Summer Events 2026
Monday June 1st 7:30pm St Paul’s Church. Film Event – The life and work of Sydney Bligh”
CHAS, in association with the Canterbury Commemoration Society, has arranged an evening event at 7:30pm Monday 1st June at St Paul’s Church focussing on the life of Sydney Bligh. He was a Canterbury born and bred citizen who was a pioneer in early broadcasting and a founder member of the BBC. He also made amateur films and in the 1930s produced an annual newsreel of the city and the surrounding area. The event will be led by Tim Jones from CCCU, Dr Emma Hanna from Portsmouth University and Helen Jarrett, Sydney’s granddaughter. They will show several excerpts from Bligh’s cine films of life and events in the Canterbury district in the 1920s and 1930s. This is a supernumerary lecture designed to raise funds for a blue plaque commemorating Sydney, so we hope that CHAS members will support this event, and we ask for a minimum donation of £5 per person. To see the poster advertising this event please click here.
Thursday July 23rd 2:00pm. Visit to St Martin’s Priory and gardens CT1 1PW
St Martin’s Priory is a Grade II listed building set in 2.5 acres of beautiful gardens.
The earliest parts of the building date to about 1550, and the property was further extended in 1650. Thus approximately 80% of the building is at least 375 years old, and many original architectural features are retained. Two of the most interesting features are on the first floor with a painting of the Ten Commandments, and, inside a cupboard, a mural depicting scenes from the life of Abraham and Isaac. Both of these are thought to date to the 17th Century.
We are very grateful that Professor Emerita Jackie Eales has agreed to host this meeting and deliver a talk on the history and architecture of the building to CHAS members. Professor Eales will also lead a tour round the building. There will be time afterwards to roam around the gardens, and it is suggested to allow up to 2 hours for the talk, the tour of the building and a wander around the gardens. Numbers for this visit are limited to 25, and the cost is £12 per person. CHAS members should receive an email with further information and details of how to book a place.
Lecture Series 2026/27
CHAS Is very pleased to announce the dates and venues of an exciting range to talks for 2026/27. Further details of each of the lectures and speakers will be provided to CHAS members later.
The first two talks (September and October 2026) & last 3 talks (March – May 2027) will be held in person at St Paul’s Church (CT1 1NH). For additional information on this venue please click here.
Non-CHAS members are very welcome to attend any in-person talk for a one-off fee of £5.
The four meetings from November 2026 to February 2027 will be held via zoom. All talks start at 7.05 pm (AGM at 6:30pm).
WEDNESDAY 9th SEPTEMBER 2026 (in person)
War helms and Weapon Dancers: Thoughts on a significant new find from the Kingdom of Kent
Dr Andrew Richardson, FSA, MClfA, Finds Liaison Officer, Kent
WEDNESDAY 14th OCTOBER 2026 (in person)
The William Urry Memorial Lecture
The new Historical Atlas of Canterbury
Jackie Eales, Professor Emerita, Canterbury Christ Church University, President British Association for Local History
WEDNESDAY 11th NOVEMBER 2026 via zoom
The Thanet Archaeological Landscapes Mapping Project
Victoria Hosegood, Kent County Council Heritage Team
WEDNESDAY 9th DECEMBER 2026 via zoom
The story of the Ozengall Anglo-Saxon Collection
Andrew Ward, Curator, Kent Archaeological Society
WEDNESDAY 13th JANUARY 2027 via zoom
The Romans in Southeast England
Dr David Rudling, FSA. Academic Director, Sussex Archaeology and History
WEDNESDAY 10th FEBRUARY 2027 via zoom
The Knights Hospitaller in the English Countryside
Dr Rory MacLellan, Author, Postdcotoral Researcher, Royal Holloway University of London
Date, time & venue to be announced 2027
The Frank Jenkins Memorial Lecture: the Annual Review of the work of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust (CAT).
Mark Houliston, Director of CAT
WEDNESDAY 10th MARCH 2027 (in person)
Canterbury and the Baedeker Raids
Dr Martin Watts, Author & Historian at talkabouthistory.org
WEDNESDAY 14th April 2027 (in person)
Annual General Meeting 6.30pm followed by lecture at 7pm
William Masters & the Exotic Garden. What do we know?
Sylvia McNally, Historian and Author
WEDNESDAY 12th May 2027 (in person)
A tale of two buildings, Canterbury & Rochester
Dr Sheila Sweetinburgh, University of Kent