ABSTRACT
The archaeology of the early medieval Celtic churches has its origins in the work of the antiquarian Edward Lhuyd, who was the first to record many examples of early Christian inscribed stones and stone crosses during his extensive travels in Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall and Brittany. In the mid-20th century, the study of early medieval church archaeology, particularly in western Britain, was dominated by C A Ralegh Radford, who was responsible for survey and excavation at many early church sites, as well as writing about early medieval stone sculpture. Since the late 1960s knowledge of the archaeology of the early medieval Celtic churches has expanded rapidly as a result of both field survey and excavation. This work has, for the most part, been concentrated in Scotland and Ireland, where sites are less likely to be encumbered by later churches and cemeteries still in active use.
