Foreword (BAR 2)

The British Academy aims to publish a regular account of its activities by means of its new biannual Review. It will, cumulatively, fulfil the function of providing a conspectus of the Academy’s activities hitherto covered by the Annual Report.

This issue of the Review covers events and activities that took place during the first part of the academic year, from July to December 1999.

An active lecture programme has taken place, and it is a pleasure to enclose extracts from four of the Lectures, which, it is hoped, give some indication of their range and interest. Space precludes the same treatment being given to all lectures that were given during the period covered by this Review, but it is intended that each of the lecture ‘series’ will be featured in due course.

The Survey of English Place-Names is one of the longest-standing of the Academy’s Research Projects. It has been supported by the Academy since 1923, and there is an article on how it has developed from its earliest days. There is also a report on the successful launch of the fifth volume in the Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture, another of the Academy’s own Research Projects, which was established in 1972. As a contrasting example of the kinds of research activity the Academy is able to support, this issue includes short accounts of work funded under the small grants and conference schemes.

This is only the second issue of the Review, and the Academy will be pleased to receive comments and suggestions on how the content might be developed in the future.