Friday 4 March, 2016, 18.00

Rutherford Lecture Theatre One

Canterbury before the Normans

Forty-odd years ago David Birmingham was appointed to the chair of Modern History at Kent. His ‘modern’ interests culminated in small books on Switzerland, Ghana, Portugal, the Atlantic, and most recently in A Short History of Modern Angola. Since retiring he has been a tutor for the University of the Third Age and a Canterbury City Guide. These two ventures have now come together as a colourful book on Canterbury before the Normans. Our early ancestors, who might – or might not – have spoken a ‘Celtic’ language like Gaulish or Welsh, learned how to work gold, copper and iron. They wove thick woollen kilts and trained horses to draw their war-chariots. The ‘Latin’ period of our history witnessed the development of villas, baths and temples eventually topped by a huge classical theatre and a prestigious city wall. When the Roman empire receded a ‘Jutish’ branch of the great Saxon world brought immigrants to Kent. They taught us locals ho w to make fine jewellery, build the first cathedral, and embroider a fabulous ‘tapestry’ for a conquering tribe of Normans from Bayeux.

Lecture free and open to all

Booking not required.