Celebrating Hampshire Historians

Roberts, Kenneth A B (Lt. Col)

1916 - March 1987

Kenneth Roberts inherited a passionate interest in archaeology and local history from his father Betton. Together they would walk miles in search of earthworks and in visiting churches, and young Kenneth compiled four volumes of notes and sketches recording these encounters. His survey of the cross-dykes at Leydene secured his election to the Hampshire Field Club, at the tender age of 16!

Roberts dug on Wheeler’s excavations at Maiden Castle, Dorset, in 1934-35 before heading for Hertford College, Oxford, where he read mathematics. Then came World War II and he saw service in France in 1940, before being posted to the Far East. Following the war, he married Connie, a nurse he had met while recovering from a war wound. A transfer to the Royal Army Education Corps, resulted in postings in Malaya, Cyprus and Germany, as well as the UK.

Retirement from the army in 1966 saw a return to the family home in Hambledon, allowing Roberts to study the local history of the area with renewed vigour. This he did by recording all the historic buildings in the parish and beyond. He served on the Field Club Council, was a founder-member of the Historic Buildings Section and contributed to a book on medieval hall houses.

He was a familiar face at Field Club gatherings and was renowned for his enthusiasm, kindness and roguish sense of humour.

Sources

• Field Club Newsletter, 1987 (Anon)

Portrait

Contribution to county’s history

Study of Hambledon local history; collaboration on a catalogue of medieval hall houses.  

Relevant published works

• Lewis E, Roberts E, Roberts K (1988) Medieval Hall Houses of the Winchester area.

Critical Comments

Other Comments

Contributor

Dave Allen, January 2022

Key Words

Archaeology, ancient earthworks, Medieval Hall Houses, Hambledon, historic buildings

Any queries or further suggestions for this part of the list should be addressed to celebrating@hantsfieldclub.org.uk.

Back to Historians R-T from Ravenscroft, William to Trussell, John