Oswin E. Craster and guidebooks

(1977)

Oswin Edmund Craster (1916-2006) was appointed an Assistant Inspector to the Office of Works in 1938. After war service in the SOE (in France and Burma) [IWM interview], he returned to the Office of Works becoming Inspector for Wales, and then Chief Inspector (to 1976).

His father, Sir Edmund Craster (1879-1959), had excavated at Corbridge with Francis Haverfield, (Sir) Leonard Woolley, and J. P. Bushe-Fox.

(1951) [1970]

Craster prepared a single guide for the Ancient Monuments of Anglesey (1953), as well as a guide for the Roman town of Caerwent (1951), followed by a short guide to the Roman fort at Y Gaer (1954) outside Brecon. This was followed by a guide to Cilgerran Castle (1957).

These were followed by replacement guides to Llanthony Priory (1963), Tintern Abbey (1964), and Skenfrith Castle (1970).

In England he prepared the guide for Hurst Castle (1976) in Hampshire (appearing as a 2nd edition in French, 1978).

[see Guardian obituary]