Ship Timbers in Historic BuildingsShip Timbers in Historic Buildings

The third in the Triskele Heritage 2021-22 Winter Series of lectures.

Following on from the popular Lockdown Lectures which, ran from January to May 2021, this new series of monthly lectures by buildings archaeologist James Wright will examine commonly held myths about the mediaeval period.

A visit to almost any timber-framed structure in the land will elicit a story that the building’s timbers were re-used from a wrecked ship. The tale is often elaborated to add a layer of enigma and romanticism by mentioning the Spanish Armada or battle of Trafalgar. Are these just harmless folktales or can we genuinely find the timbers of lost ships in the rafters of ancient buildings?

The speaker, James Wright (Triskele Heritage), is an award winning buildings archaeologist. He has two decades professional experience of ferreting around in people’s cellars, hunting through their attics and digging up their gardens. He hopes to find meaningful truths about how ordinary and extraordinary folk lived their lives in the mediaeval period. He is the author of the popular Mediaeval Mythbusting Blog.