Peter Cooper – Stories from Needingworth Mapping

Peter began developing an interactive mapping system two years ago that provides users with a multilayer view and a multi-time view of the mapped area. He began his work building up information for his ‘One Place Study’ of Holywell-cum-Needingworth overlaying land maps, 1800 enclosure maps, estate maps, OS maps, land valuation documents, Bartholomew and other historic maps and census information.

Peter is a recipient of a 2018 Goodliff Award and will talk about what he has discovered as part of his research and will demonstrate his interactive mapping system and how this will be able to support local history and family studies.  

Windows into a Tribal World: Iron Age Coins – Dr Rodney Scarle

Rodney is a member of the Longstanton and District Heritage Society, whose interest in early coinage and what they can tell us about the people who used them was stimulated by his interest in local archaeology.

Over time he has built up quite an interesting and varied collection of coins and considerable expertise in them. In 2012/13 Rodney assisted with the examination and identification of over 30 Iron Age and Roman coins found during excavations at Wimpole Hall. Also, in 2015 he was actively involved with the digging of community test pits at Longstanton when they found lots of pottery and coins. 

19 Feb 2019 7.30pm*
Fantastic Beasts and where to find them

Find out more about the Bonicon, a medieval beast found at Longthorpe Tower, Castor church and the Peterborough Besitary. This talk focuses on the Romanesque capitals of St Kyneburgha church, Castor and the local landscape in medieval times.

Dr Susan E Kilby, Medieval Historian, University of Leicester

The Changing Fields of Huntingdonshire – William Franklin

If you have wondered about the shape and structure of field boundaries, how they were formed, when they were laid out and by whom, and how this was influenced by the then owner of the land, the King, Church, Lord or State. Then come along to the Methodist Church on Wednesday 13th March and get to know about the intricate and often bizarre shape of our field boundaries.

The speaker tonight is William Franklin, whose most recent book, “An Agricultural History of Ely” was given an award by the Cambridgeshire Association for Local History (CALH). This is, however, only part of his broader investigation across the county into the development of fields from antiquity to the age of parliamentary inclosure. 

Your Roman Past – Saturday 30th March 9AM to 5PM – Castor CP School

The Nene Valley area is literally covered with Roman forts and occupation following the main arterial road Ermine Street. Perhaps the most well known site is just to the north of Peterborough close by Water Newton just off the current A1. The Roman Town of Durobrivae and the Roman fort adjacent to the town protecting the crossing of the river Nene.

Come along to this exciting day of exploration of our Roman history and listen to the guest speakers, Geoffrey Dannell, Chris Evans, John Peter Wild, Ralph Jackson, Stephen Upex and William Burke, talk about the influence of Roman occupation in the Nene Valley.

Tickets can be obtained through Eventbrite, cost £25 including lunch. Student concession £20

The Curious History of Labyrinths and Mazes – Julie Boundford

Following a book on Heffers, the Cambridgeshire bookseller, Julie was commissioned to write one on Mazes and Labyrinths. From prehistoric times mazes and labyrinths have served as different symbolic, ritualistic and practical purposes. She will tell us about her discoveries, local and further afield.

We have our own mystical labyrinth at Hilton, which the Society visited in 2016 

The symbolic meaning of labyrinth is often associated with the various symbolic meanings of the spiral in that we can trace our footsteps (both metaphorical and literal) back to and from the centre.

Further details to follow shortly

Full details and booking information to follow shortly