Dr. Levi Roach. Associate Professor Medieval History, University of Exeter.
Dr. Levi Roach presents an imaginative reassessment of Æthelred "the Unready," one of medieval England’s most maligned kings and a major Anglo-Saxon figure, including in the South West. The Anglo-Saxon king, Æthelred "the Unready" (978–1016), has long been considered to be inscrutable, irrational, and poorly advised. Infamous for his domestic and international failures, Æthelred was unable to fend off successive Viking raids, leading to the notorious St. Brice’s Day Massacre in 1002, during which Danes in England were slaughtered on his orders. Though Æthelred’s posthumous standing is dominated by his unsuccessful military leadership, his seemingly blind trust in disloyal associates, and his harsh treatment of political opponents, Roach suggests that Æthelred has been wrongly maligned. Drawing on extensive research, Roach argues that Æthelred was driven by pious concerns about sin, society, and the anticipated apocalypse. His strategies, in this light, were to honor God and find redemption. Chronologically charting Æthelred’s life, Roach presents a more accessible character than previously available, illuminating his place in England and Europe at the turn of the first millennium.
Liz Shakespeare. Prolific Devon-based historical researcher and novelist.
* Ag Labs refers to Agricultural Labourers.
Liz Shakespeare draws her inspiration from the people, the history and the landscapes of Devon. The sense of being deeply rooted in the area have been a powerful influence on her writing. In the last thirty years she has written six books, bringing to life the stories from the past that she finds in old newspapers, on gravestones and in parish records.
The Song of the Skylark is a novel that draws on original documents to shine a light on the farming and chapel communities of nineteenth century Devon.
The Song of The Skylark. An historical interpretation of the lives of agricultural labourers in 19th. century North Devon, drawn from contemporary newspaper accounts, parish records and census data. This novel tells the true story of a young brother and sister who were sent to work as parish apprentices on a remote North Devon farm. They experience extreme hardship but, in time, the farming and chapel communities come together to help them start a new life.
“This fascinating story draws on original documents which give an insight into the farming and chapel communities of North Devon. But it’s not a dry telling of historical fact. Liz Shakespeare brings young Mary and her brother, Thomas, alive in this tale of everyday country folk.
Despite the harshness of Mary and Thomas’ situation, without giving anything away The Song of The Skylark becomes a tale of hope over adversity, with the reader willing brother and sister to find the happiness they so much deserve.
Liz Shakespeare will read illuminating extracts from this book and take questions from the audience. A range of her books will be available for sale on the night.
“Liz Shakespeare is an author who specialises in breathing life into the true stories of the past.”
Historical Novel Review, February 2021
Charlotte Coles, MSc MCIFA. Archaeologist and Osteoarchaologist.
Tombs, Headstones and Graveyards: Understanding churchyards and burial monuments.
Graveyards are enigmatic and fascinating places to research the local area and family history or just explore. In this talk we learn about the different types of chest tombs, headstones and burial monuments and how to 'read' a cemetery including changing styles, lettering and wording on tombs and headstones as well as layout of graveyards, types of stone used and folklore connected to churchyards.
Charlotte Coles, MSc, BSC, MCIFA has worked in commercial archaeology for 15 years. Including the last 10 years as the finds and archives officer for AC archaeology based in Bradninch in Devon. She is a specialist in human and animal bones as well as claypipes, glass and archiving. Her interest in tombs and graveyards has grown from her studies in human remains and funeral archaeology. As well as her job she thoroughly enjoys talking to history societies and other groups about her varied research interests.
Dr.Chris Smart: Transforming our understanding of Roman road network in Devon & Cornwall
Laser beams were used to detect and create a map of the region.The research found North Tawton was centre of the road network instead of Exeter. A Roman road network that spanned across Devon and Cornwall and connected significant settlements has been discovered.
Archaeologists at the University of Exeter have used laser scans collected as part of the Environment Agency’s National LiDAR Programme to identify sections of the road west of the previously understood boundary.
Using sophisticated geographical modelling techniques the researchers have then been able to map out the full extent of the network.
The work reveals that far from Exeter being the main nerve centre of the network, it was North Tawton that supported vital connections with tidal estuaries north and south of Bodmin and Dartmoor.
The findings were led by Dr Christopher Smart and Dr Joao Fonte, from Exeter’s department of archaeology and history.
Dr Smart said: “Despite more than 70 years of scholarship, published maps of the Roman road network in southern Britain have remained largely unchanged and all are consistent in showing that west of Exeter, Roman Isca, there was little solid evidence for a system of long-distance roads."
He said the new research will "transform our understanding of the Roman road network".
Published 7 August 2023 by the BBC.
Chris Smart is a landscape archaeologist who specialises in the heritage of Roman and medieval Britain. He currently manages the National Lottery Heritage Fund project ‘Understanding Landscapes’ which is engaging the public in research on Roman and medieval landscapes in Devon and Cornwall, UK.
Alan Quick is editor of the Crediton Courier and an award-winning diversity and inclusion campaigner.Alan Quick reflects on the headlines and local news items from the last 40 years. Fascinating, amusing and quirky insights into social changes in Crediton from the long-standing editor of one of the country's most successful local newspapers.
Celebrating Women's History Month with Dr. Janet Few.
Janet Few, PhD Family and Social Historian Dr Janet Few is an experienced family, social and community historian who lectures regularly on these subjects.
Devon's very own 'History Interpreter' and author of historical works gives her unique take, during Women's History Month, on the role of misfortunate women on the margins of Devon society. She is the author of many publications, including: 'Barefoot on the Cobbles' and 'SIns as Red as Scarlet' both set in Devon.
In her own modest words, 'Dr Janet Few is a family, social and community historian with a particular interest in those whom history often overlooks. She has lectured across the English-speaking world and has written both fiction and non-fiction books, including Tracing your Marginalised Ancestors. Janet is also part of the team behind the A Few Forgotten Women website .
Reviews: ‘That was excellent!! Janet is a brilliant presenter.’ Society of Genealogists (The Ones that Got Away: tracing elusive English ancestors).
'Porphyry statue of the Tetrarchic emperors, Basilica di San Marco, Venice, c. AD 300'
Senior Research Fellow in Digital Humanities
Director of Global Engagement for Classics, Ancient History, Religion & Theology
"I am a member of the Department of Classics, Ancient History, Religion & Theology and the Digital Humanities Lab (DH Lab), with research interests in Latin Epigraphy. I am also an affiliated academic in the Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. As one of the authors of the EpiDoc Guidelines I am actively involved in the collaborative development of international standards for the encoding and publication of inscriptions and papyri. I have worked in the fields of Digital Humanities and Digital Classics for more than a decade, specialising in the analysis and digital publication of ancient textual materials.
The completion of two case studies that demonstrate the utility of these resources for challenging the existing limitations of prosopographical scholarship and advancing our understanding of late antiquity: the first, on North Africa, will explore the interconnectedness of the so-called ‘religious’ and ‘secular’ spheres, an artificial separation currently encouraged by the division of the Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire and the Prosopographie chrétienne du Bas-Empire into discrete projects. This research will reveal the workings of elite networks and how they altered when their members entered the Church, as well as demonstrating the wider intellectual potential of reintegrating two halves of an originally unified prosopographical project. The second case study, on Britain, will expand beyond the coverage of Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire to incorporate material concerning other attested figures from late-antique Britain, including clerics and soldiers." Charlotte Tupman
Publications include:
Tupman C (2021). Where can Our Inscriptions Take Us?. In (Ed) Epigraphy in the Digital Age, Archaeopress Publishing Ltd, 115-128 DOI.
Tupman C (2021). Where can our inscriptions take us? Harnessing the potential of Linked Open Data for Epigraphy. In Velazquez Soriano I, Espinosa Espinosa D (Eds.) Epigraphy in the Digital Age. Opportunities and Challenges in the Recording, Analysis and Dissemination of Inscriptions, Archaeopress Archaeology, 115-128
Charlie Palmer went to some Dowsing Workshops in Exeter in 1999 and became hooked. He says it was like someone opened a door and there was all this interesting stuff behind it. Charlie began teaching Dowsing Workshops on the DCC Adult Education Programme in Autumn 2002 - Crediton Arts Centre was one of his favourite venues. Dowsing is usually thought of as looking for water, but it has many uses. Charlie is very interested in the Michael and Mary lines that come up from West Cornwall and go to East Anglia, via Glastonbury along the way. The lines cross at Crediton Church - the Church of the Holy Cross. His other interest is Archaeological Searches - looking for the buried foundations of things that have long gone
Charlie will talk to you for a little while at the Boniface Centre before taking you outside to show you what he has found around the Church and in the Car Park. He will bring plenty of rods with him, so you can have a go - when you find water he will show you how he works out the depth of it. Most people can Dowse, as you will find out and you will have fun doing so.
7pm Meet at The Boniface Centre.
8.30pm Return to the Boniface Centre for tea, coffee and cakes.
Please book in advance so that Charles can bring enough dowsing rods. Thank you.
CAHMS History Talks in Crediton
Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month from September to May.
7pm: Doors Open.
7.30pm: Meeting Starts
Membership is £15 per annum.
Admission: £2 for Members and £5 for non-Members.
Tea, Coffee & Biscuits included on admission.
Venue: Crediton Boniface Centre, Church Lane, Crediton EX17 2AH
Parking: There are free car parking spaces at the rear of the church.