University of Leicester to name building after archaeology pioneer, Dame Kathleen Kenyon

The home of the University of Leicester’s Schools of Archaeology and Ancient History and Museum Studies will be named after Dame Kathleen Kenyon. 

A pioneering archaeologist, Dame Kathleen Kenyon (1906-1978) is recognised for her work on ancient sites in the UK, Middle East and North Africa. 

In Leicester, Dame Kenyon led excavations of the Jewry Wall, one of the city’s most famous landmarks. The excavations transformed our understanding of Leicester’s Roman past.

The Kathleen Kenyon Building is the first academic building to be named after a woman on the University of Leicester’s campus. 

The official naming ceremony will be held on Friday 7 March to mark the University’s International Women’s Day celebrations. 

The event will honour Dame Kathleen Kenyon’s exceptional achievements with speeches from Professor Henrietta O’Connor, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester and representatives from the School of Archaeology and Ancient History and the British Museum. 

Representatives from Leicester City Council will also be attending the event.

Professor Henrietta O’Connor said: "The naming of the Dame Kathleen Kenyon Building is a landmark event in the University of Leicester’s history. Dame Kathleen Kenyon contributed so much to our understanding of Leicester’s Roman past, and commemorating her immense contribution in this way perfectly reflects the world-changing research being done by our School of Archaeology and Ancient History and School of Museum Studies.” 

Professor Ruth Young, Head of the School of Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Leicester said: “Staff and students from the School of Archaeology and Ancient History worked hard to have this building named after Dame Kathleen Kenyon, and I am very pleased that this event will recognise both this work and the pioneering work of Dame Kathleen herself.  Dame Kathleen made important contributions to the methods and interpretation of archaeology here in Leicester, as well as in Palestine and Libya, thus echoing the School’s current strong local and international links.”

Professor Sandra Dudley, Head of the School of Museum Studies at the University of Leicester said: “The School of Museum Studies’ staff and students are delighted to be sharing this building and its naming with colleagues in Archaeology and Ancient History. We are proud to be part of the building’s celebration of Dame Kathleen Kenyon’s outstanding achievements – including her impact on museums in Leicester and beyond. Dame Kathleen’s lasting legacy resonates powerfully with the School’s leadership in breaking down barriers to access and success in museum, heritage and arts professions.”