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Lecture November 11

Our November lecture is on November 11 at 1030 in the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre: The Speaker

Title: The Buildings Archaeologist – Discovering the Secrets of Britain’s Ancient Buildings

 

Abstract: Why do we know so little about the ancient buildings which surround everyday life in Cheshire? Britain can be justifiably proud of approximately 500,000 listed buildings. Yet as many as 60% may have been identified incorrectly. Behind a Victorian façade is a Tudor house. Underneath a Georgian frontage is a mediaeval cottage. What is now a farm was once a castle. Many buildings, hundreds of years old, are entirely unlisted. How can a nation, so obsessed with history, have missed so many ancient buildings? The award-winning researcher, author, broadcaster, and speaker Dr James Wright (Triskele Heritage) will explain the fascinating, enigmatic, and surprising world of The Buildings Archaeologist using case studies drawn from Cheshire.

 

Biography: Dr James Wright FSA (Triskele Heritage) is an award-winning buildings archaeologist. He has two decades professional experience of ferreting around in people’s cellars, hunting through their attics and digging up their gardens. He hopes to find meaningful truths about how folk lived their lives in the past. He is the author of the books Historic Building Mythbusting  (2024) and The Buildings Archaeologist (2026).

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Liverpool Castle & Medieval Liverpool

November 25, 2026 (Wed.) 7.30pm., Bishop Lloyd’s Palace, when we finish off 2026 with a talk from local historian Mike Royden about Liverpool Castle and Medieval Liverpool. Mike is well known on the local history circuit. A professional historian for over thirty years, he has taught history at Liverpool University and written several books. He is regularly on local radio and TV.

His talk explains the beginning of the rise to importance of  Liverpool. Chester is a thriving powerful port and market town in Medieval times and Liverpool eventually supersedes Chester.

Mike’s talk covers this shift in importance and the shift of Norman administration from West Derby and its motte and bailey castle to the small fishing hamlet of Liverpool centred around its tidal pool. King John began a planned development to create a base for an attack on Ireland. The castle was built and a small grid plan of streets, still in place today.

We will be holding a raffle at this meeting to begin our fund raising for a dendrological survey of Bishop Lloyd’s Palace.

The talk will be followed by wine and snacks. The cost is £8.50 per person.

Book here: Booking – Medieval Liverpool Talk – Chester Civic Trust You will only be notified, if you do not have a place on this event.

Image courtesy of Liverpool Record Office.

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Tea at the Palace

The Chester Civic Trust which celebrates its 66th year this year, is opening its HQ Bishop Lloyd’s Palace to visitors during the national Heritage Open Days festival on Saturday, 12th September between 10am and 4pm. Volunteers will be on hand to point out the superb features of this Grade I listed historic building in Watergate Street on Chester Rows and provide tea, coffee and refreshments.

Bishops Lloyd Palace is considered by many architects to be the most beautiful building in Chester, remarkable because it dates from the 17th century with foundation stones from the 13th & 14th century. It was originally two buildings converted into one dwelling and incorporated into the famous South Rows on Watergate Street.

It has been associated with Chester Merchant Adventurers, a king’s ex-mistress, a coaching firm, a girls’ school, a pub and a cheesemaker. These days it is available to hire and can be booked as a hospitality and meetings venue or by community groups and businesses.

The three reception chambers will also be on show, with their Jacobean plasterwork and two intriguing fireplaces.

Refreshments will be served for which a small cash donation to charity would be appreciated.

Leaflets will be available and Chester Civic Trust members will be present to answer any questions.

More details at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace – Open  Bishop Lloyd’s Palace is accessed from Row level, next to Rainforest.

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Visit to Rochdale Town Hall and Smithills Hall

October 15th – guided tour of the recently restored Rochdale Town Hall and supported tour of Smithills Hall on the slopes of the West Pennine Moors.

FULLY BOOKED

NICHOLAS PEVSNER, the architectural historian, described Rochdale Town Hall as having ‘a rare, picturesque beauty’. The building, opened in 1871, has recently undergone a £20 million restoration programme, led by Donald Insall Associates.

Tea and coffee will be served on arrival followed by an overview of the restoration given by TONY BARTON, the former Chair of Donald Insall Associates and the Chair of Chester Civic Trust’s Heritage Committee. After a guided tour of the Town Hall, a full buffet lunch will be provided by the in-house renowned Martlet Kitchen. Jay Rayner, a food critic for the Financial Times and presenter of Radio 4’s Kitchen Cabinet, has commented that ‘ the Martlet is where civic pride meets glorious cooking’.

After lunch we will travel to SMITHILLS HALL on the slopes of the West Pennine Moors. Smithills Hall is an unknown Grade1 listed gem. It is one of the oldest and best preserved manor houses in the North West. Over the years the original Medieval Hall has been added to by Tudor and Victorian wings.
The building was purchased for £70,000 by Bolton Corporation in 1938. There will not be a formal guided tour of the building however members of staff and  volunteers from the Friends of Smithills Hall will be on hand to answer questions. Before we leave for our return journey to Chester the ‘Friends’ will provide refreshments.

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2026 DIARY DATES

  • 2026

November 25th, 7.30pm, Bishop Lloyd’s Palace
The Origins of the Castle and Port of Liverpool.

November 11th, 7.30pm. Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre
James Wright on his latest book,’The Buildings Archaeologist’

November 3rd, 6pm.
Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace.

October 21st: 7.30pm. Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre
CWAC/VINCi Northgate 2 Update

October 15th
Visit to Rochdale Town Hall and Smithills Hall   FULLY BOOKED

October 13th, 2pm.
Port of Chester, Bishop Lloyd’s Palace

October 5 – 9th
A 5 days / 4 nights visit to explore the castles, coast and history of Northumberland from 5th – 9th October 2026. FULLY BOOKED

SEPTEMBER 23rd
Wrexham’s Year of Wonder Day – A special day to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the 1876 Wrexham Art Treasures Exhibition Industrial Annexe and Wrexham’s industrial heritage and workforce – past, present and future. 10.30am – 4.00pm at Xplore! Henblas Street, Wrexham, LL13 8AE

SEPTEMBER 9th, 5pm.
Reception for Corporate Members. Speaker is Nick Walkley, Interim CEO of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority.

JULY 8th
Bridgewater Revisited

JUNE 9th
Visit: Hooton’s Belfast Hangars, Sudley House and St Michael-in-the-Hamlet

JUNE 1st
Summer Social, Chez Jules, Chester

MAY 21st
May Lecture: Hooton Hall and Park, 2pm. at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace

APRIL 17th
Working Class Housing, a talk from Elizabeth Davey, Bishop Lloyd’s Palace, 2pm.

APRIL 15th
Lecture Series: Andy Farrall’s update on the One City Plan, at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm.

MARCH 29 – 3 April
Visit to Gdansk

MARCH 18th – Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm.
Lecture Series: Dr Abigail Lloyd on Place-making with time-depth and connection: how to use historical place-names in modern developments

MARCH 6th
How to Research Your Area with the award winning Hough Green Local History Society, Bishop Lloyd’s Palace, 2pm.

MARCH 3rd
A ‘Green’ visit to Liverpool, with an exclusive private tour of St George’s Hall

FEBRUARY 27th
The Friday Afternoon Murder Club, Bishop Lloyd’s Palace, 2pm.

FEBRUARY 13th
The REOPENED Harris Museum, Preston, Lytham Hall with snowdrops and meal.

JANUARY 10th  – Bishop Lloyd’s Palace, 7pm,
New Year’s Quiz

      • 2025

NOVEMBER 28th, – Bishop Lloyd’s Palace, 7.30pm.
A talk from David Ebbsworth on ‘French Fun: We’ll Always Have Paris’.

NOVEMBER 12th at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm.
Lecture Series: Rose McArthur, Director of Highways, Transport and Climate Change for Cheshire West and Chester Council on the Achievements, Forthcoming Plans and Challenges facing the Council.

OCTOBER 30th 
Bradford City of Culture

OCTOBER 13 – 19 
North Lincolnshire study visit for members. The 5 day visit includes Gainsborough, capital of the Vikings, Lincoln’s castle, home to an original 1215 Magna Carta, the Wolds, an area of outstanding National Beauty, Louth, Tealby, the Bomber Command Centre, Tattershall Castle, and the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield on the way back to Chester.

OCTOBER 8th at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm
Lecture Series: Paul Fielding of Lovelock Mitchell on ‘Chester’s other architect – T M Lockwood and Sons and their ongoing architectural legacy’.

OCTOBER 7th – Bishop Lloyd’s Palace, 7.30pm.
Professor Martin Heale on the Abbot’s Residence in Chester Cathedral.

OCTOBER 2nd – AGM – Cathedral Refectory, 7.30pm
Our key speaker will be Lady Alexis Redmond MBE, the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire and President of Chester Civic Trust.

SEPTEMBER 25th –  A walk in Eastham Pleasure Gardens.
Following on from the previous week’s talk from David Mottram we visit to see Eastham Pleasure Gardens in person. Limited places.

SEPTEMBER 18th –  Bishop Lloyd’s Palace, 2pm.
David Mottram gives a talk on the history and brilliance of Eastham Pleasure Gardens.

SEPTEMBER 13th, Bishop Lloyd’s Palace, 10am – 4pm.
‘Tea at the Palace’ part of the UK’s Heritage Open Day celebrations September 13-21, come along and bring friends and relatives.

AUGUST 22nd at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace at 2.00pm.
Treasures in the Attic. A talk by Karen McKay.

JUNE 26th, Tuesday 7pm.
Celebration Sapphire Jubilee (65th year) Dinner – more details tba.

JUNE 12th
Day visit to The World of Glass, St Helens and Astley Hall, Chorley.

JUNE 10th at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace at 7.30pm.
Keep up to date with local archaeology

MAY 21st
Special guided tour of Wrexham.

MAY 16th 2pm. at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace at 2.00pm.
The Arts and Crafts Movement in Manchester.

APRIL 16th. at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm
Lecture Series: Peter Cocker will give a talk on Thomas Brassey: The World’s Greatest Railway Builder, celebrated at Chester Railway Station.

APRIL 10th
Day visit to Llangollen including a tour of Plas Newydd. lunch and talk on the Pontcysllte World Heritage Site.

MARCH 31 – APRIL 4
Residential visit to the Surrey Hills including the Watts Gallery and Artists Village (details in the December Newsletter). Following from the lecture in November, a visit to the Watts Gallery and Village will be one of the highlights of the 5 day visit for members of the Trust. Other places of interest during the visit will include Hughenden Manor, the home of Benjamin Disraeli, the Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham and a private viewing of the National Trust’s Polesden Lacey.

MARCH 19th at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm
Lecture Series: Colin Potts, Programme Leader International Tourism Management, University of Chester.

FEBRUARY 28th at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace at 7.30pm.
Chester Witches Peter Elliott and Clare Dudman

FEBRUARY 12th at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm
Lecture Series: Create Streets – a Think Tank currently supporting Cheshire West and Chester.

THURSDAY JANUARY 30th at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace at 2.00pm
MICHAEL TREVOR BARNSTON, a Life Member of Chester Civic Trust, will give a talk about his family’s illustrious history followed by afternoon tea. Booking forms in the December Newsletter

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 15th at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm
Lecture Series: DR JAMES WRIGHT will talk about his recent book ‘Historic Building Mythbusting’

JANUARY 5th 7pm. ‘Twelfth Night Quiz’ – Bishop Lloyds Palace – £10 including festive refreshments – booking forms in December mail out

 

More dates and details to come!!

Please note Civic Trust members have FREE admission to the lectures at the Grosvenor Museum. Guests are welcome £5 on the door.

 

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Lecture: Women of Chester

Wednesday, September 23rd at 7.30pm at Bishop Lloyds Palace
Isabel Robertson is the manager of Chester Tourist Information Centre and a local guide.
She will tell truly inspiring stories about some of the amazing women that we can associate with the historic City of Chester. These women founded, defended, and helped shape the old City and contributed to the City’s rich history.

Refreshments of wine and snacks will follow the talk. The cost is £9.00

You will only be notified if you do not have a place for this talk.

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Wrexham’s Year of Wonder – Sept. 23

A special day to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the 1876 Wrexham Art Treasures Exhibition Industrial Annexe and Wrexham’s industrial heritage and workforce – past, present and future.

Wednesday 23rd September, 10.30am – 4.00pm

At Xplore! Henblas Street, Wrexham, LL13 8AE

The great Wrexham Art Treasures Exhibition of 1876 included an astonishing Annexe, which showcased all the wonders of the town’s industries and commercial ventures. To commemorate the 150th anniversary, this one day event, entitled Wrexham Works Wonders is a celebration of our industrial heritage; of the part played by Wrexham’s workforce in that history; and of our ambition for the future.

There will be talks and displays throughout the day:

  • 10.30-11.30: The 1876 Industrial Annexe. The remarkable story of how the great Art Treasures Exhibition brought so much Wrexham enterprise to the notice of the world – its innovative industries, its Wrexham Wonder Quilt, its mysterious Wrexham Sauce, and much more.
  • 2.00-3.00pm: Wrexham At Work. The story of Wrexham’s industrial development and workers, from earliest times, during and after the Second World War, with a focus on future-looking Wrexham businesses.

FREE entry for visitors.

For further general information, or for businesses interested in booking stands and stalls, or for booking group visits, contact davemccall@davidebsworth.org (Wrexham Year of Wonder Steering Committee)

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