Student Intranet

History Festival

The History Festival, organised by the Department of History, is a collaborative event bringing together staff, students and the wider community — a series of history themed events including talks from specialists, family-friendly activities, and much more.

It is for anyone interested in history including students (undergraduates and postgraduates), families and the general public.

We're pleased to return in 2023 with a series of events. You can download the festival programme below or browse links and videos for specific events here.

When

23-28 October 2023

Humanities Building, University Park Campus

Locations around Nottingham

Entry

Free entry.

Events are open to the public, students and staff.

Please register individually for events using the links below.

Festival programme

2023 Programme

Organiser

The festival has been organised by staff and students in the Department of History. The lead organiser is Dr Sarah Holland.

Contact the organiser

Welcome

Welcome to the University of Nottingham’s History Festival.

The 2023 Festival includes a wide range of in person talks and workshops. All activities are free to participate in and everyone is welcome.

You can stay updated with Festival news via social media as well via Twitter @UoNHistFest #UoNHistoryFest

We hope you enjoy the Festival and look forward to seeing you.

Main events

Monday 23 October

Global Lace Walk with Dr David Gehring (10.30-11.30am)

The Caves Beneath Our Feet with Dr Charlotte May (1.30-2.30pm)

Wednesday 25 October

‘Living Letters: Correspondence Then and Now’ - a private tour of this new exhibition (11am-noon)

Drop-in Acitivites, Exhibitions, Stalls and Charity Book Sale (1.30-5.30pm)

Viking Treasure Workshop (2-4pm)

When Poetry, Politics and Black Women Meet with Dr Panya Banjoko (1.15-2.15pm)

Edward Lear (1812-1888) at Sestri Levante: topographical art as a source for landscape history with Professor Ross Balzaretti (2.30-3.30pm)

A tale of two wives (and four husbands?): the story of two exceptional women from Imperial Rome with Dr David Massimo and Chloë Choong (3.30-4.30pm)

Meet the author: Thomas Legendre – Writing ‘Prehistorical’ Historical Fiction: Finding Ourselves in the Past (4.00-4.45 pm)

LGBTQ+ History (5-6pm)

Film screening: Rosewood (1997) Dr Onyeka Nubia (University of Nottingham) introduction of the film and discussion (6.30pm)

Dark Histories at Lenton Priory – a twilight tour with Dr Henry Parkes (7pm)

Thursday 26 October

Agitating the Lawless Rabble - a guided walk with People's Histreh (1pm)

Teaching History in an Age of Climate Crisis with Michael Riley (UCL Institute of Education and former Director of Schools History Project) 5.30-6.30pm (via MS Teams)

Friday 27 October

Behind the Scenes at the Manuscripts and Special Collections (11am-noon)

Saturday 28 October

Local History Seminar ‘Four Lords (plus Ladies) and their ‘improvements’ to Wollaton Park in the eighteenth century’ by Megan Doole AND “Wiping out a little disgrace”: The origins of Nottingham Castle Museum - Frances Potts (CDA PhD student, UoN) (10-12.30pm)

Health and Disease in the Medieval Town of Nottingham – a walking tour with Dr Chris King (1.30pm)

Trent building clock tower against a blue sky with wispy clouds.

Pre-recorded talks

Pre-recorded videos of past history festival talks.

David Appleby - The Civil War Petitions Project

Hannah O'Regan - Favourite Archaeological Artefacts: A moment in time*

Hannah O'Regan - Favourite Archaeological Artefacts: A shoe*

Mark Pearce - Favourite Archaeological Artefacts: Bronze Age weapons*

Jeremy Taylor - Forgetting and Remembering Chiang Kai-shek

Ross Wilson - Remembering the First World War in Nottingham

Onyeka Nubia - Reading Diversity in English History

View video on Echo360

Dan O'Neill - Boardmarsh: A history of skateboarding in Nottingham

View video on Echo360

* For YouTube videos, please click the three dots in the top right corner and open them directly in YouTube to access subtitles. We apologise for the inconvenience.

Past programmes

History Festival 2017 programme

History Festival 2019 programme

History Festival 2020 poster

History Festival 2022 Programme