Preston u3a Archaeology Group    

Venue: Douglas Hall, St Cuthbert's Church Centre.

As from the 3rd of March we will be meeting at the St Martin’s Parish Hall, Broadway. The new venue has comfortable seats, state of the art IT equipment, is warm and has a hearing loop.

If coming by bus it is 10 minutes form the Garstang Road bus stops heading to Broughton, or 5 minutes form the Blackbull Lane bus stop.

By car turn into Broadway by the chemist and head straight on the car park is accessed from the corner. On leaving the car park go straight ahead as it is one way from the car park entrance to Black Bull Lane.

Click here to see the location of St Martin's Parish Hall on a map

We meet on 1st Monday of the month,  except Bank Holidays at 2-4 pm in St Martin’s Parish Hall, Broadway

I have  sent next years programme and details of the  52nd Archaeology Forum on the 1st March 2025 at  Lancaster University to group members if you want a copies please contact me.

I would welcome any suggestions for speakers or ones from our early days that people want to hear again.  I would also welcome any members of the group who would like to present to the group

 Contact Group Leader Pat Hastings by clicking here

Meetings programme 2024-2025

All meetings are on the 1st Monday of the month at 2pm in the Douglas Hall @ St Cuthbert’s Church, Lytham Road, unless otherwise stated

March 3rd : 175 Years of Rivington Reservoirs. The history of the Rivington Reservoirs including the need for water etc. Finds from those who built the reservoirs plus what was there before the reservoirs and other finds . Speaker: Derek Cartwright

April 7th : Calf Hill, Sabden . Speaker: Catherine (Discover. Archaeology)

May 5th Bank Holiday

Visit May 12th : Roman Chester: A guided tour of the Grosvenor Museum with our expert guide along with a chance to go behind the scenes with Jane Hebblewhite, Senior Heritage Officer. Embark on a walking tour of Chester, taking in some of the Roman walls, the amphitheatre and Roman traces beneath the city. This adventure will start at Chester railway station…more details later 

June 2nd :  Roman Bathhouses and Lancaster’s Roman baths. Speaker :  Richard Whittaker

July 7th  :  Early Christianity linked to the Viking age cemetery at Cumwhitton.  Speaker : Rachel Newman Oxford university archaeology North

August 4th Rimington archaeology joint session at Clitheroe castle: May or September, Barrie Tyrer

September 1st : Before the Normans - who lived here and how? The north west and its people Speaker: Maggy Simms

October 6th : Medieval Bridges of the Ribble Valley . Speaker: Chris Hudson ICE NW

November 3rd : TBA  Speaker: Anne Martin

December 1st  : The Silverdale Hoard & the Portable Antiquities Scheme . Speaker: Heather Davis

Awaiting confirmation

New Neolithic Excavations on the island of Sanday: Vicki Cummings, 2026!

September > Professor Melanie Giles: The Phenomena of Chariot Burials