Arch & Arch Lectures
| Date | Venue (All lectures are in person at 2.30pm Elvet Riverside (Room ER140) followed by a drink at the County Hotel for those who would like to join us. Please see lectures details below for additional information. |
|---|---|
| Saturday 10 Jan 2026 |
Bryan Harris 'Insights from a career in conservation management in County Durham, and thoughts for the future' Bryan Harris, Senior Conservation Officer at Durham County Council, is well known to many members. He has been involved in delivering countless conservation area grant schemes working with developers, architects and businesses large and small including heritage-led regeneration in Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle. This entertaining talk highlights the good and the bad, lessons learned and thoughts for the future. It is not to be missed. |
| Saturday 7 Feb 2026 |
Brett Ostrum (PhD Candidate, Durham University) and Julie Biddlecombe-Brown (Curator, Raby Estates and Vice President AASDN) "One Giant Jigsaw Puzzle"; New Research on the Archaeological History of Raby Estates, Durham' Despite a wealth of known archaeological sites and stray finds of artefacts, our understanding of the archaeology of Raby Estates’ landholdings in County Durham has typically been patchy. While some specific sites, like the Roman fort at Piercebridge, and particular geographic areas (e.g., Upper Teesdale) have been the focus of modern archaeological research, many sites and stray finds are known solely from antiquarian and historical sources. In many cases, these different sources of information had never been fully integrated. To address this institutional gap in knowledge, the Raby Estates curatorial team invited Brett Ostrum, a PhD student from Durham University, to embark on a detective trail to research the archaeological history of the estate as part of a one-year work placement funded by the Northern Bridge Consortium. Here, we will describe the process of undertaking the project, discuss some of its major findings, and share future directions for archaeological interpretation and research across Raby Estates. |
| Saturday 14 March 2026 |
Caroline Smith and Ben Westwood 'Portable Antiquities – Durham discoveries' Caroline and Ben are Finds Liaison Officers for The Portable Antiquities Scheme, a voluntary initiative, funded and supported by the British Museum and Durham County Council, which aims to record archaeological objects found by members of the public and in doing so record the heritage of our region. A recent survey has found a large number of artefacts from Durham not previously reported. |
| Saturday 21 March 2026 |
County Durham Archaeology Day. Details to follow... |
| Saturday 18 April 2026 |
Heritage Alive!
Fair for World Heritage Day at Durham Castle society stands, displays, talks and tours 11am – 4pm in partnership with County Durham Forum for History and Heritage. At 2pm AASDN Secretary and Senior Manager for the UNESCO World Heritage designation, Anne Allen will introduce ‘World Heritage - life begins at 40’. Durham Castle and Cathedral was the first UK cultural site to be added to the new UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986. It is number 370. Today there are 1223 sites globally and many new UNESCO designations. Anne explores what UNESCO designation does for Durham today based on new research with the UK National Commission for UNESCO and World Heritage UK. In addition to the advertised talks, there will be a full programme of activity across Durham Castle and the wider World Heritage Site. From 11am onwards, visitors can explore a rich mix of society stands, heritage displays and informal presentations that highlight the depth and variety of local history and archaeology in County Durham. The Great Hall will host a number of groups showcasing their research and recent projects, creating a lively hub of conversation and discovery throughout the day. Free entry to Durham Castle provides an added opportunity for visitors to enjoy the setting while moving between talks and displays. With so much taking place between 11am and 4pm, including a strong line-up of heritage organisations and a welcoming atmosphere for anyone interested in the area’s past, it’s well worth spending the whole day exploring everything on offer. Download the World Heritage Day programme here |
| Saturday 16 May 2026 |
Annual General Meeting
Save the Date: Annual General Meeting and insight into the facilities and research capability of Durham University Archaeology Department led by Sophie Laidler, Community Archaeology and Impact Officer (further details nearer the time). |
| Saturday 13 June 2026 |
Dr Adrian Green ‘New insights into Durham Castle and the medieval city’ Past President of AASDN and a specialist in the history and archaeology of the early modern era (circa 1500-1800 A.D.), Adrian is Associate Professor at Durham University. His research focuses on the built evidence for social life, cultural habits, politics, worship and economy in England and English settlement overseas. Building for England: John Cosin's Architecture in Renaissance Durham and Cambridge, was short-listed for the Architectural Historians of Great Britain's Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion for 2017. Adrian will share new research into the early Norman history of Durham. |
