Byways in British Archaeology

Johnson's detailed and enthusiastically written 1912 history of Britain's churches and their churchyards emphasises the concept of 'folk memory'.

Johnson's detailed and enthusiastically written 1912 history of Britain's churches and their churchyards emphasises the concept of 'folk memory', a diminishing means of recalling and understanding the past. The study looks at material archaeological discoveries whilst addressing the significance of place names, site orientation, folktales and pagan prehistory.Originally published in 1912, this volume provides a detailed and enthusiastically written history of Britain's churches and their churchyards. With particular emphasis on the concept of 'folk memory', a diminishing means of recalling and understanding the past, Johnson's study looks at material archaeological discoveries whilst also addressing the significance of place names, site orientation, folktales and pagan prehistory. In this well-illustrated and informative work, Johnson's extensive research navigates the complexities of Britain's religious past, producing a series of fascinating interrelated arguments. Johnson addresses numerous topics, including the construction of churches on pagan sites, the churchyard yew and the survival of past rituals within burial customs. This book provides a detailed and far-reaching investigation of the archaeology and architecture of hundreds of churches across England and Wales, and will be enjoyed by anybody with an interest in British archaeology, or the histories of British churches and Christian traditions.