The monthly meeting in July will take place, as usual, at The Assembly Room, North Street, Chichester. Tea and coffee will be served from 1.15 pm until 1.45 pm and the talk will start at 2pm.
Our speaker will be Andrew Negus. His talk is titled “Southampton Water, Slaughter and Trade”. Andrew is a well know local historian and he tells of the history of Southampton water and it’s interesting and gory past.
We shall find out what attracted the Romans, Saxons and Normans to each build a Southampton.
How it became so prosperous by the 14 th century that it encouraged ‘Pirates’ to loot and burn the town.
We shall see how the now impoverished town adopts a completely new persona and so attracts Jane Austen and The Prince of Wales to stay.
We will make a tour of the mediaeval town walls and see its vaults, towers, gates and the remains of the castle ( with its magnificent loo ).
There will be friars, murderers and special bowls.
Andrew describes himself: “I am a retired history teacher, an around the world backpacker (twice), a Blue Badge guide for central southern England, and I aspire to be a local historian. I also keep chickens, bees and daughters.”