A visit to Sutton Hoo
History, humility and a timely reminder
Ticked off a long-held ambition this last weekend, when we visited Sutton Hoo, the site of the greatest archaeological find ever to be uncovered in the British Isles — the burial ship of an Anglo Saxon king, including the spectacular moustachioed helmet available to see at the British Museum.
We were lucky enough to get places on a tour of the windblown burial mounds. Listening to our brilliant guide — and wandering the amazing visitor centre — was a timely reminder that Britain has always been a land of migrants. Our ancestors came here from all over Europe and only thrived because they maintained connections to the continent, constantly shifting their culture and beliefs to adapt and survive in an ever-changing world. It was as smart then as it is now!
As a postscript, I loved this excerpt from a letter by my new archaeological hero, Basil Brown: the pipe-smoking, amateur archaeologist portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in The Dig and the self-taught legend who first discovered the boat in 1939.
The humble Basil Brown and the excerpt of his letter displayed at Edith Pretty’s house
Flush from the excitement of the discovery, he wrote this to his wife May on the day war broke out against Germany:
“Hope you are alright in all this bother of war being declared. I am today been filling in the ship with bracken etc. and hope it may remain alright.
Then, if war does not last too long, it may come out alright for people to see.
If not, it must take its chance.”
“The bother.” Oh, the understatement. Is there a more British way to describe the outbreak of war? No screaming. No shouting. No ranting. No raging. Just acknowledging the bother and getting on with it.
That’s the Britain I want to live in. Quiet pragmatism over noisy performance. Gentle concern for those you love. And getting on with the job in hand for the good of others. Nice work, Basil — on all counts!
Until next time, look after yourself and each other,
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Cavan Scott
Cavan Scott
Cavan Scott
WHAT I'M WORKING ON
Thanks to pesky NDAs, I can’t reveal many details about what I’m writing at the moment, so I’ve come up with a sneaky list of project names. Keep an eye on future editions. I'll update everything as the work progresses!
Project: Avarice
- A novelisation for a fantasy franchise, currently in copy edits.
Project: Passer
- A graphic novel adaptation of a top romantasy novel. Currently scripting.
Project: Soldier
- A newly commissioned fantasy novel, currently awaiting editorial feedback on the outline.
Konflikt ‘47
- Working with Warlord Games on the lore and creative direction for the weird World War II tabletop game.
COMING SOON
Star Wars: Scoundrels and Smugglers - Race for Jabba’s Bounty
An all-age graphic novel starring Han Solo, Chewbacca, Jaxxon and a host of scum and villainy. On sale 6th October.
Godfather of Hell
My new creator-owned graphic novel for mature readers. Think Goodfellas meets The Exorcist. On sale 27th October.
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE GENESIS #4
The beginning of a new arc featuring Man-At-Arms unravelling a dark mystery with his friend, Prince Randor. On sale 16th December,