Background
An only child Paul Ashbee was born in Bearsted, near Maidstone, Kent.
An only child Paul Ashbee was born in Bearsted, near Maidstone, Kent.
Although without any qualifications he studied for a diploma in European prehistoric archaeology at the University of London in 1952, followed by a diploma in education at Bristol University and a Master of Arts at Leicester University.
He died of cancer on 19 August 2009, aged 91. Ashbee went into archaeology (during school holidays) after service in the army through the Second World War. He excavated widely across southern Britain and is best known as a leading authority on Neolithic and Bronze Age barrows.
From 1976 to 1980 he was the President of the Cornwall Society, and was also a commissioner of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England for 10 years.
Excavations
1949-1950 — cemetery at Porthcressa, Street Mary"s, Isles of Scilly
1950-1952 — assistant to Rupert Bruce-Mitford on the early medieval settlement at Mawgan Porth
1955 — barrow at Tregulland, north-east of Bodmin Moor
1960 — barrow at Wilsford, Normanton Down, Wiltshire
1964-1971 — co-director with Rupert Bruce-Mitford at Sutton Hoo
1970–? — replacement of the capstones of the entrance grave at Bant"s Carn and the multi-period settlement at Halangy, Street Mary"s, Isles of Scilly.