This new history festival will travel across the county's vast rural landscapes, covering the Wolds and Coast, the Fens, the Kestevens and the Lincoln Cliff, seeing renowned east midlands historians present their discoveries in your local Lincolnshire libraries.
With over 50 events running throughout May, including talks, guided walks, exhibitions and family activities, you'll explore wartime Lincolnshire, discover community memories, and step back into its trade past.
As part of the Festival Louth Library will be hosting local historians in the ConocoPhillips Room including Dr Richard Gurnham who will be first to deliver his talk:
- A History of Louth from Earliest Times to the Nineteenth Century
- Saturday, 3 May
- 1pm - 3pm
This is an illustrated talk showing the history from pre-historic times up to the Victorian era. Among the topics covered will be the creation of the new monastery in the seventh century, the establishment of Louth as a market town in the tenth century, the impact of the plague, the rebellion against Henry VIII’s religious polices and the growth of Louth following the opening of the Louth canal.
Dr Richard Gurnham will return to deliver his next talk:
- Poverty, Prostitution and Crime in Victorian Louth
- Thursday, 15 May
- 1pm - 3pm
In this talk Dr Gurnham will explore the lives of the poorer people of Louth in the Victorian era and particularly their occupations and housing, why so many poor women became prostitutes and the relationship between poverty and criminality.
Next we welcome Stuart Sizer to tell us about St James Church, the jewel in the crown in the centre of Louth:
- Building the Spire of St James Church, Louth
- Thursday, 22 May
- 1pm - 3pm
Decisions were taken in the 15th century to rebuild the 12th century stone church on a grand scale. It took seventy years to complete. On completion, the magnificent building required a broach or a spire. It was recorded in the ‘First Warden’s Accounts’ that it took masons fifteen years to construct the tallest medieval spire in England, which was topped off with the weather cock.
To round the festival off at Louth we are looking forward to welcoming Professor Heather Hughes and Judy Harris:
- A Trail of Louth – Neglected and Untold Stories
- Thursday, 29 May
- 1pm - 3pm
Find out about the people and places in the Louth area which have been historically associated with the challenges and violations of fundamental human rights.
All the talks have free entry, but we urge you to book a ticket to avoid disappointment. Pop in or email louth.library@gll.org
Nicola Rogers, partnership manager at Lincolnshire Libraries said: “As part of Local and Community Month we wanted to celebrate our county’s rich heritage. We’re delighted to be able to invite so many well-known speakers and groups into our libraries to share their knowledge and research and highlight the fascinating local studies collections held in our libraries.”
Visit the Lincoln Libraries Local History Festival webpage for full details of what’s on at a library near you, or pick up a Festival guide at Boston, Gainsborough, Grantham, Horncastle, Lincoln Central, Long Sutton, Louth, Mablethorpe, Market Rasen, Skegness, Sleaford, Spalding, Stamford or Woodhall Spa Library.
Lincolnshire Libraries, run by GLL, the not-for-profit social enterprise, on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council, run core and mobile libraries across the county as well as supporting 34 community hubs.