Talks

Every year Uffington Museum invites local historians and archaeologists to entertain us with fascinating talks at our Thomas Hughes Memorial Village Hall.
All are held at 7:30pm in the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Uffington SN7 7SE. 
Please pay on the door - £3 for friends and £5 for visitors, all proceeds fund the museum.
Here are the talks for 2026:
2nd February 2026
Uncovering Oxfordshire's Dinosaur Highway

Dr Duncan Murdock from Oxford University's Museum of Natural History describes the thrilling discovery of a dinosaur highway in an Oxfordshire quarry - 'one of the most exciting dinosaur trackways in the world'! As seen on BBC2's Digging for Britain.
9th March 2026
Black Wantage

Sem Seabourne
In the early 19th century Wantage had been described as ‘a positive sink of iniquity full of drunks, murderers and thieves’.  Was it really that bad?  Was Wantage any different from the other small market towns at that time?  
6th April 2026
Coleshill - Nerve Centre of British Resistance

Gillian Cane
Coleshill House in the Oxfordshire countryside served as the top-secret General Headquarters (GHQ) for the Auxiliary Units, often called "Churchill’s Secret Army," during World War II. As the nerve centre of British resistance, this secluded estate trained roughly 3,000–3,500 volunteers in guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and assassination to combat a potential German invasion from behind enemy lines.  
This retelling includes a cast of characters ranging from 13 year-old schoolchildren, saboteurs bristling with explosives to the terrifying village postmistress!
4th May 2026
Myths, Monuments, and Memory

Lauren Golding
This talk accompanies our 2026 exhibition ‘Myths, Monuments and Memory’ and explores the myths and legends associated with the landscape of the Uffington White Horse, from St. George and the Dragon to the legend of Weland the Smith. Telling the story of how landscape reuse conveys meaning across centuries, it will highlight enduring beliefs and show how personal, family, and community events continue to enrich this evolving narrative.
8th June 2026
Oxfordshire on the Home Front 1914 - 18

Stephen Barker
This talk draws on witness testimony to describe the impact of the first world war on the towns and villages of Oxfordshire.  The local population raised money for the war effort and worked in munitions factories to support their young men joining up to fight.  Life at home changed too, as Oxforshire saw an influx of Belgian refugees and the ever present fear of invasion took it's toll.
6th July 2026
Oxfordshire's Highwaymen

Mike White
Everyone has heard tales of Dick Turpin and other dashing highwaymen, but Oxfordshire boasts its own home-grown rogues. Mike White shares stories about both famous and lesser-known highwaymen who terrorised the county. Discover which highwayman only stole from enemies of the King, which dandy danced with his lady victims, which rogue single-handedly robbed the army payroll, who rode to York in a single day, and which bad boy was a bishop. Come along and find out.
3rd August 2026
Coffee and Coffee Houses in Oxford 

Melanie King
Did you know that coffee was recommended as protection against the bubonic plague in the seventeenth century?  Melanie King explores the history of coffee from it's arrival in England in the 1650's, with a special nod to Oxford's coffee houses.
7th September 2026
The Mercurial Mitfords!  The Uffington Connection

Arthur Marment
John Betjamin was part of a group labelled The Bright Young Things and was a friend, confidante and admirer of the Mitford Sisters. This tenuous link serves as an excuse to blast through all seven of the bonkers Mitford clan favouring generalisations,  gossip and wild speculation far above dry academic study and accuracy!
5th October 2026
Landscape Detection

Jane Golding
There will also be a talk in November. Details to follow.
Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Uffington SN7 7SE
Click here for Larger Map
Our 2025 programme featured a range of engaging and insightful talks celebrating the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Uffington area.
(Includes photos or videos of many of the talks)