Archaeology, Local and Social History Talks
Our meetings are held at:
St Catherine’s Church Hall
4 Lewens Lane
Wimborne BH21 1LE
7.30 – 9.30pm usually on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, September to May.
There is plenty of parking and the hall is open from 7pm.
Visitors are very welcome and admission is free (though donations are much appreciated).
We occasionally hold meetings/lectures on Zoom, particularly where speakers live some distance away or find it difficult to travel. These occasions may increase with rising travel costs. We always make sure we inform members if there are changes to the programme schedule, meeting date, place or start time.
Summaries of the lectures usually appear in the following newsletter.
Our next meeting will be:
A lecture on Medieval women and how to find them by Cindy Wood on Wednesday 9th September 2026 at 7:30pm
The prevailing thought has been that medieval records exclude women, but this has been overturned in recent years. This talk uncovers the lives and experiences of women from all areas of society leading to a greater understanding of the medieval people and the not-so overlooked females.
2026/2027 Programme
Wednesday 9th September 2026
Lecture
Cindy Wood
Medieval women and how to find them
The prevailing thought has been that medieval records exclude women, but this has been overturned in recent years. This talk uncovers the lives and experiences of women from all areas of society leading to a greater understanding of the medieval people and the not-so overlooked females.
Dr Wood is a Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Winchester. She was awarded a PhD for her thesis, Cage Chantries and Their Role in Late Medieval Religion, c.1366- 1555.
Wednesday 14th October 2026
Lecture
Gail Wakeham
Emerging insights into a long lived settlement at Station Rd, Fordingbridge
Excavations by Cotswold Archaeology revealed a settlement dating from the late Bronze Age through to the mid Roman period. Analysis continues to refine dates and cast light on the domestic activities and hence add to our understanding of this part of the Avon valley.
Wednesday 11th November 2026
Lecture
Phil Trim
A Tale of Two Kilns: Roman pottery production at Arne, Poole Harbour
The 2021 to 2024 Wessex Archaeology excavations carried out as part of The Moors at Arne Coastal Change Project revealed evidence for Bronze Age and Romano-British industrial activity. This talk details the evidence for pottery production during the Romano-British period in the industrialised landscape of Poole Harbour and the results of experimental archaeology examining the kiln technology discovered on site.
Wednesday 9th December 2026
Lecture
Luke Mouland
Life in the Victorian Workhouse
The Victorian workhouse still evokes powerful images of fear and hardship but what is the evidence? This talk draws on stories from a number of Dorset’s workhouses to illustrate what daily life was like for inmates and shows how the very design of the workhouse was intended to discourage the needy from seeking refuge within.
Wednesday 13th January 2027
Lecture
Cheryl Green
Re-discovering the lost medieval manor at Putton Lane, Chickerel, Dorset
Dorset’s first extensively excavated manorial centre at Putton Lane uncovered a complex of well-appointed buildings and fields that evolved from the late C12th until their deliberate dismantling in the early C15th. This talk explores its development and decline against the backdrop of changing family fortunes to provide a vivid insight into the daily lives and wider connections of its inhabitants.
Wednesday 17th February 2027 (NOT 2nd WEDNESDAY)
Lecture
Lorraine Mepham
Fifty sherds of grey: making sense of pottery
Pottery is one of the most common artefact types encountered on archaeological sites. Archaeologists traditionally rely on it for dating but, as specialists, we can examine several other avenues of research. This talk considers some of the other ways in which pottery can tell us about the past.
Wednesday 10th March 2027
AGM and lecture
Robert Heaton
Exploring opportunities with GPR
EDAS recently acquired a ground penetrating radar (GPR) jointly with Poole Maritime Trust. This talk looks at how its capabilities can be used to investigate excavation opportunities and unknown underground features.
Wednesday 14th April 2026
Lecture
Colin Edwards
Dorset & Dr Beeching
Many will remember the “Beeching Report” and the subsequent closures of many branch lines. Urban myths have developed over the last sixty years, misrepresenting what actually happened. Colin Edwards will offer some statistics from the archives so that you can decide whether the closures were justified, based upon fact rather than emotion.
Wednesday 12th May 2026
Lecture (Please note: this lecture will be delivered via Zoom)
David Roberts & Denise Wilding
Garson’s Field Roman villa
Metal detectorist finds in a field in Wiltshire led to the excavation of a Roman villa in 2024. The Teffont Archaeology team unearthed the main villa including a superb mosaic floor, a bath house and large barn. The team returned in Summer 2026. What more has been found?