Julian Richards
Encyclopedia
Julian Richards FSA, MIFA (born 1951, Nottingham
) is a British television and radio presenter, writer and archaeologist
with over 30 years experience of fieldwork and publication.
. He excavated and carried out a survey of the Berkshire Downs
.
In 1980 he joined the new group Wessex Archaeology
, based in Salisbury
. He ran the Stonehenge Environs Project, a detailed study of Stonehenge
and its surrounding landscape. This gave him his first experience of the media, where he contributed parts to programmes about Stonehenge.
With fellow project managers Peter Cox and John Hawkes from Wessex Archaeology, Richards started AC Archaeology in 1991. This was a small independent organisation, still based in Wiltshire, created when the founders decided they wanted an alternative to large organisations.
After three years Richards left the world of commercial archaeology and joined English Heritage
to work on its Monuments Protection Programme (MPP). Returning to his roots in fieldwork, he was inspected sites and prepared reports on the protection of important archaeological sites in Wiltshire
, Hampshire
and the Isle of Wight
.
.
Meet the Ancestors was commissioned in late 1996. In the spring of 1997 Richards took a year's leave from English Heritage to work on it. He resigned his day job to work full time in broadcasting and writing when a second series was commissioned.
As of 2005 he has presented six series of Meet the Ancestors, a five-part series Blood of the Vikings
in 2002, both for BBC 2. In addition, he has written books to accompany both series. For Radio 4
he has presented eleven series of Mapping the Town.
Richards is also responsible for creating two site-interactive games: Hunt the Ancestor (for which he won a British Archaeology award) and Viking Quest, for the BBC History website. He has also been a regular contributor to the BBC History website and magazine.
He also received a British Archaeological Award for the programme Chariot Queen. On his personal website he also notes receiving a Blue Peter badge
.
Richards lives with his family in Shaftesbury
, Dorset
where he maintains his special interest in the prehistory of Wessex
and particularly Stonehenge
.
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
) is a British television and radio presenter, writer and archaeologist
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
with over 30 years experience of fieldwork and publication.
Early career
Between 1975 and 1980 Richards worked for the Berkshire Archaeological Unit, helping to build the county Sites and Monuments RecordSites and Monuments Record
Each County or Unitary Authority in the United Kingdom maintains a Sites and Monuments Record or SMR, consisting of a list of known archaeological sites. Many SMRs are now developing into much broader Historic Environment Records , including information on historic buildings and designed landscapes...
. He excavated and carried out a survey of the Berkshire Downs
Berkshire Downs
The Berkshire Downs are a range of chalk downland hills in southern England, part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
.
In 1980 he joined the new group Wessex Archaeology
Wessex Archaeology
Wessex Archaeology is one of the largest private archaeological organisations operating in the United Kingdom, based near Salisbury in Wiltshire.-Background:...
, based in Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
. He ran the Stonehenge Environs Project, a detailed study of Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
and its surrounding landscape. This gave him his first experience of the media, where he contributed parts to programmes about Stonehenge.
With fellow project managers Peter Cox and John Hawkes from Wessex Archaeology, Richards started AC Archaeology in 1991. This was a small independent organisation, still based in Wiltshire, created when the founders decided they wanted an alternative to large organisations.
After three years Richards left the world of commercial archaeology and joined English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
to work on its Monuments Protection Programme (MPP). Returning to his roots in fieldwork, he was inspected sites and prepared reports on the protection of important archaeological sites in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
.
Media career
Shortly after joining the MPP, Richards was asked to contribute to a TV programme about the construction of Stonehenge. His ideas led eventually to the programme Meet the AncestorsMeet the Ancestors
Meet the Ancestors aka Ancestors was a BBC Television documentary series that documents the archaeological excavation and scientific reconstruction of human remains.-Series one :-Series two :...
.
Meet the Ancestors was commissioned in late 1996. In the spring of 1997 Richards took a year's leave from English Heritage to work on it. He resigned his day job to work full time in broadcasting and writing when a second series was commissioned.
As of 2005 he has presented six series of Meet the Ancestors, a five-part series Blood of the Vikings
Blood of the Vikings
Blood of the Vikings was a 5 part 2001 BBC Television documentary series that traced the legacy of the Vikings in the British Isles through a genetics survey.-Production:...
in 2002, both for BBC 2. In addition, he has written books to accompany both series. For Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
he has presented eleven series of Mapping the Town.
Richards is also responsible for creating two site-interactive games: Hunt the Ancestor (for which he won a British Archaeology award) and Viking Quest, for the BBC History website. He has also been a regular contributor to the BBC History website and magazine.
He also received a British Archaeological Award for the programme Chariot Queen. On his personal website he also notes receiving a Blue Peter badge
Blue Peter badge
A Blue Peter badge is a much coveted award for Blue Peter viewers, given by the children's television programme for those appearing on the show, or in recognition of achievement...
.
Richards lives with his family in Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is a town in Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 miles west of Salisbury. The town is built 718 feet above sea level on the side of a chalk and greensand hill, which is part of Cranborne Chase, the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
where he maintains his special interest in the prehistory of Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
and particularly Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
.
External links
- Archaemedia.net - Personal site
- Julian Richards on Twitter - Twitter Page
- Transcript of BBC web chat - November 2001
- Transcript of BBC web chat - March 2003
- BBC Radio 4 - Mapping the Town pages
- Profile at UKTV HistoryUKTV HistoryYesterday is a television channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom as part of the UKTV network of channels. The channel originally launched on 30 October 2002 and relaunched in its current format on 2 March 2009. The channel is available on satellite through Sky, cable services primarily through...
- Meet the Author - Video of Julian Richards talking about his book Stonehenge: A History in Photographs (RealplayerRealPlayerRealPlayer is a cross-platform media player by RealNetworks that plays a number of multimedia formats including MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, Windows Media, and multiple versions of proprietary RealAudio and RealVideo formats.-History:...
)