Events

From the Wars of the Roses to Far-Flung Continents and the Cold War - Beds, Herts & Middx Region Study Day

Saturday 24th October 2026

A varied programme of talks ranging from the period of the Wars of the Roses to the Cold War and including a talk and handling session about Tribal Weapons from distant continents. Guest Speaker Dr David Grummitt will give a talk on the Second Battle of St. Albans (1461)

Location: St.Albans Diocesan Offices, Holywell Lodge, Holywell Hill St. Albans AL1 1HD

Time: 10 am (registration) to 4.30 pm

Price: Including a buffet lunch and refreshments during the day:

Battlefields Trust Members - £35

Non-members - £38

Programme

10.00 - Coffee and Registration

10.30 - Welcome and introductions

10.35 - Dr. Peter Burley - will talk about Lady Margaret Hungerford (née Botreaux) 1410 -1478 whose turbulent life was directly affected by seven battles in the period of the Wars of the Roses.

11.30 - Refreshments

12.00 - Mike Elliott - will explore cold war development of Foxhunter Radar in Hertfordshire and its enhancement of long-range detection capability in Tornado combat aircraft.

13.00 - Buffet Lunch (included in the price - please notify any specific requirements – e.g. vegetarian/allergies/gluten free when booking on-line)

14.00 - Dr. David Grummitt (Open University) - will talk about the Second Battle of St. Albans (1461) and his research on the battle. David is currently researching and writing a three volume military history of the campaigns of the Wars of the Roses (published by Helion & Co.) the first part of which was launched at the end of 2025.

15.00 - Refreshments

15.30 - Clive Hammersley – will introduce tribal weapons from three continents, talking about their use and deployment and offering an opportunity to examine them more closely in a handling session.

16.30 - Conclusion

Booking

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased from the link below:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thebattlefieldstrust/2353644

Location, transport and parking - Holywell Lodge is near the historic centre of St Albans which has good transport connections and a range of parking options. More details will be available when booking via Ticket Tailor through the link above.

Further information – if you need more information or have any queries about the Study Day, please contact Ruth Gibson using the details below.