He had a keen personal interest in medieval architecture on which he studied and wrote extensively, and was a pioneer of the scholarship of timber framing.
[1] The Rigold family came originally from either Germany or Austria, the surname thought to be a likely variant of Reginald, and is also found as Rigault, Rigauld and Rigaud.
Following service at Bletchley Park, working with the Enigma outfit and becoming a warrant officer II,[2][3] he went up to St. Peter's Hall, Oxford to read Greats, matriculating in 1946.
[1] On coming down from Oxford in 1948 a BA (later progressing to MA[4]), Rigold joined the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments, which was to be the primary focus of his life's work.
[1] In 1963 Rigold was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, serving on its council ten years later.