English antiquarian Richard Chandler is “officially” recognised as having re-discovered the site of ancient Olympia while traveling in Greece in 1766. (Many Greeks dispute the suggestion that Olympia was ever lost!)
Later, in 1799, he became rector of St Michael’s Church, Tilehurst, Reading, where he served until his death on 9 February 1810.
Coincidentally, this post was published on the day the great and the good from the Olympic Movement were gathered in Olympia to light the Olympic Flame for Vancouver 2010. Now I wonder how many of them have ever been to Tilehurst…..