Alfred Watkins

Born in Hereford in 1855, Alfred Watkins was an English writer, businessman, photographer, and keen observer of the countryside. He spent much of his life in Herefordshire, where his interest in local history, archaeology, and old roads shaped the work he became famous for.

Watkins is best remembered for proposing that ancient sites, paths, and landmarks often lined up in straight tracks across the landscape, an idea he called "leys." He set out this theory in The Old Straight Track, a book that sparked decades of debate and fascination. Even where scholars disagreed with his conclusions, his gift for close observation and his enthusiasm for the historic landscape left a real mark.

Alongside his writing, Watkins was also known for his photography and his involvement in local civic and business life. Today he is remembered not only for one striking theory, but for the curiosity and energy with which he explored the English landscape.