Last updated March 2010
Titles from 2009
Great houses, moats and mills on the south bank of the Thames: medieval and Tudor Southwark and Rotherhithe by Simon Blatherwick, Richard Bluer
…the story emerging from these collated backlog reports, of a riverside where great houses stood alongside tidal mills, docks and wharves, advances our understanding of London’s south bank.
Paul Stamper in British Archaeology 2009
Roman Southwark settlement and economy: excavations in Southwark 1973–91 by Carrie Cowan, Fiona Seeley, Angela Wardle, Andrew Westman and Lucy Wheeler
…this book is to be welcomed as a substantial introduction to an important body of information.
David Bird in British Archaeology 2010
Titles from 2008
London’s Roman amphitheatre: Guildhall Yard, City of London by Nick Bateman, Carrie Cowan and Robin Wroe-Brown
Among the unending stream of major new discoveries from Roman London, that of the amphitheatre stands out. Its importance lies not just in confirmation that Londininum boasted such a structure but in the quality of preservation, particularly of wooden structures; the associated finds give insights into the monument and the way it was used which have relevance far beyond Britain itself. … The quality of the preserved woodwork, beautifully illustrated with photographs and line drawings, is stunning. … This superbly illustrated report, packed with so much new knowledge, is a must for all Romanists.
Michael Fulford in British Archaeology 2009
The results of this work are now reported in an exemplary monograph…. The evidence from which the sequence is deduced is complicated, but the authors’ exposition is admirably lucid and thorough. Copious illustrations, both coloured and half-tone, clarify the text.
Roger Ling in Antiquaries Journal 2009
This is a beautifully designed book and competitively priced, given its hardback format and the scale of colour reproduction throughout. The use of colour in the book is extremely good: in particular, it provides excellent clarity for the many drawings. The photographs of the site and the material culture also benefit from the use of colour, giving the book a very attractive look and helping considerably to convey the detail of the site. There is no doubt that this discovery makes a major contribution to our understanding of Londinium and this volume presents the evidence clearly and in depth.
Tim Williams in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
St Marylebone Church and burial ground in the 18th to 19th centuries: excavations at St Marylebone School, 1992 and 2004–6 by Adrian Miles, Natasha Powers, Robin Wroe-Brown, with Don Walker
The great strength of this book is to marry archaeological and documentary investigation (especially coffin breast plates and wills), contextualizing the skeletons against their social background. This study is exemplary in its rigour, production and price.
Roger Bowdler in British Archaeology 2009
At less than £20 for a 172-page hardback it is exceptionally good value for money.
Bill White in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
The Black Death cemetery, East Smithfield, London by Ian Grainger, Duncan Hawkins, Lynne Cowal and Richard Mikulski
This short yet elegant monograph reports on the archaeological evidence for what was probably the contingency response of Edward III himself: the acquisition of the two areas for mass burials in East and West Smithfield…. Internationally important.
Paul Stamper in British Archaeology 2009
…The supporting illustrations are all of high quality. This monograph will be a very useful addition to the ‘Black Death’ literature for both bioarchaeologists and medical historians…
Charlotte Roberts in Medieval Archaeology 2009
…The report provides an admirably clear-headed assessment of how its estimate of the numbers buried might or might not contribute towards answering the difficult question of the size of London’s population on the eve of the epidemic.
Above all this report adds to a narrative of the experience of the Black Death in London, notably through its insights it offers into the practice of burial during one the most traumatic episode of crisis mortality in the city’s history. It throws light on the political economy of the response and on London’s capacity to survive through a period of severe disruption, as is also indicated by continuity in the city’s administrative procedures and record keeping. It may be, too, that the obvious concern for regularity in the cemetery indicates that this special place of burial had a symbolic significance as a necessary assurance that that the living would continue to care for the dead and their ordered passage into the next world.
Derek Keene in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
London’s delftware industry: the tin-glazed pottery industries of Southwark and Lambeth by Kieron Tyler, Ian Betts and Roy Stephenson
This excellent, well-produced volume draws together historical and archaeological evidence for delftware production in London from the late 16th to mid 19th centuries. Five sites –Montague Close, Pickleherring and Rotherhite in Southwark, and Norfolk House and Glasshouse Street in Lambeth– are described in detail and superbly illustrated.
David Barker in British Archaeology 2009
Despite a few minor quibbles this is yet another excellent product from the Museum of London Archaeology Service. It makes a great deal of archaeological and technical information readily available for the first time. Anyone who has ever worked on backlog material produced over many decades to varying standards will know this is no easy task. The volume will be an important reference for all those who are interested in the economic, social, technological and art historical aspects of the tin-glazed industry. One eagerly awaits the hopefully forthcoming MOLA volumes on the excavated tin-glazed vessels and tiles from London for further insights into the consumption of this ware in the metropolis. In these days of increasingly inflated prices for both new and used academic books, this volume also offers incredible value for a hard-backed volume with excellent colour illustrations. Please go out and buy a copy as just encouragement for the future expansion of this outstanding monograph series.
Paul Courtney in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
Early and Middle Saxon rural settlement in the London region by Robert Cowie and Lyn Blackmore
This volume is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the London area during the Anglo-Saxon period…. The editors have done a great service by bringing together such a disparate range of material and provided a scholarly framework within which its true significance may be appreciated. This book is also excellent value.
Helena Hamerow in British Archaeology 2009
The entire volume is well presented and proficiently illustrated… As a key source of evidence and discussion relating to Anglo-Saxon London, the book will be an important first stop for researchers and students of the period. The editors should be applauded for their efforts in bringing together such a quantity of excavation data, and successfully integrating it with non-archaeological sources…. The book certainly represents a significant step towards opening up access to the elusive story of Anglo-Saxon settlement and activity in south-eastern England.
Steve Ashby Finds Research Group AD 700–1700 newsletter
Another high-quality publication from MoLAS. The volume under review conforms to the exemplary standard of content, format and production set by London’s premier archaeological contractor. Overall this volume draws together disparate evidence to form a thoughtful and thought-provoking synthesis. With such a reasonable cover-price, all with an interest in the development of London and I region can afford a copy of this book
Andrew Reynolds in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
Burial at the site of the parish church of St Benet Sherehog before and after the Great Fire: excavations at 1 Poultry, City of London by Adrian Miles and William White with Danae Tankard
The Sherehog report by Adrian Miles and Bill White … is the finest such treatise I have ever read, … more so as Miles adheres to the original terminology for the coffin-furniture. In Miles and White one has a combination as prefect as as that of Gilbert and Sullivan.
Julian Litten in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
… It is that 700-year burial history that is reported here … with excellent contextual studies of parish, population and especially changing funerary customs and burial practices … Clearly written, well produced and modestly priced – well done MoLAS.
Paul Stamper in British Archaeology September/October 2008
For any LPS reader with an interest in how archaeology can illuminate social and economic life in the early modern period, this volume is highly recommended. It is well illustrated and is particularly good at placing various archaeological finds into an appropriate documentary and historical context.
Chris Galley in Local Population Studies 2009
…the analysis of the parish is part of the enormous benefit of this monograph. Clear maps and full referencing and an excellent index allow the reader a much better idea of what was happening in the central part of the City, including the names in households in the parish in 1695. This publication is an excellent value for money exposition of the findings of this particular site under Number One Poultry, especially bearing in mind it is in hardback format. I recommend wholeheartedly.
Paul Simmons Newsletter of the Friends of the City Churches 2009
This monograph on the archaeology of 1 Poultry, City of London, provides a very useful window on the lives of a late- and post-medieval London parish, with comparisons drawn with other London sites and populations.
Charlotte Roberts in Medieval Archaeology 2009
Late 17th- to 19th-century burial and earlier occupation at All Saints, Chelsea Old Church, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea by Robert Cowie, Tania Kausmally and Jelena Bekvalac
As would be expected from MOLAS, this publication is beautifully produced with a clear layout and is well provided with both black and white and colour illustrations.
Sue Anderson in Journal of Archaeological Sciences 2009
The Chelsea report is outstanding, if only because this is the first time an assemblage from a settlement on the edge of 18th- and 19th –century London has been studied in full.
Julian Litten in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
Roman waterfront development at 12 Arthur Street, City of London by Dan Swift
… it starts with an excellent piece of piece of work, combining an auger hole survey with a careful examination of the natural deposits. Together with the environmental evidence these are used to reconstruct the prehistoric topography and environment of the riverbank area… The publication is attractively designed and laid out, with clear figures and tables.
Tim Williams in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
Titles from 2007
The London Guildhall: an archaeological history of a neighbourhood from early medieval to modern times by David Bowsher, Tony Dyson, Nick Holder and Isca Howell
Publication details
This is a particularly well presented addition to the excellent MoLAS Monograph series, and it is on one of London’s most important monuments, the centre of local government in London from the 12th century. It not only provides a superb account of results from this lengthy series of excavations, but, through imaginative use of all available historical sources, it places them in context within our capital city. Beyond the Guildhall itself, thematic essays include consideration of medieval crafts, Jewish occupation, inns, burials and churches. This comprehensive treatment of historical and contemporary iconographic evidence helps make this a model for archaeological excavation reports.
Citation from the British Archaeological Awards 2008 awards panel. The London Guildhall was Highly Commended in the category Best Scholarly Archaeological Book.
…this splendidly produced and richly illustrated set of two fine quarto volumes should appeal to the specialist and the more general reader in equal measure. … in view of the richness of its contents the two-volume set does represent excellent value for money, and is certain to become standard reading for any student of London history
Hannes Kleineke in Ricardian 2009
Overall this study is unquestionably comprehensive in both its archaeological and historical interpretation; even though it’s concluding remarks describe it as ‘inevitably partial and selective’. There is no doubt that it serves extremely well as an updated de-facto reference on the London Guildhall. The team of authors have been successful in combining their respective specialist fields to yield a book that remains readable throughout for the reader whose knowledge may cover only certain aspects of its remit, or indeed the non-specialist willing to take the time to get used to archaeological conventions and terminology (which are well explained in a comprehensive glossary). Both volumes are lavishly illustrated throughout, not only with copious maps, architectural reconstructions and photographs, often in colour, but also with numerous fold-out A3 watercolours depicting the site at numerous intervals throughout its development. Organisation, while sometimes, probably inevitably, repetitive, is always logical, allowing the reader to both follow the narrative, and to access specialist data in a coherent manner. The tension between the genres of the technical reference and the narrative history that I have alluded to does not, however, detract from the value of the publication. Fundamentally it lives up to its title of An Archaeological History of a Neighbourhood and is relevant not only to historians and archaeologists with interest in the City of London and its government, but to all students of medieval ecclesiastical, economic and social history.
Justin Colson Institute of historical research on-line review 2009
Full review (and authors' response) available at:
http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/paper/colsonj.html
One reason these MOLAS monographs are so successful is their tripartite organisation, the first part a brief, phased, archaeological narrative, where stratigraphic and structural evidence is presented and illustrated. This is followed by thematic essays on topics like ‘tree righting’ and woodland management (there were still 300-year old wildwood oaks available to London’s early medieval carpenters), urban topography, and the Guildhall itself. The third, more by experts for experts, describes and analyses finds, burials (including another example of successful medieval trepanation) and architectural fragments. Catalogues of seeds, bones and whatnot are (thankfully for most of us) relegated to a CD. But perhaps the greatest success is the illustrations: line drawings, reconstructions, and especially the colour photographs. These, set on pages next to the relevant text, are blindingly good and really show what excavation is all about and how archaeologists work out what’s going on, whether it’s a wattle-lined pit cut through by a stone wall, or a section through successive Guildhall yard surfaces. These monographs are a world away from the off-putting, grey, quasi-scientific unfiltered data sets which all too many excavation reports comprised in the not too distant past. Thank goodness for it.
Paul Stamper in British Archaeology 2009
This is much more than an excavation report. It is a multi-disciplinary synthesis of one the largest excavation campaigns mounted in the City. With great clarity the authors set out a range of elements that contributed to the evolution of the townscape, but without the detail that inevitably clutters conventional excavation reports. Indeed, the complexity of the project was such that the conventional approach to reporting of detailed site-by-site stratigraphic presentations followed by endless catalogues would perhaps have obscured important links.
…This is a very accessible study that should be read by all students of urbanisation…
Mike McCarthy in Medieval Archaeology 2009
Both volumes are a model of clarity, as we have come to expect of this series. The illustrations are particularly clear in this publication with a generous use of colour photography. This is particularly useful for demonstrating decorative pottery and painted ashlar alongside line drawings and brings a clarity to the treatment of small finds that is rarely seen.
This publication has had the opportunity of being able to synthesise the results of excavation to recreate the development of a whole neighbourhood with its people, industries, and civic government. While elements can be paralleled elsewhere, the whole is peculiar to the City of London. MoLAS and the City of London Corporation are to be congratulated for the production of such a fine publication, which is both authoritative and a pleasure to read. Behind it is a massive piece of post-excavation analysis that has made excellent sense of often fragmentary and never completely seen structures so typical of medieval and post-medieval urban archaeology.
Glyn Coppack in Journal of the British Archaeological Association 2009
One reason these MOLA monographs are so successful is their tripartite organisation, first a brief phased, archaeological narrative, where stratigraphic and structural evidence is presented and illustrated. This is followed by thematic essays on topics like ‘tree righting’ and woodland management…, urban topography and the Guildhall itself. The third, more by experts for experts, describes and analyses finds, burials and architectural; fragments.
But perhaps the greatest success is the illustrations: line drawings, reconstructions, and especially colour photographs. These, set on pages next to the relevant text, are blindingly good and really show what excavation is all about and how archaeologists work out what’s going on, whether it’s a wattle-lined pit cut through by a stone wall, or a section through successive Guildhall yard surfaces. These monographs are a world away from the off-putting, grey, quasi-scientific unfiltered data sets which all too many excavation reports comprised in the not too distant past. Thank goodness for it.
‘Editors Choice’ by Paul Stamper in British Archaeology 2010
The Augustinian priory of St Mary Merton, Surrey: excavations 1976–90 by Pat Miller and David Saxby
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This books aims to provide an integrated account of the findings of the excavation, putting these in the context of the priory’s documentary history. It achieves its goals with a large measure of success, and in certain areas can be said to have triumphed against the odds.
Nigel Ramsay in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
The presentation is of the usual high standard of MoLAS monographs, with good quality colour images and line drawings used throughout and a number of reconstructions to put very useful flesh on the bare bones of robbed-out foundations. Documentary evidence, key finds and analyses of the faunal data are engaged as evidence in every phase… The labour that went into this publication is worn lightly; the fact that this study has been produced under the pressure of developer-led archaeology makes it all the more impressive. The use of architectural stonework in site interpretation is particularly significant, setting a new standard in medieval monastic archaeology.
Deidre O’Sullivan in Medieval Archaeology 2009
Within these walls: Roman and medieval defences north of Newgate at the Merrill Lynch Financial Centre, City of London by Jo Lyon
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The MLFC report forms part of the MoLAS monograph Series and is presented with clear plans, photographs and illustrations throughout of high quality… The monograph represents good value for money and is recommended to those with an interest in urban defences and their mutation across time. Furthermore, it represents an interesting direction for published archaeological excavation reports – a move away from stuffy, complicated phasing to a more accesible and user-friendly experience….
Gavin Speed in Medieval Archaeology 2008
A Roman drainage culvert, Great Fire destruction debris and other evidence from hillside sites north-east of London Bridge: excavations at Monument House and 13–21 Eastcheap City of London by Ian Blair and David Sankey
The compact volume is well illustrated with clear phase plans throughout…
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Gavin Speed in Medieval Archaeology 2009
Titles from 2006
From Ice Age to Essex: a history of the people and landscape of East London by Pamela Greenwood, Dominic Perring and Peter Rowsome
In recent times we have gathered large amounts of new archaeological information and it is important that it is made available for both archaeologists and historians and for the general public … These two publications are good examples of how these ends may be achieved.
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Jon Cotton in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2006
Winchester Palace: excavations at the Southwark residence of the bishops of Winchester by Derek Seeley, Christopher Phillpotts and Mark Samuel
The high quality of this monograph series has been much remarked upon. This is another model report: well written, scholarly and yet accessible. Top marks.
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Paul Stamper in British Archaeology 2007
Like previous volumes, this latest addition to the excellent MoLAS monograph series attempts to place specific excavations … within a broader understanding of a discrete urban parcel … This is a worthwhile volume, then: nicely produced and at a very good price, it is an important contribution to our understanding of the development of palatial architecture and demonstrates that London houses of the country’s greatest magnates were as impressive as any they owned.
David Stocker in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2008
The royal palace, abbey and town of Westminster on Thorney Island: archaeological excavations (1991–8) for the London Underground Limited Jubilee Line Extension Project by Christopher Thomas, Robert Cowie and Jane Sidell
… the volume is attractively produced, well laid out, and in full colour. It is to be welcomed as a useful addition to the archaeology of London.
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Warwick Rodwell in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2006
The medieval postern gate by the Tower of London by David Whipp
… the individual authors and their parent organizations should be congratulated for this publication and the increased rate of archaeological publications in general in London.
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Hedley Swain in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2006
John Baker’s late 17th-century glasshouse at Vauxhall by Kieron Tyler and Hugh Willmott
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The Doulton stoneware pothouse in Lambeth: excavations at 9 Albert Embankment, London by Kieron Tyler with John Brown, Terence Paul Smith and Lucy Whittingham
Certainly, the authors and the Museum of London are to be congratulated on producing beautifully formatted and well illustrated reports with excellent photographic reproduction at an affordable price. This applies especially to archaeology of the post-medieval period which nationally is too often consigned to languish in ‘grey literature’. The MoLAS monograph series as a whole has been a highlight of the last decade in British archaeology.
Publication details for John Baker's late 17th-century glasshouse
Publication details for The Doulton stoneware pothouse
Paul Courtney in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2006
Development on Roman London’s western hill: excavations at Paternoster Square, City of London by Sadie Watson
... there is much to think about in this book. It is an important and well-produced publication which provides a wealth of new information about a key area of the City.
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Martin Millet in Transactions of London and Middlesex Society 2007
Titles from 2005
Prehistoric landscape to Roman villa: excavations at Beddington, Surrey, 1981–7 by Isca Howell (ed)
… the editor and his colleagues should be congratulated on getting to press an interesting and attractive report on these 1980s excavations
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David Rudling in Britannia 2007
… this report is particularly welcome as an addition to our knowledge of Roman-period sites in Surrey. Isca Howell is to be congratulated on rescuing this important excavation from oblivion.
David Bird in Surrey Archaeology Collections 2005
Roman pottery production in the Walbrook valley: excavations at 20–28 Moorgate, City of London, 1998–2000 by Fiona Seeley and James Drummond-Murray
Every so often a site comes along that revolutionises our thinking … This excellent volume, supported by beautiful colour illustrations, describes 2nd-century pottery production at Northgate House, Moorgate.
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Roberta Tomber in British Archaeology 2006
The whole book shows the value of integrating all the illustrations into the main text … It is set within an interpretative discussion that incorporates specialist information from technical appendices in an exemplary manner … The presentation of the data and interpretation in an attractive but authoritative book, accessible to specialists and general readers …
Kevin Greene in Antiquity 2007
The volume is produced in the standard MoLAS format and includes many colour photographs. The authors have presented the evidence very clearly with all the supporting dating evidence and the finds are meticulously described. The report should be seen as a model for describing a kiln site and the wares and the authors are to be congratulated for their achievement.
Jane Timby in Britannia 2008
A prestigious Roman building complex on the Southwark waterfront: excavations at Winchester Palace, London, 1983–90 by Brian Yule
… this is an interesting and useful volume, which has been attractively produced, well illustrated, and reasonably priced, with a substantial bibliography to direct the reader to other literature. It not only makes a valuable contribution in its own right, but neatly complements those volumes and reports which have already been published.
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Barry Burnham in Britannia 2007
Requiem: the medieval monastic cemetery in Britain by Roberta Gilchrist and Barney Sloane
… is a triumph, a study that genuinely develops our understanding of what being medieval meant … to tease meaning from 8000 graves excavated from 70 mainly monastic cemeteries (many unpublished) in England, Wales and Scotland. In dealing with specific topics it shows how archaeology has advanced our understanding of burial customs and beliefs by revealing things about which the historical sources are silent, the decoration of coffins, the clothing of the dead … and the spatial organisation of cemeteries … There is much else, and undoubtedly for a generation Requiem will be an essential point of departure for any work on medieval cemeteries. Terrific.
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Paul Stamper in British Archaeology March/April 2006
This is a most useful book, long needed by the archaeologist and the historian. The authors’ holistic overview, and their interpretation of the work by numerous archaeologists in the field, has produced a work that will remain the standard reference book for the next 50 years … No bookshelf can afford to be without it.
Julian Litten in Church Times 2006
All in all, Requiem is essential reading for anyone involved with medieval burials, and is thought provoking too for those dealing with other periods.
Alison Taylor in The Archaeologist Summer 2006
Material culture in London in an age of transition: Tudor and Stuart period finds c 1450–c 1700 by Geoff Egan
This style of accessible publication is more than a reference book; it’s a good read and as such will have far reaching appeal.
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Nicola Powell in The Archaeologist Autumn 2005
Titles from 2004/5
Pre-Boudican and later activity on the site of the forum: excavations at 168 Fenchurch Street, City of London by Leslie Dunwoodie
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A prestigious Roman building complex on the Southwark waterfront: excavations at Winchester Palace, London, 1983–90 by Brian Yule
These two splendid volumes in the Museum of London's attractive and affordable monograph series add significant new information to our understanding of the public architecture of Roman London … My congratulations to all involved in the production of both of these excellent volumes.
Publication details for Pre-Boudican and later activity
Publication details for A prestigious Roman buidling complex
Dominic Perring in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2005
Titles from 2004
Life and death in London's East End: 2000 years at Spitalfields by Chris Thomas
An excellent book, fully illustrated on well laid-out pages – a recommended read.
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Review in Islington Archaeological and History Society Newsletter Winter 2004
This is a highly readable and excellently illustrated account, to be strongly recommended to specialists and general readers alike.
Richard Gilpin in London Archaeologist Spring 2005
Old London Bridge: lost and found by Bruce Watson
This book is solidly founded on academic research, yet its style and presentation suggest that it has been written with a wider readership in mind, a readership that will find it not only educational, but also entertaining.
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Richard Gilpin in London Archaeologist Winter 2005
Roman and medieval Cripplegate, City of London: excavations 1992–8 by Elizabeth Howe, and David Lakin
… it is a great achievement in these days of archaeological cheese-pairing to produce an academic volume incorporating the results of fieldwork paid by five separate clients, who were sufficiently enlightened (doubtless ably assisted by their archaeological consultant CgMS) to see that in this case, the whole is much greater than the sum of the individual parts.
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Jane Sidell in London Archaeologist Spring 2005
… this is a clearly presented and important contribution to the archaeology of London, as well as Roman military archaeology in general, and the authors should be congratulated on bringing so much information across …
Eberhaud Sauer in Archaeological Journal 2006
The Cistercian abbey of St Mary Stratford Langthorne, Essex: archaeological excavations for the London Underground Limited Jubilee Line Extension Project by Bruno Barber, Steve Chew, Tony Dyson, Bill White
… pages on the late medieval plan of the precinct, though dense, are a marvellous example of multi disciplinarity using the archaeological results, topography, map regression and a detailed documentary study.
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Jackie Hall in Church Archaeology 2006
While denseness and factual specifity often clog many archaeological reports, in this case, the inclusion of thematic, documentary, and contextual material sustains a narrative. … The resulting systematic study makes Stratford the best published of the Cistercian cemeteries in Britain …
Peter Fergusson in Speculum 2006
Excavations at the priory of the Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, Clerkenwell, London by Barney Sloane and Gordon Malcolm
… this book provides a fascinating insight into the history and archaeology of a unique site.
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Review in Islington Archaeology and History Society Newsletter Winter 2004
The complex archaeology which underpins this masterwork of interpretation is very well handled, no mean task given the limited size of some of the excavations. Without a doubt this is a first-class piece of work which should stimulate further work on the Hospitaller Priory of England … In its London context it shows what can be accomplished by taking a wide view, with levels of historical and architectural research that one rarely sees undertaken in developer-funded archaeology. MoLAS and the authors of this report are to be congratulated on a job well done.
Glyn Coppack in Archaeological Journal 2005
Overall the report builds on the success of the previous MoLAS monographs focusing on London’s monastic houses and as such provides a significant contribution which is reasonably priced, informative and highly readable.
Simon Roffey in Medieval Archaeology 2005
Preserving archaeological remains in situ? Proceedings of the 2nd conference 12–14 September 2001 edited by Taryn Nixon
The PARIS publication brings together a lot of novel and practical approaches in developing an archaeological heritage management which is aimed at sustainability. The book should be on the bookshelf of everyone dealing directly with these problems, as it presents a good overview of the different aspects of the problem.
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E Meylalemans in ArchPal nl 2005
Titles from 2003
London's archaeological secrets: a world city revealed by Chris Thomas with Andy Chopping and Tracy Wellman (eds)
This highly illustrated survey, produced by a team from the Museum of London, demonstrates attractively just how rich the city's archaeological record is, and offers a multi-dimensional thematic survey of the history of the capital city from prehistoric times through the exploration of those records. It is easy to see this volume as inspiring some members of the new generation to take up archaeology, and others to see the past as far more than the soap opera it can sometimes seem on TV.
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Review as winner of the joint Longman/History Today ‘New Generation Book of the Year 2004’ Award
Lambeth unearthed: an archaeological history of Lambeth by Graham Gower with Kieron Tyler
Lambeth unearthed is an attractive popular introduction the archaeology and continuous history of our borough.
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Peter Jefferson Smith in Clapham Society Newsletter 2004
Urban development in north-west Roman Southwark: excavations 1974–90 by Carrie Cowan
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Industry in north-west Roman Southwark: excavations 1984–8 by Friederike Hammer
These are two interesting and useful volumes, which together contribute much to our understanding of north-west Southwark in the Roman era. They are attractively produced, well-illustrated, and reasonably priced for a wide market, with substantial bibliographies to direct the reader to further literature.
Publication details for Urban development
Publication details for Industry in north-west Roman Southwark
Barry Burnham in Britannia 2005
Industry in north-west Roman Southwark: excavations 1984–8 by Friederike Hammer
The presentation of data in this volume maintains the high standard set by previous MoLAS monographs in terms of organisation, editing and illustration.
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Patrick Ottaway in Antiquity 2005
This volume succeeds in profiling a particular industry in Roman London, and its discussion of social position of smiths in Roman society provides a good template from which investigations into other industries could benefit.
John Brown in London Archaeologist Spring 2005
Roman burials, medieval tenements and suburban growth: 201 Bishopsgate, City of London by Dan Swift
In keeping with other titles in the series, the work is excellently illustrated, well organised and supported by concise specialist appendices, mercifully expressed without recourse to abstract terminology. In these aspects the book represents a fine work of compression of substantial value to our understanding of the extra-mural settlement of Roman, medieval and post-medieval London.
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Stuart Brookes in London Archaeologist Spring 2005
Middle Saxon London: Excavations at the Royal Opera House 1989–99 by Gordon Malcolm and David Bowsher with Robert Cowie
This splendid monograph … gives us a volume which is appropriate for the specialist, student and lay reader all at once. It is a remarkable achievement and deserves both congratulations and, given its reasonable price, sales.
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Brian Ayers in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2003
This volume makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of the economic and social life of the extra-mural settlement of London, and adds considerably to current knowledge of major trading ports and urban settlements during the middle Anglo-Saxon period.
John Baker in Journal of the English Place-Name Society 2004
Roman burials, medieval tenements and suburban growth: 201 Bishopsgate, City of London by Dan Swift
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Investigating the maritime history of Rotherhithe: excavations at Pacific Wharf, 165 Rotherhithe Street, Southwark by Kieron Heard and Damian Goodburn
MoLAS studies nos 10 and 11 (Roman burials, medieval tenements and suburban growth by Dan Swift, and Investigating the maritime history of Rotherhithe: excavations at Pacific Wharf, 165 Rotherhithe Street, Southwark by Kieron Heard with Damian Goodburn) in their series demonstrate the confidence derived from their editorial and production experience. Integration of the different contributions has been well thought through, and systematically presented, graphics and layout are well designed, to a format familiar to their readership.
Publication details for Roman burials
Publication details for Investigating the maritime history
Review in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2005
Investigating the maritime history of Rotherhithe: excavations at Pacific Wharf, 165 Rotherhithe Street, Southwark by Kieron Heard and Damian Goodburn
… this report is to be recommended as an important contribution to the understanding and the study of post-medieval waterfront and shipbuilding techniques.
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Christian Lemée in Nautical Archaeology 2005
In the body of this well-written and lucid book the archaeological, cartographic, documentary and geological evidence is easily understood, and there are a number of useful diagrams, maps and photographs to interest the reader … In this study, the authors have ably demonstrated a part of Rotherhithe’s rich maritime history.
Hugh Murphy in Journal of Maritime Research 2004
Titles from 2002
Settlement in Roman Southwark: archaeological excavations (1991–8) for the London Underground Limited Jubilee Line Extension Project by James Drummond-Murray and Peter Thompson with Carrie Cowan
The text is authoritative and easy to read, and the editing, reproduction, printing and paper (funded by London Underground) are of the highest order. Deceptively simple yet effective plans of principal archaeological features for each period are given in colour, together with separate plans of individual buildings. High quality colour photographs are used throughout, giving views of the excavation process and significant features, but it is where the sherds of pottery are concerned that the addition of colour photography to the conventional drawing process has taken the illustration of such evidence to new heights. This report is a joy to read and is little short of stunning: it must be one of the best to have ever been produced for an archaeological investigation.
It is the twelfth in the MoLAS Monographs series, and not only exceeds the high standards set by earlier publications but succeeds in setting a new and daunting benchmark for the future.
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Richard Gilpin in London Archaeologist Winter 2003
In conclusion I think the authors and MoLAS are to be congratulated on the publication and for aiming for an integrated report as a coherent narrative.
John Dillon in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 2003
Roman defences and medieval industry: excavations at Baltic House, City of London by Elizabeth Howe
The report is a comprehensive synthesis of archaeological investigations at this multi-period site, and as readers will expect from the MoLAS team it is well presented and produced … another excellent production, adding another piece to the archaeological jigsaw that is London.
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Richard Gilpin in London Archaeologist Spring 2004
Roman and medieval townhouses on the London waterfront: excavations at Governor’s House, City of London by Trevor Brigham and Aidan Woodger
and
Excavations at 25 Cannon Street, City of London by Nick Elsden
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Roman defences and medieval industry: excavations at Baltic House, City of London by Elizabeth Howe
The three city excavations all took place recently and the reports represent commendably prompt publications … [they] have produced new and important information. These well-rounded publications, whilst indicating how much we still have to learn, reflect the necessity of retaining within London a proficient, Museum of London based, archaeological team able to ensure that no more of London's precious archaeological resource sinks ‘into the abyss of oblivion’.
Publication details for Roman and medieval townhouses
Publication details for Excavations at 25 Cannon Street
Publication details for Roman defences and medieval industry
Harvey Sheldon in Antiquity 2004
The London Millennium Bridge: excavation of the medieval and later waterfronts at Peter’s Hill, City of London, and Bankside, Southwark by Julian Ayre and Robin Wroe-Brown
The editors are to be commended on the general accuracy and succinctness of their scholarly and readable report.
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Timm Weski in International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 2004
The London Charterhouse by Bruno Barber and Christopher Thomas
It is a most welcome addition to the historical and archaeological study of the religious houses of medieval London.
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Mark Forrest in The Ricardian 2004
… the result is a succinct summary of a major (but not particularly well known) religious house at a bargain price, drawing together the salient points of a complex history of investigations, bringing them up to date … The London volume will be welcomed by anyone with an interest in the Carthusian order, or in urban monasticism, or in medieval London.
Nigel Baker in Antiquity 2005
Combining finds of 1998 with those of numerous other small excavations, this book gives an admirably clear description of the development of the charterhouse, and also illuminates the monks’ diet and economy.
Margaret Aston in Ecclesiastical History 2004
… [this] publication provides an up-to-date account of the Carthusian order in England furnishing a much needed addition to our limited knowledge of one of the most influential, if not inspirational, religious orders of the later medieval period.
Simon Roffey in Medieval Archaeology 2003
Given the general inflationary prices for academic books, this volume offers good value for money and can be recommended to libraries with holdings in archaeology with relation to medieval monastic orders as well as those more generally concentrating on medieval monastic history.
James Hogg in Die Reichskartause Buxheim 1402–2002 und der Kartauserorden 2003
Medieval ‘Westminster’ floor tiles by Ian Betts
… Betts has provided a full publication of the designs and much new data, which will certainly stimulate further debate and give students a much needed analysis of an extensive and important series of floor-tiles.
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Laurence Keen in Journal of the British Archaeological Association 2002
It shows how much can be learned about medieval industry generally by focusing on manufacture and organisation rather than the perceived aesthetic merits of designs, and as such it is a prime example of the increasing shift in floor tile literature from an art-historical to an archaeological perspective.
Amanda Richards in Medieval Archaeology 2003
Titles from before 2002
The archaeology of Greater London: an assessment of archaeological evidence for human presence in the area now covered by Greater London by various
In conclusion, The archaeology of Greater London is no coffee table book but will provide an invaluable reference book for the study of London and its hinterland for many years to come.
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Alexander Kidd in Records of Buckinghamshire 2001
What a marvellous publication! This is the book for both professional archaeologists and those who are just fascinated with our cityscape past.
Review in Islington Archaeological and History Society Newsletter 2001
London bridge: 2000 years of a river crossing by Bruce Watson
This fine volume is really just an excavation report for the very difficult excavations, undertaken in 1983-4, on the Fennings and Toppings Wharf sites on the Southwark riverfront just to the east of the modern London Bridge abutment. It is also, however, much more than that, as its title suggests, and the volume has now become the definitive account of the archaeology and history of the most important bridge in London. It is, therefore, a worthy successor of Gordon Hume’s fine book, Old London Bridge (1931), published exactly 70 years earlier. As Professor Nicholas Brooks, the historian of Rochester bridge, writes in his forward ‘We are presented here with a new wonderfully researched and fully integrated interpretation’. The Museum of London Archaeology Service must be congratulated on publishing an exceptional volume, which at only £22.00 is a bargain. The volume draws together all the evidence chronologically in 14 sections, the final one being a series of specialist appendices, which range from dendrochronology and finds reports to a brief interpretation of the evidence for the bridge in the Norwegian Olaf sagas.
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Tim Tatton-Brown in Medieval Archaeology 2002
If you have an interest in London Bridge, or in bridges in general, this is essential reading.
Clive Orton in London Archaeologist 2002
This formidable volume … [of] international appeal … demonstrating how serious archaeological research can be made accessible to a wide readership without compromising its scholarly integrity …
Hannes Kleineke in The Ricardian 2004
Gladiators at the Guildhall: the story of London’s Roman amphitheatre and medieval guildhall by Nick Bateman
This book is aimed squarely at the popular end of the market, though it will certainly provide an informative read for any student of London’s history … This book is a welcome addition to the to the corpus of books on London’s history and I am certain that its glossy finish, lively presentation and remarkable subject matter will ensure a wide readership for many years to come.
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Simon O’Connor Thompson in London Archaeologist Summer 2001
It is beautifully illustrated and provides a fascinating account of the excavation of an extremely complex site, and one which provides remarkable insights into different periods of the history of London.
Rosalind Niblett in British Archaeology August 2001
This book is a welcome addition to the corpus of books on London’s history and I am certain that its glossy finish, lively presentation and remarkable subject matter will ensure a wide readership for many years to come.
Gustav Milne in London Archaeologist Summer 2001
Gladiators at the Guildhall: the story of London’s Roman amphitheatre and medieval guildhall by Nick Bateman
and
Heart of the city: Roman, medieval and modern London revealed by archaeology at 1 Poultry by Peter Rowsome
If you had stood on the spot – No. 1 Poultry – in AD 100, what would you have seen? The buildings were mostly single-storey and wooden, and life inside was pretty squalid, with small, dimly lit rooms, floors of beaten earth or plain concrete, no baths or toilets, and mice and rats lurking in the corners. Outside, in backyards and alleyways, pigs and chickens rooted about amid thistles, stinging nettles, piles of refuse and faeces, and the buzz of flies. Even so, life could have been worse. London was a port and the shops were full – of wine, olive oil and fish sauce, along with exotica such as pine nuts, almonds and pomegranates – and people had time off to play dice in a tavern, unwind at the baths, or even go to a big show at the London Arena.
We know this because No. 1 Poultry had excellent archaeological preservation – including nettles and flies – and from 1994–96 one of the biggest digs in London’s history was organised on the site. Peter Rowsome’s book is a perfect guide: it weaves together the process of discovery, the main evidence, our best guess at reconstruction, lots of background context, and a handful of colour pictures on every page. The focus is on early Roman London, but he deals with later phases equally well. Originally published to accompany a major museum exhibition, Heart of the city is also aimed at the general reader, though most archaeologists will find it a great substitute for the usual arm-aching official report.
Nick Bateman’s book on the Guildhall Yard excavations from 1992–99 is in the same format and just as good. Here was another landmark City dig: London’s long–lost Roman amphitheatre rediscovered and, with heaps of preserved timber, some astonishing detail about how it all worked, including the drains beneath the arena, a sliding trap door entrance and the spot on dovetail jointing of London’s first carpenters. Later phases included a Viking settlement of wattle-walled houses and the great rebuilding of the Guildhall, the seat of London’s mayor, in the 15th century.
Both books are fitting tributes to their respective projects and teams. And what a relief it is that archaeologists are shedding their traditional stuffiness and finding the confidence to speculate, popularise and have fun with their subject!
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Publication details for Heart of the City
Review in The Times Higher Education Supplement 16 August 2002
Heart of the city: Roman, medieval and modern London revealed by archaeology at 1 Poultry by Peter Rowsome
The book is a ‘good read’ and is clearly and attractively presented and lavishly illustrated in colour – it is worth having!
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Jean Mellor in Rescue News 2000
Not just another site report, but an attractively produced tale of cutting-edge archaeology, breathtaking presentation and finds-to-die for …
Alison Pattison in Surrey Archaeological Society Bulletin 2000
The eastern cemetery of Roman London: excavations 1983–90 by Bruno Barber and David Bowsher
… is a fine account of successive excavations presented in the (comparatively) accessible style that a few units are now evolving for major pieces of work. The report covers 136 cremations and 550 inhumations, with evidence for varied and cosmopolitan rites, plus funerary structures and occasional inscriptions. Highlights include identification of a bustum burial, with exceptional evidence for the personal items and food within the cremation ceremony. Jackie McKinley's discussion of the evidence for pyre technology and crucial evidence for (sometimes quite exotic) plant remains is essential reading for those dealing with cremations of any period … What is really impressive is the clarity and sheer interest of the whole report. It's a real pleasure to have so much colour in a report of this kind.
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Review in The Archaeologist Spring 2003
The report on the eastern cemetery of Roman London provides much more comprehensive factual information at a much greater detail than ever before … We need more reports like this and we need them soon …
Ellen Swift in Britannia 2002
This book is a fascinating read for anyone interested in archaeology or intrigued by London’s long and complex history. It is clear from the beginning that the authors intended the book to be accessible to a wide-ranging audience. As a result, it is sumptuous and detailed but also easy to read. It is characterised by clarity of layout, structure and terminology.
Kate Meheux in London Archaeologist Winter 2000
A Romano-British cemetery on Watling Street: excavations at 165 Great Dover Street, Southwark, London by Anthony Mackinder
All in all a significant study of the southern cemetery [of London] that makes an important contribution to our understanding of Londinium and to Roman cemetery studies in general.
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Gustav Milne in London Archaeologist Winter 2000
Bankside: excavations at Benbow House, Southwark, London SE1 by Anthony Mackinder and Simon Blatherwick
This report is therefore a significant archaeological study of the social and industrial development of Southwark … It is heartening to see such projects published so promptly: the MoLAS archaeological Studies Series sets a standard that the other London-based units must strive to emulate.
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Gustav Milne in London Archaeologist Summer 2001
The Limehouse porcelain manufactory: excavations at 108–116 Narrow Street, London, 1990 by Kieron Tyler and Roy Stephenson
At £16.50 the report is reasonably priced, and should be made readily available to the management and field staff of any archaeological unit contemplating excavation on sites with post-medieval industries.
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Chris Cumberpatch in Rescue News
… is an essential resource for those interested in the history of English porcelain. The report presents this important information in a clear and concise manner. The quality of the photographs and printing is of the highest order and should serve as a model for all archaeological publications. Most importantly, the archaeologists have presented their information in a timely and usable fashion that porcelain scholars will be sure to reference in years to come.
Robert Hunter in Ceramics in America 2002
… this publication will be sought after by purists and collectors of 18th century porcelain. It will undoubtedly become a valued reference work on the subject
Review in The Northern Ceramic Society Newsletter 2001
Clearly written, lavishly presented and educated in its conclusions, this work should represent an obvious starting point for further research into the subject. This will no doubt be aided all the more by the authors’ worthy attempt to bring some archaeological objectivity to a branch of ceramic research that is all to prone to the most subjective reasoning.
Jonathan Goodwin in Post-Medieval Archaeology 2001