External lectures, talks and walks

We offer a range of talks to groups and societies, including NADFAS, WI, archaeological societies and local history societies.

Standard talks include:

• Gold from the Time of Stonehenge -  Summary: The Wiltshire Museum is the home of the best Bronze Age collections in Britain. The talk outlines the remarkable craftsmanship and stunning objects found with the burials of the chieftains, important women and priests who used Stonehenge for their ceremonies.
• The Story of Stonehenge
• Wiltshire's White Horses
• WW2 in Devizes
• The Story of Devizes
• The Making of the Kingdom of Wessex: Saxon Wiltshire - David looks at the evidence from North Wiltshire of how the Saxons came to settle in England as the power of the Roman Empire had faded and England had become a failed state. Men and women were buried with their treasured possessions that showed their status in life, providing a vivid picture of how society was organised. The coming of Christianity and the rise of the Kingdom of Wessex was challenged by Viking invaders, before King Alfred led the fight-back, leading to a flowering of learning and culture.
• Devizes Assize Court - a new home for the Wiltshire Museum
• Devizes Castle - Norman Stronghold to Victorian Folly.Tracing the story of Devizes Castle, once the stronghold of Empress Matilda in the first Civil Ware with King Stephen. The talk also looks at how the castle was brought back to life in the 1900’s.
• Eric Ravilious and Wiltshire (linked to our Eric Ravilious: Downland Man exhibition held from Oct 2021-January 2022)

We can bring data projector and screen. We normally ask for a £45 donation plus travelling expenses.

Many of the talks are given by our Director, David Dawson. This is a short biography - David is the Director of the award-wining Wiltshire Museum in Devizes, and is an archaeologist who has worked in museums in Sussex, Canterbury and Oxfordshire. For more background, please see David's staff page.

Walks and tours

We can offer a number of walks to local archaeological sites, including Marden Henge, West Kennet Long Barrow, North Wessex Downs (Alton Barnes White horse, Adam's Grave and Knap Hill) and the Stonehenge Landscape. Contact us for details.