Dunfermline Historical Society

Thursday 19th May 2022, 7:30 pm (Doors open 7pm)

Abbey Church Halls, Abbey Park Place, Dunfermline

Excavations at Finlaggan, Islay, the Centre of the Lordship of the Isles

by Dr David Caldwell

Dr Caldwell is an archaeologist who has a strong interest in the medieval history of the Western Isles. He directed major excavations at Finlaggan, the island in a loch on Islay where the Lordship of the Isles was centred. He worked at the National Museum of Scotland for 38 years and was Keeper of two curatorial departments. He has published over 100 papers and articles and seven books and is currently the President of The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

Thursday 19th April 2022

7:30pm (doors open 7pm)

Abbey Church Halls, Abbey Park Place, Dunfermline

Monica Warwick

At Dunfermline Historical Society’s April meeting Monica Warwick will talk on the Buildings at Risk Register, Turning Negative to Positive. Monica, of Historic Environment Scotland, works at The Engine Shed in Stirling, Scotland’s Building Conservation Centre. She is a member of the Technical Outreach and Education team and has interests in traditional materials and skills.

17th March 2022

Abbey Church Halls, Abbey Park Place

7:30pm, doors open 7pm

Bonnie Prince Charlie

Roy Johnstone

Roy is a very popular speaker who has spoken to our society before. He has been fascinated by history all his life and, since retiring from a career in the law, has developed and presented a wide range of talks on many historical topics ranging from Mary, Queen of Scots to modern times. I’m sure many of you will remember Roy’s excellent talk in 2018 on women pilots of the Second World War.

The talk will be preceded by a short AGM.

Thursday 17th February 2022

7:30 pm, doors open 7pm

Abbey Church Halls, Abbey Park Place, Dunfermline

After a two year gap in our talks programme we are delighted to announce that meetings will resume this month, at present for members only. Prof. Robert Bartlett will present “St Margaret and her Miracles”.

Robert Bartlett, Emeritus Professor at the School of History in the University of St Andrews, is a distinguished medieval historian who has published widely on medieval frontiers and colonialism, the lives of saints and England between 1066 and 1300. He received the Wolfson History Prize for his book “The Making of Europe: Conquest, Colonization and Cultural Change, 950-1350” and has written and presented several TV series including “The Normans” and “The Plantagenets”.

Dear Member,
I am writing to you to inform you that, due to rapidly escalating health concerns relating to
the spread of Coronavirus , the committee has decided to cancel all further meetings of the
2019/2020 session. We are sorry to have to make this decision but believe it to be in the
best interests of our members and the guest speakers. Our June trip to Thirlestane Castle
will be rescheduled for Spring 2021.
It is intended that the new 2020/2021 season will start, as normal, in September and our
50 th Anniversary dinner will go ahead on Thursday 15th October.
We will send out a letter about the new season, and information about tickets for the
dinner, a little earlier than usual, probably in July. Hopefully, by then, things should have
resolved and we will all be able to look forward to the autumn.
In the meantime, please stay well and we’ll see you all in September.
Best wishes,
Carolyn Thompson (Chair)