AN ARCHAEOLOGIST and fellow of All Souls College who was a foremost authority on Roman Britain has died aged 98.

Sheppard Frere was former Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire at Oxford University and a respected figure in his field.

He was best known for the work he did as director of two excavations that were, at the time, the largest carried out in the UK since the Second World War.

One was at Canterbury from 1946 to 1960 and the other at the ancient town of Verulamium, near St Alban’s, between 1955 and 1961.

Prof Frere came to Oxford in 1966, from the University of London. He replaced Sir Ian Richmond as the Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire.

The current holder of the position, Professor Andrew Wilson, said he had “pioneered academic rescue archaeology”. Prof Frere lived in Marcham with his wife and two children.

When Oxford University was carrying out excavations at nearby Frilford between 2001 and 2011 he was a frequent visitor.

Prof Frere also played a key role in the development of local charity Oxford Archaeology. It started out as the Oxfordshire Archaeological Unit in 1973, the operating arm of the new Oxfordshire Archaeological Committee.

Prof Frere chaired the committee from 1978 to 1990, overseeing major changes in the archaeological unit’s size and scope. In 1976 he was made a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Born in Graffham, West Sussex, on August 23, 1916, Prof Frere grew up with two younger brothers and his father was a civil servant.

During the war he had served with the National Fire Service, but when he returned to civilian life in 1945 he became a master at Lancing.

He went to Manchester University in 1954 and the Institute of Archaeology at London Universitya year later as a reader in archaeology of the Roman provinces.

His first association with Oxfordshire came in 1962 when he undertook excavations at Dorchester on Thames, investigating its origins as a small Roman town.

He went to Oxford in 1966 and was also made a fellow of All Souls College, publishing his book Britannia: A History of Roman Britain the next year.

A comprehensive study including many of his own latest findings, it remained the standard textbook for students of Roman archaeology until very recently.

Prof Frere died on February 26 and is survived by his wife, Janet, a son and a daughter. A memorial service will take place on May 16 at All Souls College Chapel from 2.15pm.