Sorry about the late appearance of the diary It’s been a busy start to the year and I hope that it just gets busier…..
No doubt new events will be added as the year goes on, hopefully more around the time of the summer Festival of Archaeology (16th – 31st July) and am still hoping to do a bit of a ‘tour’ in the summer as well.
I am still doing some heritage tours for various companies. All of those that include Stonehenge in the itinerary will involve a special access visit into the stones, either early morning or early evening, as part of a small group. This, plus the walk up the Avenue, in my mind the only way to approach Stonehenge, are both great experiences that I will never tire of. Come and share my enthusiasm!
Despite the tours I have managed to keep some weekends free again this year so anyone who is interested in historic motor sport may find me indulging in my other passion at Gurston Down, Prescott and Shelsey Walsh hill-climbs, the Goodwood Revival in September and as many other events as I can fit in. I may even get the car ready for the hills this year.
Always interested in invitations to come and talk or do events for kids and grown ups….
Hope to meet up with some of you this year!
Julian Richards – Diary February to June 2011
So far this year I have participated in the ‘Dark Skies’ event at Lacock Abbey on the 8th January organised by the STFC Daresbury Laboratory (I’ve been there a couple of times to give talks about science and Stonehenge). At Lacock I talked about Stonehenge and astronomy and then we had a great evening star gazing – I saw the moons of Jupiter for the first time!
(I was not convinced by the Guardian on 2nd Feb suggesting Stonehenge as a good ‘dark skies’ place to stargaze. The proximity of the A303, Boscombe Down, Larkhill Camp, Amesbury etc make it just a bit light polluted…)
I have also talked to the Shaftesbury Archaeological Society about West Kennet Long barrow, a new fascination after carrying out a historical survey of the monument for English Heritage.
I have also led a workshop for Media production students at Cirencester, Corinium Museum - they were working on producing an audio resource for visually impaired visitors.
February
Friday 4th – Saturday 5th
Wrexham, Glyndwr University, Wrexham Histories Festival, ‘celebrating our community and European heritage’ Lots of activities for all ages.
PUBLIC EVENT
Thursday 10th
Whitehill and Bordon, (Hampshire). Afternoon school sessions ‘Archaeology is rubbish’ and evening talk (7.30pm) ‘Meet the Ancestors’ at Bordon Junior School. GU35 0HF
PUBLIC EVENT
Friday 25th - Sunday 27th
British Museum, London, Archaeology 2011 Conference organised by Current Archaeology. I will be chairing the panel of judges for Friday’s Presentation of Heritage Research Awards and presenting the awards at the end of the day. And on Saturday I am chairing one of the prehistory sessions.
PUBLIC EVENT
March
Tuesday 1st
Christchurch (Dorset) – ‘A dig into archaeology’ talk to the Christchurch Local History Society. 7.30pm at Christchurch Junior School, Clarendon Road.
This is apparently an invitation to talk about whatever I like!
PUBLIC EVENT
Friday 4th
Derby - ‘Stonehenge: Investigation and Inspiration’ for the Derbyshire Archaeological Society and the WEA. 7.30pm in Room OL1, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby.
PUBLIC EVENT
Sunday 6th – Friday 11th
Wessex - I am leading a ‘Journey through Wessex’ for Andante Travel, taking in Stonehenge, Avebury, Maiden Castle, Fishbourne Palace, Porchester Castle, Winchester and Salisbury cathedrals and some great museums.
www.andantetravels.co.uk
Tuesday 15th
Salisbury (Wiltshire) - ‘A Potted History of Britain’ for Salisbury Local History Group, 7.30pm, Salisbury Museum Lecture Theatre. A new departure: the history of British ceramics from the Neolithic to the 21st century.
PUBLIC EVENT
Thursday 24th
Salisbury (Wiltshire) ‘Inside Stonehenge’ for the Royal Geographical Society, 7.30pm, Salisbury Museum Lecture Theatre.
Friday 25th
Stratford-sub-Castle (Wiltshire) ‘Old Sarum’ for the Friends of St Laurence Church, 7.30pm in the Reading Room.
April
Friday 1st – Sunday 3rd
Dillington House (Somerset) I am involved, in a way that I currently do not quite understand, in a weekend entitled ‘Stonehenge, then and now’ run by Mike Parker-Pearson and the Prehistoric Society. For details see www.dillington.com
Monday 18th
Child Okeford (Dorset) ‘Wessex from the Air’ 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
PUBLIC EVENT
May
Friday 6th – Sunday 8th
Wiltshire – Stonehenge and Avebury for Ace Study Tours www.acestudytours.com
Sunday 15th - Tuesday 17th
Wiltshire – Stonehenge and Avebury for Ace Study Tours (www.acestudytours.com)
Saturday 28th – Sunday 29th
Hatch, near Tisbury (Wiltshire) start of the Wylie Valley Arts Trail. My return to art after a long absence. Archaeology related installations and related activities for all the family. More details nearer the time.
PUBLIC EVENT
And, demonstrating my ability to double book:
Saturday 28th
talk ‘Over the top – the Avebury prehistoric landscape’ to the Bournemouth Natural Science Society, 39 Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH1 3NS 2.30pm
PUBLIC EVENT
June
Friday 3rd
leading tour of the Avebury landscape for the Bournemouth Natural Science Society.
Saturday 4th
Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne, Dorset - I'm 'opening' their Roman Water machine at 11.30.
This is part of a Roman weekend there, Saturday and Sunday. 10am to 4pm both days.
The Roman Water Machine made famous by 'A Time Team Special' has been moved to the Ancient Technology Centre from the Museum of London. Our volunteers have re-built it and now you can come along and use your slave labour to make it work! Talk to the people who excavated the original and some of the team involved with designing the replica, partake in Roman activities.
Entry on the door: Adults £4 / Children £2
http://www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk
Saturday 4th – Sunday 5th
Hatch, near Tisbury (Wiltshire) end of the Wylie Valley Arts Trail exhibition. Completion of the installation and more activities especially on the Saturday. More details nearer the time.
PUBLIC EVENT
Wednesday 8th
Penzance (Cornwall). Talk ‘Inspired by Stonehenge’ to the Friends of Penlee House Gallery annual meeting.
www.penleehouse.org.uk
Saturday 11th – Friday 17th
Vindolanda Fort (Hadrian’s Wall). I will be digging here as a volunteer, something I have been promising myself I would do for years.
www.vindolanda.com
Friday 17th -Sunday 19th
Hadrian’s Wall. Tour for Lindum Heritage to include Housesteads, Vindolanda, Chesters Fort, Corbridge Roman town and Brunton turret.
www.lindumheritage.co.uk
My diary from July onwards will be posted soon and will include details of the ‘Festival of Archaeology’.
If you would like me to come and give a lecture
to your society or organisation (plenty of dates available in the autumn) then please email
me to discuss time, location and topic. Favourite topics at
the moment are:
