Charles Thomas obituary

Archaeologist with a particular passion for the history of his native Cornwall

Charles Thomas, who has died aged 87, was an outstanding scholar of early Britain, with an international reputation. He researched and published widely about Cornwall, its local history, its archaeology and religion, its language, dialect, customs, folklore and humour, its art and artists, its military history and its relationship with other Celtic nations. He was also a nonconformist in every sense: a committed Methodist and a founding member of Mebyon Kernow, the Cornish nationalist party.

I first met Charles in July 1955, when I was mistakenly the first volunteer to arrive on an archaeological excavation. Charles seized the moment, gave me a yard-broom, peremptorily told me to clean up one of the dilapidated Nissen huts in which we were to live - and disappeared. I later appreciated that this was typical Thomasian behaviour, and why some found him abrupt and even arrogant; in fact he was shy. Above all, he was kind and a marvellous encourager, especially in the field.

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