Maud Cunnington (1869-1951)

Cunnington was born in Glamorgan, Wales.
In 1908 she began working on early rescue archaeology and carried out excavations including the first Neolithic causewayed enclosure at Knap Hill, the Iron Age village in All Cannings Cross, Woodhenge and more.
It was her son, Edward, whose own interest in archaeology sparked Maud’s interest.
Her work was delayed during the first world war, due to the death of her son.
In 1933, Maud was elected the President of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, becoming the first woman to hold that position.
She also made possible the appointing of the first salaried curator after she died, as she left almost all of her property (£14,000) to the Devizes Museum (now known as the Wiltshire Heritage museum).
Cunnington was the first female archaeologist to receive a CBE, from the Queen in 1948 on her birthday honour list. However, she had been bedridden with Alzheimer's since the year before and was thus unaware she had received this accolade.

Author: Ellen Myatt

Cookie settings