Blue Plaque Unveiled in Hove to Honour Pioneering Archaeologist E. Cecil Curwen
On Saturday 21st June, the Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Amanda Grimshaw unveiled a Blue Plaque in Medina Villas Hove, placed in honour of E. Cecil Curwen, the much-respected pioneering archaeologist and prehistorian.
The plaque was the passion-project of Richard Bianco who now lives in the house and who discovered and then meticulously researched E. Cecil Curwen’s life and his significant national contribution to archaeology. Richard worked with the Brighton and Hove Commemorative Blue Plaque Panel to have the plaque approved and installed.
The Vice Chair of the Sussex Archaeological Society, Dr Matt Pope, was invited to give a speech at the unveiling event and spoke about E. Cecil Curwen’s enduring reputation as a fantastic archaeologist with a great commitment to rapid, detailed publication, meticulous archives and supporting the next generation of archaeologists.
The Sussex Archaeological Society, for which E. Cecil Curwen was a Trustee in the mid-20th Century, continues to curate and care for archives and artefacts from some of his excavations. As recently as last year, the late Dr Judie English spoke to the enduring positive legacy and influence of Curwen and his father at the Society’s 20204 Conference, and we continue to celebrate the professional and positive values he epitomised.
Read more about the event and Richard’s work celebrating E. Cecil Curwen here.