Social Life, Heating, Cooking, Lighting, and Rituals in the Mediaeval & Early Modern Period
Until relatively recently the open fire was the beating heart of most homes, and it still is for some. People would gather for warmth around the fire. They would also use it to light their rooms, cook their food, and to provide the focus to greet their guests. Fireplaces and chimneys also offered a location for protecting against fears or anxieties about the perceived threat of evil and bad luck in the world. Put simply, the fireplace was one of the most significant and complex spots in pre-modern houses.
Many of the practical, domestic, social, ceremonial and ritual functions of fireplaces have been lost or forgotten. This talk will seek to dig deep into the history, dating and phasing of fireplaces in historic houses. It will also explain some of the ways in which fireplaces were used and thought about by people during the mediaeval and early modern periods.
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.
All you need to do is register via Eventbrite and – when the time for the talk rolls around – grab your favourite beverage of choice, get comfy and enjoy.
The event will take place at 19:00 GMT on Thursday 25 January 2024 via Zoom. There will be a talk until approximately 20.15 GMT and then a questions and answer session. It will end around 21.00 GMT.
Booking is now available via Eventbrite:
This lecture is crowdfunded through donation. It will be the debut of a new bespoke talk. There is no minimum donation so its possible to contribute as little or as much as you want. Your donation is your ticket and you will be sent a link to access the event by Eventbrite.
Please note that this live event will not be recorded and made available online afterwards.
If you have a question about the event – in the first instance please see our FAQs section. The answer will almost certainly be in there.
Eventbrite recommend using the most up to date version of Google Chrome to access the meeting.
If you have any problems accessing the event please email: james@triskeleheritage.com
This address will be monitored throughout the event.
