Click this box for our downloadable programme 

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All our talks are free of charge and we're always delighted to welcome new visitors. Event details accurate at time of going to press but please check village noticeboard and the Witham Friary Village page on Facebook nearer the time to confirm.

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Thursday 26th September

Beckford and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Dr Amy Frost

Amy is the Architectural Curator of the Bath Preservation Trust, the Curator of Beckford’s Tower & Museum in Bath and an expert on William Beckford (1760-1844) whose father built a stately home in Witham Friary. Amy will describe the social advancements and retreats of the Beckford family, which relied largely upon the profits of transatlantic slavery. Village Hall 7.45pm.

 

Thursday 24th October

The History and Mystery of Maps, Tony Painter

Tony is a geographer, former MoD research officer, author and writer of local history notes for the Alan Godfrey maps. This will be an illustrated talk on the history of maps, covering mediaeval maps, County maps, including Somerset, the OS, online maps for historians, military maps and some cartographic oddities. If people wish to bring interesting old maps Tony is always keen to have a look at them. Village Hall 7.45pm.

 

 Thursday 21st November

Mulberry Harbours and D-Day, James Porter 

James is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, originally from Guernsey in the Channel Islands. He retired in 2011 after 41 years’ service which took him all over the world. The Mulberry harbours were floating artificial harbours used to protect supply ships anchored off the coast of Normandy, north west France, after the D-Day landings of 6th June, 1944. Village Hall 7.45pm.

 

 Friday 13th December

Christmas quiz

Our traditional annual evening of seasonal fun for everyone.  Not at all serious, but you’ll need luck on your side, given the date! Village Hall 7.30pm.  Entrance £3 per person.  Raffle. Please bring your own refreshments. 

 

Thursday 23rd January

Photographs of the Seventy Best Stone Circles in the UK, Max Milligan

Max began his career working as a wildlife cameraman for the BBC and National Geographic. He has recently been in Iceland photographing the erupting volcano. Sit back and relax while you travel the UK through Max’s wonderful photographs. Village Hall 7.45pm.

 

Thursday 20th February

Shepton Mallet Prison, Maurice Gee

Maurice will be presenting a PowerPoint Tour of Shepton Mallet Prison over its almost 400 years of working life. Maurice was a Tour Guide at Shepton Mallet Prison for three years following his retirement in 2020 having spent over three decades as a Prison Officer. It was this, and his previous military background, that inspired his involvement with Shepton Mallet. Village Hall 7.45pm.

 

Friday 21st March

Bumper spring quiz

Put a spring in your step at our annual spring quiz.  Everyone welcome!  Village Hall 7.30pm.  Entrance £3 per person.  Raffle. Please bring your own refreshments. 

 

Thursday 24th April

Reconstructing a Tudor Brewery, Marc Meltonville

Marc is a consultant food and drink historian researching and lecturing on many diverse subjects all over the world. For 25 years he worked as food historian for the Historic Royal Palaces working on bringing to life the Tudor kitchens of Hampton Court Palace. This talk is about his project with Trinity College Dublin. As part of the project, Marc wanted to test Tudor beer for its nutritional values to look at the diet of the working man. A Tudor brewery was built and heritage ingredients sourced. A lot of work for a pint of beer. Village Hall 7.45pm.