What's in a name?
- Place names – What do the names of our streets, suburbs and towns reveal? How far back do they go? Discover a new side to the history of Leeds in this recorded video, available for one week only! (Leeds Civic Trust, ONLINE)
- How we got here – There’s a town in the West Midlands missing from the map! Find out where it is, how it came to be, and where its name comes from in this great talk and exhibition. (Sandwell Archives Service, West Midlands)
- Northern people – Are you related to an outlaw? Check your surname against the historic lists of people from the history of the northern borderlands. (Naturally Northumbria, Northumberland)
My town or yours?
Aylesbury is a southern town with a market place. No, a crossroads. No, it’s not a town at all, it’s a village in the north! Just how many Aylesburys are there?! Thanks to the sleuthing of a Youth Town Council in one of these versions, you can find out! (Image: Aylesbury Town Council)
Communications
- Submarine secrets – Did you know 98% of today’s communication is carried by cables beneath the sea?! This is a small hut with a big story to tell clearly. (Cuckmere Haven SOS, East Sussex)
- It’s good to talk – Anyone remember that BT advertising campaign? Just one of many that have promoted communication technology across the years – from horse drawn carriages to supersonic jets, telegraphs to text messages. Visit this special collection and take a tour of their archive. (Richard Roberts Archive, Greater Manchester)
Catch the post!
Hands-on history for everything post and telephone related. Great for families, this amazing collection has just had to move to a bigger site there is so much to see and do! (IMAGE: Steve Knight /Colne Valley Postal Museum)
Trade & influence
- Mosaics and more – Log online to follow a pilgrim pathway with a difference – explore how travellers encountered different cultures and influences in the mosaics they saw along the way. (Esser-Miles Mosaics, ONLINE)
- Neolithic networks – People have been trading since our earliest days, bringing in goods and ideas from across the hills and far, far away. Find out just how far flung some of those pre-historic connections could be at this intriguing talk. (English Heritage, Cumbria)
- Medieval merchants – What connects: wine from France, soap from Bruges, fish from Norway, innovative ship designs and the beginnings of an insurance system? They’re all part of The Hanseatic League - an enormously powerful union of merchant guilds and market towns in 14th century Europe. Learn more in Rob’s fascinating, and entertaining, talk. (Hull HODs, East Riding of Yorkshire)
Lace links
Nottingham is known for its lace, but did you know how interlinked its story is both locally and globally? Find out on this sneak peek of a fascinating collection – from inspirational coffee pots to the heavy machinery that powered an industry, there’s a world to explore in this one store! (IMAGE: Nottingham City Museum & Galleries)
'Heritage Harbours'
- An introduction – The Chair of the Maritime Trust is here to give you the low down on just what a 'Heritage Harbour' is, and what it could mean for the local town. (Ramsgate Society, Kent)
- River Radio – Listen to the sounds and stories of the River Exe as it meets Exeter’s Heritage Harbour. A community radio broadcast you can connect with online or pop by the Customs House on the harbour itself, where lots more will be happening. (Art Work Exeter, Devon)
Songs and sails
Come aboard this iconic sailing barge and explore her history. Chat to members of the local Maritime Trust and listen to traditional shanty singing by the Shefarers and the Orwellermen. (IMAGE: Ipswich Maritime Trust)
Transport routes
- Highways & Byways – For two days only you can explore this wonderful map collection. Trace how one town’s road network evolved from 1579 to today, and explore the different vehicles that travelled it. (Bampton Heritage & Visitor Centre, Devon)
- Bridging the gap – How many bridges will you cross in your lifetime? We take them for granted but they are vital to our transport network. Find out how the North Sea was tamed by a series of bridges and the impact this had on a local town. (Heritage Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire)
- Transport town – Crossroads have always leant themselves to forming bustling settlements. As transport developed some places really took off. Swindon benefited first from the canal network and then the railways arrived. Find out how they transformed the town on a guided walk. (Swindon Heritage Action Zone & Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, Wiltshire)
Over the hill
Take in 2,000 years in just 3 miles! Discover the different ways people have traversed this hill, and why, including: the road too steep for traffic, the invasion route, and the one made by a fleet of tiny steam trains?! (Image: Simon Cairns)
And there's more!
There are so many great events this year we’re giving you not one set of inspirational spotlights but THREE! Now you've read the introduction why not check out All Our Stories and the Transport Gallery for more.
Here's one more highlight before you go though...
The wild card!
We aren’t the only ones busy making connections! Nature is full of webs, cycles and networks. Look through a microscope to explore a whole new world of teeny tiny things or chat to the members of Oldham Microscopical and Natural History Society for the bigger picture. (IMAGE: Oldham Microscopical and Natural History Society)
PLEASE NOTE - These events were accurate at the time of publication but details are subject to change. Check the individual entries for more - including any booking details needed.
Find out more
- Festival Spotlights - Be inspired for your event searches with our highlight posts - inlcuding this one for more wild connections: Nature & the Great Outdoors
- What's on? - Search here for an event near you