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Latest lecture held at Spalding Grammar School 8 February 2008

‘The Origins of the Anglo Saxon Kingdom of Lindsey’

Camelot in North Lincolnshire? The suggestion that the district of Lindsey in Lincolnshire may have been the site of Arthurian legends was one of the themes of a lecture given by Dr Kevin Leahy as the latest of Spalding Gentlemen’s Society’s series of public lectures.

Dr Leahy is slightly unusual because he is an archaeologist with enthusiasm for metal detectors. He was formally the Curator of the Scunthorpe Museum but now is a Finds Advisor with the Portable Antiquities Scheme. In other words he works with metal detectorists evaluating their finds.

Dr Leahy began his lecture by demonstrating how our knowledge of the inhabitants of North Lincolnshire in the 5th and 6th centuries AD has been enhanced due to the finds that have been made with the use of metal detectors. Essentially, the location of finds of small metal objects such as belt buckles dating from the centuries immediately after the Romans left gives clues as to who the people were and, possibly, how they came to be in Lindsey.

Dr Leahy points to Celtic influences in design dating from the same period. Coupled with the Anglo Saxon invasions, it indicates that it would not be altogether surprising if the armed conflicts that are the basis of the Arthurian legends actually took place in Lindsey. According to Dr Leahy, there is support for this idea in place names and the names of rivers.

This was a thought provoking lecture of general interest and it was delivered with great style. It is bound to lead a good many members of the audience to further discussions and their own research.

The next public lecture will be ‘Franklin and the Great Bear River’ by Dr R. Shaw at Spalding Grammar School on Friday 22 February at 8 pm. Society members may bring a guest, but the general public will be charged £2.00 per head.

Index of Postal History Items in the Society Folios by J.P. Jackson, Hon. Philatelist - Spalding Gentlemen’s Society 1973 - 1991. First published in 2001. Forward by the late Mr Norman Leveritt, then President of the Society and Introduction by Mr Gerry Burrows, sometime Chairman of the Publications Committee.

Samuel Partridge a Lincolnshire Minister and Magistrate by George S. Bagley. First published in 2003. Forward by Mr Bill Belsham, current President and Introduction by Mr Gerry Burrows, sometime Chairman of the Publications Committee.

Both publications are priced at £6.00 each (inc. postage & packaging - UK mainland only). Cheques should be made payable to The Spalding Gentlemen’s Society and orders addressed to the Hon. Secretary, The Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, Broad Street, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 1TB.