoneof fourbusts

thatadorneda churchin

Wissembourg,

France.

BP

protest

strikes

museum

Hundredsof

eco-activiststookpartin

a weekendof protests

callingfortheBritishMuseumto

severitssponsorshiptieswithoil

giantBP.Organisedbypressuregroup

BPorNotBP?,thedemonstrationson

7–9Februarysawprotestersoccupythe

maincourtyardwitha TrojanHorse–

a referenceto theBP-sponsored

Troy:MythandReality

exhibition.

FROMTOPTOBOTTOM:

An1806–12diarybelongingto Matthew

Tomlinson,now in the collectionsof Wakefield

Library,WestYorkshire;theglassgaming

piecerecentlyunearthedonLindisfarne;the

‘lost’carvingof StAgnesfoundat Anglesey

Abbey;protestersdressedasTrojanwarriors

outside the British Museum on 8 February

Diarysheds

lightongayviews

A diaryentrypennedbya farmer

in 1810suggestsGeorgianBritonsmay

havebeenmoretolerantof homosexuality

thanpreviouslythought,sayhistorians.

Writingabouta sodomytrialreportedin

thepress,MatthewTomlinson

arguesthatit “seemscruel”to

punishpeopleforsomething

decidedby“nature”.The

entrywasfoundby

studentEamonn

O’Keeffeat

Wakefield

Library.