Barbara Crawford studied Modern and Medieval History at the University of St. Andrews, gaining a PhD in 1971. She was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1964, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1973, Member of the Norwegian Academy in 1997 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2001. In 2011 she was awarded an OBE for Services to History and Archaeology.