The Wansdyke Diktat? - A Discussion Paper, by Keith Gardner

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Keith S. Gardner, FSA, FRSA

(1932-2008)

An appreciation, principally archaeological

Keith, born in 1932, first got involved in archaeology as a 17-year old schoolboy, at Wraxall Roman villa site just north-east of Nailsea. He either dug with, or knew many of, the greater, and lesser, luminaries of modern British archaeology, starting with Wheeler at Bindon Hill in Dorset. Also a caver in his youth, after work on several local sites, Gatcombe, and others, and acting as correspondent to the Ordnance Survey, he led the field work on Lundy from the mid-1950s for fifteen years, a most productive period, becoming a Life Member of the Lundy Field Society. There was some further involvement with Lundy, but the National Trust had taken over, so it was no longer a major preoccupation. He was Secretary to the Clevedon & District Archaeological Society from 1955 until 1960, and while with them his other significant involvement was with the Iron Age hillfort of Cadbury-Congresbury in north Somerset, in 1959. There they found evidence that the fort had been re-occupied in the 5^th/6^th century AD, from the presence of rare North African potsherds. It is now recognised that this is evidence of a high-status site for the period, and Keith was co-director with Peter Fowler and Philip Rahtz from 1968 to 1973, when further work was done on the site.

When he retired from his career as an art historian, he joined the committee of the CBA-SW in late 1997 as Editor of the new-style Journal, replacing the Newsletter. Keith continued in this role until Dr Stephen Rippon resigned as Chairman of the CBA-SW in 2003. Keith was then elected to that role, and worked with enthusiasm and commitment. He was largely responsible for suggesting the topics, getting the speakers and making arrangements with County Societies to co-host a number of successful symposia. During this time he was elected a Life Member of the Bristol and Avon Archaeological Society. He also initiated the purchase by the CBA-SW of resistivity-based geophysics equipment for use by local societies in the South-West, and had recently organised moves to enhance the capability of that equipment. He had also been pursuing a review of the Wansdyke, that enigmatic earthwork, cataloguing the Skinner diaries and other projects. A Master of Hounds, and a committed Mason he was also co-editing a history for the Order. A very pro-active Chairman, the loss of his presence, his wide experience and extensive range of contacts as a result of his sudden and unexpected death from a heart attack early in the evening of 24^th January, 2008, will leave the Committee with a very difficult job. The Editor will miss him as well. He published significantly on all his various interests, and was always good for a filler article for the Journal, more or less off-the-cuff.

Our heartfelt sympathies go to Ann, his two sons and their families, to his wider family and to his many friends in all his various walks of life, both in the UK and abroad.