Francis Pryor
2025
Dr. Francis Pryor is an archaeologist and farmer who grew up in Weston and at Lannock Manor. He excavated in the Fens in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s when he also became a sheep farmer. He and his wife Maisie (who is also a professional archaeologist) have established a livestock farm in the silt Fens near Spalding. He was a member of Channel 4’s popular TV series Time Team. In November 1982 he discovered the Bronze Age site at Flag Fen, Peterborough. Today it is a thriving visitor attraction.
My Sessions
Farming in the Bronze Age Fens
In his Groundswell talk Francis will discuss the lives of Bronze Age farmers in the Fens from about 1500 to 500 BC. The intricate layout of their farms, fields and droveways has revealed a wealth of information about the way they tended livestock and managed the land, which was surprisingly sophisticated and remarkably successful.