Dame Rosemary Jean Cramp, is a British archaeologist and academic specialising in the Anglo-Saxons. She was the first female professor appointed at Durham University and was Professor of Archaeology from 1971 to 1990. She served as President of the Society of Antiquaries of London from 2001 to 2004.
Cramp began her academic career at her alma mater, the University of Oxford. She was a fellow and tutor of English at St Anne's College, Oxford, from 1950 to 1955. In 1955, she moved to Durham University as a lecturer in archaeology. The Department of Archaeology was officially created the following year, in 1956, and specialised in Roman and Anglo-Saxon archaeology. She was promoted to senior lecturer in 1966. She became the first female professor at Durham University when she was appointed Professor of Archaeology in 1971. She retired in 1990 and was appointed Professor Emerita. On her retirement, The Rosemary Cramp Fund was established by the Department of Archaeology at the University of Durham to recognise individuals and groups who make a significant contribution to the archaeology and heritage of Britain and Ireland. In 1992, she was a visiting fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Outside of her university work, she has held a number of voluntary positions. From 1975 to 1999, she served as a member of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. She was a trustee of the British Museum between 1978 and 1998. From 1984 to 1989, she was a member of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England. She served as Chairwoman of the Archaeology Data Service from 1996 to 2001. Cramp has held a number of senior appointments within academic organisations. She was President of the Council for British Archaeology from 1989 to 1992, and has been an Honorary Vice-President since 1992. She was President of the Society for Church Archaeology from 1996 to 2000. From 1992 to 1997, she was Vice-President of the Royal Archaeological Institute. She was President of the Society of Antiquaries of London from 2001 to 2004.
Excavations at Monkwearmouth-Jarrow
From 1963 to 1978, Cramp excavated at Monkwearmouth–Jarrow Abbey, leading the team which discovered remains of the seventh and eighth-century buildings. A final excavation occurred in 1984. At the same time, Cramp was helping to develop and launch the Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture. Prior to the excavations, little was known of the physical buildings beyond Bede's written references. During excavations, some of the earliest stained glass in Britain were discovered; the glass also compromises the largest collection of seventh and eighth-century stained glass in Western Europe. On reflecting on the excavation, Cramp described the moment, saying that the shards of glass "looked like jewels lying on the ground." Cramp's excavations also revealed the later communities on the site, dating from the 11th to the 16th-century. The excavation reports were published in 2005 and 2006 through English Heritage. In 2012, a bid to secure the site World Heritage status was launched, but the application was later suspended. The bid described the importance of the site noting "its direct association with Bede, Biscop and Bede's teacher Ceolfrith makes it one of the most influential monastic sites in Europe."
