Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month (except August) at 7.30pm, at the Riverside Centre Islington Road, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 7AU, when talks are given on a variety of topics relating to our local heritage. Visitors are welcome at all meetings.
Wednesday April 8th 2009
Dr Diana Sutherland
Northamptonshire Stone
Dr Sutherland, formerly of Leicester University, is a geologist and author of the book "Northamptonshire Stone" published in 2003. She will illustrate the variety of local building stone used in the villages of Northamptonshire and will relate this to the geological history of the county.
Wednesday May 13th 2009
Dr Andrew Williams
"Who let them in? - Children in hospital before children's hospitals."
Dr Williams will talk about children in hospital in Northamptonshire from the 18th century before children's hospitals, such as Great Ormond Street, were founded. He will introduce us to the Northampton General Hospital archive and its resources and will encourage us to visit it.
Wednesday June 10th 2009
Bruce Smith
The Cattle Drovers and the Welsh Lanes
Bruce Smith, a retired history teacher, will tell us how fresh meat was provided for the citizens of London by driving sheep and cattle from Wales. The rich Northamptonshire pastures and lack of mercantile activity made Northamptonshire a suitable route. The roads that they took are still called Welsh Lanes.
Wednesday July 8th 2009
Members Night
Members and visitors are invited to speak on projects and any aspect of local history. Admission is free and a relaxed social evening concludes with supper and a raffle.
Wednesday September 9th 2009
Robert Bracegirdle
The World's Finest Bells
Robert Bracegirdle was the curator of the Bellfoundry Museum at Taylors Eayre and Smith's Bell foundry in Loughborough. The firm has had links with bell founding since the 13th century. They cast all the bells in St.Lawrence Church, Towcester, including the treble cast in 1725, cast again in 1935 and again in 1989.. He will bring some bells to show us.
See: http://www.taylorbells.co.uk/museum.asp
Wednesday October 14th 2009
Gary Marshall
The Archaeological Work of the National Trust
Gary Marshall is the Regional Archaeologist for the Thames and Solent region of the National Trust. He will tell us about the archaeological work of the National Trust in recording buildings, landscape restoration, and archaeological digs/excavations with particular reference to Stowe House and gardens.
Wednesday November 11th 2009
Rod Conlon
The Historic Deer Parks of Northamptonshire
The forests in medieval Northamptonshire, such as Rockingham, Salcey and Whittlewood, contained many deer parks maintained for hunting by the King and his nobles. By the 18th century the parks had become landscape settings for our great country houses. Rod will tell us about the changes that took place in this period using examples from South Northamptonshire; he is a joint author of a book on Northamptonshire’s deer parks from Northamptonshire Gardens Trust.
Wednesday December 9th 2009
Christmas meeting
Our Christmas social evening will include readings and music, and the evening's entertainment will conclude with a shared supper and a raffle.
Wednesday January 13th 2010
Dr. Martin Weaver
Archaeological Facial Reconstruction
Dr. Martin Weaver became an authority on archaeological facial reconstruction following an earlier interest in archaeological osteology, the study of old bones. He now teaches courses on this subject at Cambridge University. He will tell how reconstruction is done, and will illustrate the technique with examples including that of an iron age skull found at Whitehall Farm Roman Villa near Nether Heyford. See: www.mweaver.co.uk
Wednesday February 10th 2010
Jonathan Plowe
Ancient Woodlands and the work of the Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is dedicated to the protection of our native woodland heritage. Jonathan Plowe manages Trust properties, such as Everdon Stubbs, in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. He will tell us how the Trust manages woodlands for wildlife and public enjoyment. See: www.woodland-trust.org.uk
Wednesday March 10th 2010
AGM
The past and future year's aims and activities will be presented and discussed. The Annual General Meeting will be followed by a talk. The evening will conclude with a social gathering and refreshments.
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