Lewes History Group

A Brighton & Hove Archaeological Society event
(Rescheduled from 13 January 2017)

John Manley (Archaeologist): Archaeology of the South Downs National Park

The South Downs National Park extends from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Winchester in Hampshire. This considerable area contains so many different sites, ranging from the Neolithic period to more recent military conflicts.

Image at Sussex Past

Venue: Unitarian Church, New Road, Brighton. Map

Entry: Free to Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society members, £3.00 for non-members.

All welcome

More information on BHAS Main Lecture Program

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A Lewes Archaeological Group event

Rob Wallace: Bridge Farm, near Barcombe

Co-director of the Culver Archaeological Project Rob Wallace will talk about the excavations of the Romano-British settlement at Bridge Farm.

The evidence is pointing towards the settlement being an important administrative centre for the area. Rob will explore how the settlement might have operated within the local area and the wider south east region.

Venue: Lecture Room, Lewes Town Hall (Fisher Street entrance, lift access available)

Entrance (including tea or coffee) is LAG members: £3 (£2 concessions);
non-members: £4 (£3 concessions).

Non-members are very welcome

Free entrance for those aged 18 and under

Lewes Archaeological Group website

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John Smithson: Harrison Weir – Victorian Artist from Lewes

Harrison Weir was a son of Lewes and a man of many interests. He was an accomplished Artist, Author, Journalist, Poultryman, Naturalist, Ornithologist, Horticulturalist, and Poet of Nature.

John Smithson created The Harrison Weir Collection and is visiting from New Zealand to collect material for a biography. His talk will cover Weir’s life and achievements including his legacy to the town and to the Royal Academy.

Harrison Weir grew up in Lewes and had links to the printers John and George Baxter. His family and artistic links with Lewes lasted a lifetime that spanned a period from the birth of the Illustrated London News in 1842, at the start of the reign of Queen Victoria, to the mid Edwardian period in 1906.

He was an acclaimed artist and illustrator, well known for his (now) sentimental images of animals.

Weir had links to the Crystal Palace Company, the Savage Club, as well as writing for a wide range of notable Victorian periodicals including ‘The Field’, ‘Punch’, ‘The Animal World’, ‘The British Workman’ and ‘The Children’s Friend’.

His influence on, and involvement with, children’s literature was another passion and he supported the ventures of Thomas Bywater Smithies, Dr John Barnardo and Vere Foster. And he also found time to be an avid promoter of a variety of shows for flowers, dogs, cats and birds.

Image from the Harrison Weir collection

All are welcome from 7.00pm for free refreshments and updates on the Group’s activities. The talk will begin promptly at 7:30pm and will finish by 9.00pm.

There is an entry fee for these meetings, payable at the door, of £2 for members, and £3 for non-members.

Venue: The King’s Church building on Brooks Road, Lewes, BN7 2BY. (Between Tesco car park and Homebase)

See the Meetings page for a list of  forthcoming monthly talks organised by the Lewes History Group.

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