Harleston

18 February 2021

Travel back in time to see how Harleston grew from a hamlet into an important market town.  We will meet some characters who actually lived and  worked in Harleston and Redenhall in 1600.  Two of the ...

Travel back in time to see how Harleston grew from a hamlet into an important market town.  We will meet some characters who actually lived and  worked in Harleston and Redenhall in 1600.  Two of the families are  Fullers, and could be related to the people who sailed to America some  400 years ago.  Discover how wealthy some were, but still how short their lives could be - whilst others lived so long!  Find out how unfairly a family’s money might be passed on - and just what value a pound had in those days.  Discover how Harleston tackled the Plague when it arrived here in the 1620s!

This lecture will be presented by Gordon Lascelles, local historian.

This is a FREE event but you must register:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYuce-vrjMoE9GkEnYnUhSGgJ5HvXNnK24t

This presentation is part of our Mayflower 400 in Harleston Lecture series where are running monthly lectures on the third Thursday of each month.  Look out for future presentations.

*** FREE event **
Local historian Gordon Lascelles. will travel back in time to see how Harleston grew from a hamlet into an important market town. We will meet some of the characters from the 1600s and see how they lived and worked.

Mayflower Lecture Online: Meet Old Harleston

18 March 2021

The sailing of the Mayflower in 1620 is a celebrated foundation myth of the United States and a global symbol of the flight from oppression to freedom. It is a migrant story with a powerful resonance ...

The sailing of the Mayflower in 1620 is a celebrated foundation myth of the United States and a global symbol of the flight from oppression to freedom. It is a migrant story with a powerful resonance for the events of our time. This year is the 400th anniversary of the voyage. My book aims to unravel the Mayflower legends and legacies with intriguing stories from the true historic narrative. The fraught and troubled beginnings of the Pilgrims, as they became known, emerged as the touchstone of the America’s sacred beginnings, eclipsing the earlier story of Virginia and the South well before the Civil War. Join author Dr Rita Cruise O’Brien to learn more.

Tickets £5 per person (£4 concessions) and can be reserved at  (pre-booking recommended) - or can be purchased at the door. 

Rita Cruise O'Brien, author of The Mayflower: Myths, Truths and Legacies, considers the myths and legacies of the Mayflower story.

Mayflower Lecture: Myths and Legends (TBC)

10 April 2021

In many old guide books Harleston is described as being a town of Georgian and Victorian houses. Whilst the centre of the town looks like this is the case, in reality the buildings are far older - but...

In many old guide books Harleston is described as being a town of Georgian and Victorian houses. Whilst the centre of the town looks like this is the case, in reality the buildings are far older - but hidden! What we see here is just a facade, beneath which the Harleston of the 1300s to 1600s remains! It just has to be discovered. Join this walk to discover the unique story of the town.

Tickets £4.00 per adult, children under 15 accompanied by an adult go free. There are a series of guided walking tours around the town throughout the summer.  All walks last about two hours.

In many old guide books Harleston is described as being a town of Georgian and Victorian houses. Whilst the centre of the town looks like this is the case, in reality the buildings are far older - but hidden! What we see here is just a facade, beneath which the Harleston of the 1300s to 1600s.

Guided Walk: Harleston Highlights