Amesbury History Centre Announces October Events Featuring Talks, Family Activities and Archaeology

Amesbury History Centre is preparing for a busy October, with 10 events planned throughout the month covering archaeology, local history, prehistoric life, crafts, talks and activities for younger visitors.

The programme begins on Sunday 4 October with Blick Mead & Star Carr: The Parallels & Differences, a talk by Professor David Jacques FSA of the University of Buckingham. The event will explore the Mesolithic site of Blick Mead near Amesbury and compare it with Star Carr, an important Mesolithic site in North Yorkshire. The talk runs from 7pm to 8pm, with the centre opening at 6.30pm for an evening followed by questions and answers. Tickets are £7 for non-members and £5 for members, while participating dig members can attend free.

On Tuesday 6 October, visitors can take part in the Dig Quiz and Supper Night, beginning at 7pm and continuing until 10pm. The centre says the quiz is being organised by Ian and Angela and will include a round on archaeology. Guests will also receive a hot supper, with lasagne, garlic bread and green salad available, alongside a vegan and Free From option. A bar will also be open during the evening.

Tickets for the quiz and supper range from £10 to £14 depending on membership and meal choice. The centre opens at 6.30pm, with drinks available to purchase separately during the evening.

Wednesday 7 October brings Medieval Amesbury: It’s not all about Eleanor, a talk by Harriet Guinn Jennings of Winchester University and a member of the Blick Mead Group. The event will explore medieval Amesbury and takes place from 7pm to 8pm, with the centre opening at 6.30pm. Harriet will share her knowledge of the subject while completing her PhD, followed by a question-and-answer session.

On Saturday 10 October, the centre will open its doors for a Mesolithic & Neolithic Activity Day. Running from 9.30am until 4pm, the free public open day will give visitors the chance to learn about Mesolithic and Neolithic people, including what they ate and how they lived. Castle Hill Heritage Skills CIC will also be visiting for the second time following what the centre describes as a highly successful event last year. No booking is required.

The same Saturday evening will see the centre host Vikings in North America (and Amesbury?), a book launch and talk by Professor Graeme Davis of the University of St Andrews. The talk begins at 7pm after the centre opens at 6.30pm and will be followed by questions and answers. The event explores the Viking presence in North America and the claim that Vikings were the first Europeans to discover and settle there. Tickets are £7 for non-members and £5 for members.

The October programme continues on Monday 12 October with Neolithic Malta, a talk by Renita El-Masri of the University of Malta. Starting at 7pm, the presentation will explore Malta and its Neolithic heritage before a question-and-answer session. Renita El-Masri will share her knowledge of the island during the event. Tickets are £7 for non-members and £5 for members, with the centre opening at 6.30pm.

On Wednesday 14 October, archaeology takes centre stage again with Dig 2026: The Findings. Leading archaeologists Josh White and Tom Phillips, who are part of the Blick Mead Group, will discuss what has been discovered at Dry Witnams during this year’s archaeological work. The talk starts at 7pm, with doors opening at 6.30pm, and includes a question-and-answer session.

Tickets for Dig 2026: The Findings are £7 for non-members and £5 for members, while participating dig members can attend free. The event will give local audiences an opportunity to hear directly from archaeologists involved with the work and learn about the latest discoveries.

Saturday 17 October will be particularly busy, with three separate activities planned at Amesbury History Centre. The first is the Children’s Pendant-Making Heritage Craft Day, running from 9.30am until 4pm. The free public open day does not require booking and gives children the opportunity to make a slate pendant and string for their own necklace with the organisation Explore the Great Outdoors. The activity takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes for each child.

Another event on 17 October is Come and look at some of the Finds from last year's Dig, giving visitors the opportunity to see archaeological finds from the previous year’s work at the centre. The event is listed as taking place at Amesbury History Centre and forms part of the centre’s busy Saturday programme.

The final event is the Young Historians Workshop, taking place from 10am until noon for children aged between eight and 16. Participants can be left in the care of the workshop leaders, who have DBS clearance. The activity includes making a pendant as part of the public open day before taking a walk with an archaeologist to a nearby dig site and hearing first-hand about the archaeological work.

The workshop involves a walk of approximately one mile each way to the dig site, and children are advised to be prepared for all weather conditions and bring a drinking water bottle. The cost is £4 for a child or £3 for a sibling, with 24 places available and three volunteer adult leaders attending. The centre also says that families who may find the cost a barrier can contact them about assistance.

With talks covering everything from medieval Amesbury and Neolithic Malta to Vikings and Mesolithic archaeology, alongside free public activity days and children's workshops, the October programme offers a wide range of ways for people in Amesbury and the surrounding area to explore the area's past.

All events are being held at Amesbury History Centre, Church Street, Amesbury, Salisbury, SP4 7EU, unless otherwise stated. Event pages on the centre's website contain the latest booking information, ticket prices and event images.

For more information, visit the  Amesbury History Centre events page

or contact the centre on 01980 753016.