8th September

Dr. Steve Kershaw

The Adventures of Charles Robert Cockerell
The story of a young amateur archaeologist and drinking companion of Byron who acquired many priceless works of art on his travels, as told by a professor of classics and the history art at UK and American universities.

22nd September

Bruce Bailey

Revising Pevsner : Experiences in Northamptonshire and the New Forest
The speaker, an architectural historian, revised Pevsner’s 2014 Northamptonshire volume and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

 

6th October

Jenny Rowlson

The archaeology of Capernaum

A photographer’s guide to ancient remains on the Sea of Galilee, focussing on the biblical town of Capernaum, which features the remains of St. Peter’s house and the synagogue and churches built over it.

 

20th October

Prof. Stephen Upex

Post Roman landscapes and what the Saxons did for you

A novel interpretation by an archaeologist, landscape historian, lecturer, author and former professor at Brunel University.

 

3rd November

Speaker to be confirmed

The recent work of Albion Archaeology, Bedford

A review of work undertaken by the company, which was formerly the Bedfordshire County Council Archaeology Service.

 

17th November

Roger Laing

Trafalgar : Personalities and prelude, the battle and its aftermath

The speaker, a retired regular army officer and later civil servant with the Ministry of Defence who now lectures on cruise ships gives a detailed account of this critical naval battle.

 

1st December

Andrew Grout

The role of the Head Gardener at Woburn Abbey Gardens

Led by the speaker, the award winning gardens are being painstakingly restored to Humphrey Repton’s original design.

 

 

15th December

Sue Edwards

The Empress Elizabeth of Austria 1837 – 1898

The speaker, a senior guide at Cottesbrooke Hall, Althorp House and Kelmarsh Hall, lectures on art history and will give an account of the monarch’s life and her visits to this area.

 

2016

 

5th January

Ruth Thomas

Medieval Northampton – Part 2

A popular speaker at our Society with an encyclopaedic knowledge of both Ancient Egypt and Northampton returns to continue the history of the county town, following her first instalment in January 2015.

 

19th January

Ray Rowlson

China

A professional photographer gives his impressions of the contrasting appearance of different landscapes and a rapidly changing society after a recent five week tour of the country.

 

2nd February

Alan Cox

Historic Street Furniture

An architect based in Bedford with a specialist interest in older buildings describes the fascinating details which can be spotted in structures that are often overlooked but make an important contribution to the character of any town.

 

16th February

Rev. Malcolm Deacon

The Gunpowder Plot : a Midland conspiracy

The founder of Park Lane Publishing, a retired minister, sheds light on the very local aspects of this infamous episode.

 

1st March

Geoffrey Toms

The Venetian Empire

A regular speaker at our society and former Head of Education at the London Museum gives a detailed account of an empire which he describes as “ruthless, egocentric, imperialistic and resulting in spectacular archaeology”.

 

15th March

Ray Aspden

The tomb of Lord Pakal

The excavation of a sarcophagus deep inside a pyramid in the ancient Mayan city of Palenque revolutionised understanding of the Maya.

 

5th April

Peter Scott

The rose and its history

A leading member of the Historic Rose Group of the Royal National Rose Society who has organised exhibits at Chelsea and Hampton Court gives his insights into the botany of the plant, its prominent role in the arts and religion and the evolution of present day roses.

 

19th April

Peter Liddle

The building of Kirby Muxloe castle

A Visiting Fellow at the School of Archaeology and Ancient History at Leicester University with over 40 years experience describes how the castle was built, using rare building accounts and a study of the existing remains.

 

3rd May

Andrew Nash

The church of St. Kyneburgha of Castor

A member of the Nene Valley Archaeological trust describes this early medieval church which stands on a Roman and Saxon site and tells the story of the saint. The church is now the subject of an innovative community history project.

 

11th May

Ian Meadows

Irchester : town and countryside

An archaeologist formerly working for Northamptonshire County Council describes the relationship between the town and its surrounding landscape, which produced the provisions to sustain the urban population.

 

7th June

Dr. Maggie Boxer

Trinity House : Safeguarding the Mariner since 1514

and

OAS Annual General Meeting