Lancaster Archaeological and Historical Society hope to return to giving their talks in St Paul’s Parish Hall in Scotforth this season, if the COVID situation allows.
The Society’s members are involved in all aspects of researching the area’s past, such as, for example, member David Ratledge’s mapping of Roman roads, using the archaeological technique known as LiDAR, along with precisely located ground surveys.
A full programme of events has been announced, taking place on the last Thursday of the month, with a 7.30pm start for 7.45pm. They are investigating the possibility of live streaming the talks in the future, although this cannot be guaranteed at this stage.
Lancaster Archaeological and Historical Society was founded in 1973 and currently has around 120 members. The society holds talks meetings from September to April on the last Thursday of the month with topics alternating between history and archaeology. Field trips to sites of historical and archaeological interest are made during the summer.
The Society’s official journal Contrebis is published annually and contains articles on archaeology and local history in Lancashire and the North West of England.
Their web site includes a programme of events, details of field trips and how to join the Society. You can also view contents and sample articles from their journal, Contrebis – or try exploring some of Lancaster’s past in the virtual tour of historic Lancaster.
Lancaster was an important hub in the Roman road network of north-west England but the roads, although known in principle, have either been imprecisely located or have had long stretches where the route has been lost completely. Traditional methods of finding these missing parts, such as field walking and aerial photography, have just about been exhausted. Fortunately, with the advent of LiDAR, many of those missing pieces have been located
Lancaster Archaeological and Historical Society – Programme of talks, 2022-23
• Download the current programme (PDF)
• Life, Death and Trade in the Desert: surveying the archaeology of Saudi Arabia | Thursday 29th September 2022 | Presentation by Jamie Quartermaine, Senior Project Officer, Oxford Archaeology North
• Uncovering the Natural History of the Lake District, 1650 to 1825 | Thursday 27th October 2022 | Presentation by Professor Ian Hodkinson, Emeritus Professor, John Moore’s University
• Crossing the Sands: beauty, drama and tragedy in Morecambe Bay | Thursday 24th November 2022 | Presentation by Dr Andrew White, retired Curator of Lancaster City Museums
• Lancashire Cotton Queens: ambassadors for the industry and its workers | Thursday 26th January 2023 | Presentation by Dr Jack Southern, University of Central Lancashire
• The First Farmers of the Fylde: the prehistoric archaeology of the Windy Harbour to Skippool road scheme | Thursday 23rd February 2023 | Presentation by Fraser Brown, Regional Manager, Oxford Archaeology North
• Jerusalem in the North: mobile memory and the wooden models of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Lancashire | Thursday 30th March 2023 | Presentation by Professor Andrew Jotischky, Royal Holloway, London
• AGM, followed by, Holiday Making in the Lake District in the 1940s and 1950s | Thursday 27th April 2023 | Presentation by Dr Rob David, retired, University of Cumbria
St Paul’s Parish Hall is on the A6, Scotforth Road, Lancaster LA1 4TS directly opposite the Church. Parking is available on the main road and local streets. Disabled parking and access is at the front of the Hall. Visitors are welcome. £3 per lecture. Zoom details if needed will be emailed to members.