Past Programmes

Past Programmes

Date Event Speaker / Led By
Winter 2023/24
06 October 2023 Somerset’s Quarter Sessions DocumentsJane de Gruchy
03 November 2023 Cardinal WolseySteve George
01 December 2023 The Quantock Landscape Partnership Scheme Dan Broadbent
05 January 2024



Members Evening
South Somerset Heritage Centre Events
Japanese Stone Circles
Diaries of My Ancestors
Joseph Lewis

Joan Ostheimer
Andrea Brooks
02 February 2024 Outdoor Music Making in Somerset Tim Hall
01 March 2024 Mick Aston Young Archaeologists Group (MAYA)Liz Caldwell
05 April 2024 Life and Death in Roman Somerton Wessex Archaeology
03 May 2024AGM
An Illustrated Talk – Yeovil in the World Wars
Jack Sweet
Summer 2023    
13 June 2023 Visit to The Radio Museum, Watchet Neil Wilson
03 July 2023 Visit to Melbury House & Melbury Sampford Parish Church Lady Charlotte Townsend
06 August 2023 Visit to The Painted Room in The Old House at Lower Cockhill Farm & guided tour of the Castle Cary Market House Museum Will Vaughan and Pek Pippen
10 August 2023 Visit the excavations on the Cerne Abbas abbey site Brian & Moira Gittos
12 September 2023 Guided Bridgewater town walkabout and Blake Museum  
Winter 2022/23
07 October 2022How Psychology can give us insights into getting the best out of exploring archaeology and history    Katharine Thimbleby
04 November 2022Visit to The Radio Museum, WatchetNeil Wilson
03 December 2022Eight Two Ringbolt – The Falklands 1982, 40 years OnStephen Bartlett
06 January 2023Members Evening
East Coker
Neast Greville Prideaux – diary
Triangle Area, Middle Street

Martin Slazer
Tina Rowe
Theresa Taylor
for Joseph Lewis
03 February 2023Where’s The Glory? The Mourning StoryGraham Mottram
03 March 2023Stalbridge Excavations Fourth SeasonChris Tripp
31 March 2023Piers the Plowman – ‘commoners that be riche’Brian & Moira Gittos
05 May 2023AGM followed by The Medieval Parish Council in SomersetMary Chisholm
Summer 2022
15 June 2022Wolfeton House, Charminster, DorsetKatharine Thimbleby
10 July 2022Langport WalkaboutJanet Seaton
06 August 2022 Visit Nether Adber (Deserted Village)Stephen Bartlett
09 September 2022 Visit Somerset & Dorset Family History Society (SDFHS) Dorothy Bower
Winter 2021/22    
01 October 2021 Henry Hunt’s Mistress Revealed Graham Mottram
01 November 2021 St Ivel and the History of Aplin and Barrett Joseph Lewis
03 December 2021 Exploring subtle energies in South-West England Gwynn Paulett
07 January 2022 Members Evening – all welcome – With various talks Various
04 February 2022

The Third Season of the Stalbridge Dig at Stalbridge House Chris Tripp
04 March 2022

The Portable Antiquities Scheme in Somerset: Recent finds from Yeovil and its environs Maria Kneafsey
01 April 2022

Maypoles and Mischief, Merrymaking and Mayhem, a history of May Celebrations Tim Hall
06 May 2022

AGM followed by talk on the History of Birnbeck Pier Peter Lander
Summer 2021    
05 September 2021 Cerne Abbas Walkabout Brian & Moira Gittos
April 2020 to
March 2021
All Meetings and Visits Suspended due to Covid-19 Pandemic
Summer 2019
07 June 2019Wells Cathedral & Vicars’ Close Tour
05 July 2019Bruton Town Slideshow and WalkaboutAndy Pickering
21 August 2019Stalbridge House ExcavationsDJ Northan – Dorset Diggers
06 September 2019 Sherborne Old CastleLed by Brian and Moira Gittos
Winter 2018/19
05 October 2018Muchelney Abbey from its obscure origins, through the Norman Conquest to the DissolutionJohn Baxter
02 November 2018Talk on World War I about the local lads who went to war and the lasses role in the warDarren Berry
07 December 2018The Unfortunate Captain Pearce & the Wreck of the HolswelPhillip Brown
04 January 2019Members Evening – all welcome – With various talks, a quiz
01 February 2019Roman History of IlchesterJohn Smith
01 March 2019Walter Bagehot – Langport’s Unknown CelebrityBarry Winetrobe
05 April 2019The Lost Islands of SomersetRichard Brunning
03 May 2019 AGM followed by a talk – Parish Boundaries in and around Yeovil
Summer 2018
12 June 2018Tour of Weymouth MuseumLed by David Riches
06 July 2018South Petherton WalkaboutLed by Liz Randall
17 August 2018Ilchester Archaeological Tour Led by Sally Mottram
07 September 2018 Somerset Rural Life Museum
Winter 2017/18
06 October 2017 Alberto Biolletti – A Soldier of Napoleon & Master Clockmaker of WincantonJohn Baxter
03 November 2017Archaeology of Stone QuarryingPeter Stanier
01 December 2017 Somerset’s Highway HeritageRichard Raynsford
05 January 2018Members Evening – all welcome – With a quiz, various talks
02 February 2018South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project Claire Pinder
02 March 2018Meeting cancelled due to Weather
06 April 2018Lidar – The Imaging of a Hidden LandscapeBryan Moore
04 May 18 AGM followed by a talk – Brewing in WeymouthDr David Riches
Summer 2017
08 June 2017Visit Castle Cary Horse Hair MuseumJohn Boyd Textiles
03 July 2017Crewkerne WalkaboutPeter Wingrave
01 August 2017Lufton Villa ExcavationsJames Gerrard/Newcastle University
05 September 2017 Visit Brympton d’Evercy House

Winter 2016/17
07 October 2016 A Petite Cloche, Grand SonBrian and Moira Gittos
04 November 2016The Postal System of Great Britain from Medieval Times until 1850Roger Marsh
02 December 2016Clark’s of Street: The Story of a Quaker BusinessTim Crumplin
06 January 2017Members Evening various talks
03 February 2017Bristol Blue GlassDr Francis Burroughes
03 March 2017The History of Barrington CourtJohn Allen
07 April 2017Writing Victoria History for SomersetMary Siraut
05 May 2017 AGM followed by a Magic Lantern ShowHumphrey Hamlin

Summer 2016
02 June 2016Dawes Twineworks in West CokerRoss Atkins
14 July 2016Industrial Archaeology Sites around CrewkerneRichard Simms
13 August 2016Visit Down Farm MuseumDr Martin Green
22 August 2016Lufton Villa ExcavationsJames Gerrard
02 September 2016 Yeovil’s Parish Church (refurbished bells and clock)Roger Fox
Winter 2015/16
09 October 2015The Archaeology at Bunford HollowStuart Milby
06 November 2015Yeovil’s Gloving LegacyJean Harper
27 November 2015A History of Milborne PortDr Lesley Wray
08 January 2016Members Evening various talks
05 February 2016The Unreturning ArmyDavid Gordon
04 March 2016Towards an Archaeology of the AnchorholdJerry Sampson
01 April 2016The Air Defence of South-West England during World War TwoJohn Smith
06 May 2016 AGM followed by a talk – The Fovant BadgesTony Phillips

Summer 2015
06 June 2015Tintinhull WalkaboutLed by Denny Robins
16 July 2015Evening Tour of
Sherborne School
Led by Huw Ridgeway
14 August 2015Bradford Abbas WalkaboutLed by Tony White
18 September 2015 Visit to CHACClare Robinson & Joseph Lewis
Winter 2014/15
03 October 2014Archaeology of Hinkley Point Rachel Bellamy
07 November 2014History of Yandles Timber YardDavid Mountstephens
05 December 2014The Allens of Tintinhull – Wheelwrights, Farriers and UndertakersJohn Allen
09 January 2015Members Night (open to all) – Three short talks by members
06 February 2015The Parrett Navigation Company Francis Farr-Cox
06 March 2015South Western Heritage Trust Tom Maybury
10 April 2015Monmouth Rebellion John Allen
01 May 2015AGM followed by a talk – Sherborne School Huw Ridgeway
Summer 2014
13 June 2014Montacute Walkabout and Village Church
11 July 2014Visit to Barrow Clump Excavations (with SSARG) Led by Richard Osgood
22 August 2014Visit an Excavation on the Mod ranges at LulworthLed by Richard Osgood
22 August 2014 Visit Dawes Twine Works in West Coker
02 September 2014 Visit site of Yeovil’s Roman fortLed by site Manager, Stuart Milby

Winter 2013/14

04 October 2013
Somerset Vernacular BuildingsFergus Dowding
01 November 2013Operation NightingaleRichard Osgood MOD Archaeologist
06 December 2013Village Schooling in SomersetSarah Villiers
03 January 2014Members Night (open to all) – Three short talks by members
07 February 2014The Railway Architecture of YeovilBrian Jackson
07 March 2014Somerset’s Deserted VillagesJames Bond
14 April 2014Flax MillingTony Brook
02 May 2014AGM followed by a talk – West Country Friendly SocietiesPhillip Hoyland