External events

NOTE; On this page we include information about events arranged by outside organisations that we think our members will be interested in. This has usually been provided by the organisers, or taken from their website. While we try to check the content is accurate, we have no responsibility for any later changes or problems with the event. If you are organising an event you would like to be included, please let us know at events@newcastle-antiquaries.org.uk

May 2026

  • 2 May, 2.00-4.00, Spring Talks; Lived lives… telling the story of the highs, lows and daily struggles in the archaeological record, Prof Colleen Batey, and Magical heritage, new animism and conversations with nature, Dr Jane Lovell. Room ER140, Elvet Riverside, New Elvet, Durham. Durham World Heritage Site and the City of Durham Trust event, free and no need to book. Find out more about the event here.
  • 4 May 2026, 4.00 and 8.00 Centenary: Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 1926 General Strike, Wisecrack Productions, Glasshouse, Gateshead. 
  • 5 May, 2.00, That Beautiful Building at St Ann's, Mike Greatbatch, first of a series of talks during Local History Month at St Ann's Church, Breamish Street, Newcastle, arranged by Friends of St Ann's. No booking needed, free but cash donations to St Ann's welcome. For further information or to confirm attendance, contact Mike on michael.greatbatch@sky.com
  • 6 May, 11.00, Centenary of the Miners' Lock-out and the General Strike 1926, Tony Flynn, Bewick Hall, City Library, New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AX. Part of Newcastle's Local History Month. Free, but must book via Eventbrite.
  • 7-8 May, two-day conference on The British General Strike of 1926, at Newcastle University. Tickets are selling out fast. Free, follow this link to book and for more information. 
  • 7 May, 6.00, Pevsner and Classicism in the North Riding of Yorkshire, Jane Grenville, at the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, 7 Owengate, Palace Green, Durham. Free, no booking required, part of a series from the Durham Centre for Classical Reception.
  • 8 May, 1.00-2.00, The Class Ceiling: What Working-Class Exclusion from the Arts Means for Archaeology, Nazir Afzal and Matt Baker. DigVentures online lecture, free; for more details and to register, see their website.
  • 8-9 May, The Late Shows, evening events at museums and cultural venues throughout Newcastle and Gateshead. Follow this link for details of what will be open when.
  • 9 May, 11.00 to 4.00, Northern Architectural History AGM, talks and visits to St George's Church, Cullercoats and Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House. Our members are invited to attend. Talks and visits are free, buffet lunch £17.50, bookings close 1 May 2026. See the NAHS website for details
  • 9 May, 2.00-5.00, Recent investigations in the Western Nile Delta, Kom al-Ahmer and Kom Wasit, and Living Archaeology in Middle Egypt and the Case of Deir al-Ganadla, 2 lectures by Mohamed Kenawi (University of Leicester), North East Ancient Egypt Society event, at Elvet Hill House, Oriental Museum, Durham DH1 3TH, and online. £8 for non-members of NEAES, please e-mail neaesoc@googlemail.com for further information and how to pay. 
  • 12 May, 2.00, Butter Boats and Bars of Soap: Newcastle's East Quayside, 1850-1950, next of a series of talks during Local History Month at St Ann's Church, Breamish Street, Newcastle, arranged by Friends of St Ann's. No booking needed, free but cash donations to St Ann's welcome. For further information or to confirm attendance, contact Mike on michael.greatbatch@sky.com
  • 12 May, 2.30, George and Robert Stephenson, triumphs and tragedies, Ken Smith, Bewick Hall, City Library, New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AX. Part of Newcastle's Local History Month. Free, but must book via Eventbrite.
  • 12 May, 7.30, The Roman Lead Industry in the Northern Frontier Zone: Corbridge's Role, Damian Rudge, Large Hall, Trinity Methodist Church, Beaumont Street, Hexham NE4 6 3LS,  Hexham Local History Society meeting, non-members £2 including tea & coffee.
  • 13 May, 7.30, A Gun Through Time, David Olusoga, talk at Tyne Theatre and Opera House, must book, tickets limited, various prices
  • 14-16 May (with some extra satellite lectures on other dates), ClassicsFest, at the Lit and Phil, Westgate Road, Newcastle, and other venues. Some activities fully booked, but places still available on others. See their website for details. 
  • 14 May, 5.30,  Anderson Place; Newcastle's Lost Jewel,  Richard Pears, Bewick Hall, City Library, New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AX. Part of Newcastle's Local History Month. Free, but must book via Eventbrite.
  • 15 May, Underground West Newcastle, Newcastle Photo Archive talk. Part of Newcastle's Local History Month, Newburn Library, High Street, Newburn NE15 8LN, free but must book via Eventbrite 
  • 19 May, 2.00, Wherrymen and Chain Horse Lads; River and Land Transport on the Quayside and the Ouseburn, next of a series of talks during Local History Month at St Ann's Church, Breamish Street, Newcastle, arranged by Friends of St Ann's. No booking needed, free but cash donations to St Ann's welcome. For further information or to confirm attendance, contact Mike on michael.greatbatch@sky.com
  • 21 May, 7.30, The Battle of the Glorious First of June, John Flynn, Collingwood Society event at Trinity House, Broad Chare, Newcastle, NE1 3DQ. £4 for non-members. Follow this link for their full 2026 programme.
  • 23 May, Segedunum Fort; How the Fort was rediscovered during the 1970s-1990s, Bill Griffiths, Friends of Segedunum event, at Segedunum Roman Fort, Buddle Street, Wallsend, NE28 6HR. Refreshments available from 10.30. £3 for non-members. 
  • 27 May, 2.30, Rich Man, Poor Man: Saint Ann's and Ballast Hills Burial Grounds, Michael Greatbatch, Room 7, Level 6, City Library, New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AX. Free, but must book via Eventbrite.
  • 28 May, 5.30, The Early Life of Gertrude Bell,  Margaret Bozic.  Bewick Hall, City Library, New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AX. Part of Newcastle's Local History Month. Free, but must book via Eventbrite.
  • 28 May, 7.00-8.00, Part Time Work in the Post War Years, online talk, part of a series on trade union and working class history, from the GFTU Educational Trust. Free but must register. 
  • 30 May, 10.00-4.00, Sunderland History Fair 2026, at Bethany Church, Bede Tower, Burdon Road, Sunderland SR2 7EA. Free admission. To book a table, e-mail history.club2@btinternet.com
  • 30 May, 1.00-3.00, The Killing Ditch: Hadrian's Wall Landscapes, Damien Wootton, book launch and pop-up exhibition, St Mary's Heritage Centre, Gateshead, NE8 2AU. Free, all welcome

June 2026

  • 1 June for 2 weeks, Altogether Archaeology dig at Brignall Old Church, County Durham. For more details, and to arrange visits, see their website.
  • 2 June, 10.00-5.00, The Portable Antiquities Scheme & the European Finds Recording Network Joint Conference, at Society of Antiquaries of London, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, and online. £15 to attend in person, free online. For more details and to book, see their website.
  • 5 June, 8.00, The Friday Night Club at the Glasshouse, Gateshead, will include a talk by our February speaker Katie Liddane on seventeenth-century ‘witches’ in the North East of England. You can find out more about the event here.
  • 6 June, 11.30, Newcastle's Railway Heritage: an illustrated talk by Les Turnbull.  Bewick Hall, City Library, New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AX. Part of Newcastle's Local History Month. Free, but must book via Eventbrite.
  • 12 June, The Military Road Story, Newcastle Photo Archive talk. Part of Newcastle's Local History Month, Newburn Library, High Street, Newburn NE15 8LN, free but must book via Eventbrite
  • 13 June 2026, New Insights into Durham Castle and the mediaeval city, Dr Adrian Green,  Room ER 140, Elvet Riverside, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AQ. AASDN event; follow this link for their full programme for 2025-26.
  • 18 June, 6.00, Vanbrugh and Cicero: The architecture of Castle Howard and Seaton Delaval reconsidered, Anthony Geraghty. Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, 7 Owengate, Palace Green, Durham.Free, no booking required, part of the series from the Durham Centre for Classical Reception.
  • 20 June, 12.00, Witches of the North East: Gender and the Supernatural in 17th C. Newcastle, Katie Liddane, Part of Newcastle's Local History Month. Free, but must book via Eventbrite.
  • 25 June, 7.00-8.00, The Ford Dagenham Strike, online talk, part of a series on trade union and working class history, from the GFTU Educational Trust. Free but must register.
  • 27 June, 11.00, Segedunum Fort; How Volunteers and Friends have contributed to the Museum, Ken Hutchinson,  Friends of Segedunum event, at Segedunum Roman Fort, Buddle Street, Wallsend, NE28 6HR. Refreshments available from 10.30. £3 for non-members.

  • ... and further ahead

  • 8 July, 10.00-6-30, The architecture and influence of Sir John Vanbrugh in North East England: Conference to mark the the tercentenary of Vanbrugh’s death (1726–2026), organised by Durham University's Centre for Classical Reception. Speakers include our members Richard Pears, Elspeth Gould, and Martin Roberts. Redhill Miners Hall, Durham. £38 (£23 student rate), including refreshments, lunch, and drinks reception. Follow this link for more information and to book via Durham University portal; bookings close 19 June.
  • 30 July, 7.00-8.00, Trico: the Longest Equal Pay Strike, online talk, part of a series on trade union and working class history, from the GFTU Educational Trust. Free but must register.
  • 8 Sept, 7.30 The Community of Hexham Archaeology Project; results so far, Jane Harrison, Hexham Local History Society meeting, 7.30 pm in Large Hall, Trinity Methodist Church, Beaumont Street, Hexham NE4 6 3LS,  Non-members £2 including tea & coffee.
  • 12 Sept, 11.00, Binchester Fort: Excavations and finds over recent years, Gordon Henderson, Friends of Segedunum event, at Segedunum Roman Fort, Buddle Street, Wallsend, NE28 6HR. Refreshments available from 10.30. £3 for non-members.
  • 17 Sept, 7.30, Nelson and Collingwood, Capt. Stephen Healey, Collingwood Society event at Morpeth Town Hall, NE61 1LZ.  Follow this link for their full 2026 programme.
  • 26 September, 10.00-3.00, Bishop Auckland Heritage Festival, Market Place, Bishop Auckland. Further details tba.
  • 6 Oct, 7.30, At 12, Mr Byng was shot, Tim Gittins, Collingwood Society event at Trinity House, Broad Chare, Newcastle, NE1 3DQ. £4 for non-members.  Follow this link for their full 2026 programme
  • 13 Oct, 7.30, Bastle Houses, Julia Grint, Hexham Local History Society meeting, 7.30 pm in Large Hall, Trinity Methodist Church, Beaumont Street, Hexham NE4 6 3LS,  Non-members £2 including tea & coffee
  • 17 Oct, 11.00, Segedunum Fort: how the present museum has changed over the years, Geoff Woodward, Friends of Segedunum event, at Segedunum Roman Fort, Buddle Street, Wallsend, NE28 6HR. Refreshments available from 10.30. £3 for non-members.
  • 31 Oct, 9.30-4.45, Religion, ritual and magic in the Roman military north, Arbeia Society Conference 2026, Customs House, Mill Dam, South Shields, NE33 1ES, £20 for non-Arbeia Society members, includes tea and coffee but not lunch. 
  • 10 Nov, 7.30, Uncovering Ancient Egypt, Bettany Hughes,  talk at Tyne Theatre and Opera House, must book, various prices
  • 12 Nov, 7.30, The Battle of Camperdown, George Cansino, Collingwood Society event at Trinity House, Broad Chare, Newcastle, NE1 3DQ. £4 for non-members. Follow this link for their full 2026 programme
  • 21 Nov, 11.00, The Rocks at the Edge of the Empire, Ian Jackson, Friends of Segedunum event, at Segedunum Roman Fort, Buddle Street, Wallsend, NE28 6HR. Refreshments available from 10.30. £3 for non-members.
  • 10 Dec, 2.00, Wilfred Collingwood; a biographical talk, Dr Tony Barrow. Collingwood Society event (also their AGM) at Trinity House, Broad Chare, Newcastle, NE1 3DQ. £4 for non-members.  Follow this link for their full 2026 programme