Communities offered FREE Archaeological Research Masterclasses

Part of the Local Landscape Heroes Project

Members of the local community are being offered the chance to learn how to unlock mysteries of the past, by joining in with six FREE Archaeological Research Masterclasses at Hamilton Town House Library in March and April.

The programme of talks and hands-on workshops will be delivered by specialists in history, the historic environment, archaeology and genealogy - each offering their own unique insight to a subject with the aim of developing new research skills and knowledge for participants.

The Archaeological Research Masterclasses are being co-ordinated by CAVLP Heritage as part of the Local Landscape Heroes project, and anyone is welcome to attend.

“We have an excellent line-up of expert speakers taking part, who will be able to share their working knowledge with participants on topics from local history, to family history, online and archive research resources,” says Dr. Paul Murtagh.

He continues, “We urge as many people as possible to sign up for these FREE events, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned researcher. There are so many historic resources out there – it’s important that the skills in using these resources are passed on so that people can enjoy the resources that exist.”

Each talk will be held in the I.T. suite at Hamilton Townhouse Library from 18.00 to 19.30. Talks, listed below, are free but need to be booked via the eventbrite link on the right.

Thursday 2 March: Hugh McBrien, West of Scotland Archaeology Service (WoSAS). An introduction to the work of WoSAS.

Thursday 9 March: CAVLP Heritage: Using online resources. Dr Paul Murtagh provides an overview of online research tools such as Pastmap, SCRAN and Canmore.

Thursday 16 March: Ian McNeill, Lanarkshire Family History Forum: Introduction to Family History Research. An introduction to family history and what resources are available.

Thursday 23 March: Scott Broadfoot, South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture: Introduction to Local Archives. An overview of what exists in local archives and how to access it.

Thursday 30 March: CAVLP Heritage: Using online resources (Advanced). A closer look at what other online resources are available to use. This session is appropriate for those who have attended the first workshop or who have working knowledge of the basics already.

Thursday 20 April: Richard Oram, Stirling University: Understanding Medieval Landscapes. An overview of how we can use resources to build a picture of what the landscape of the past would have looked like.

The Local Landscape Heroes project celebrates the people that have shaped and been inspired by the Clyde and Avon Valley. It is managed by Northlight Heritage with funding from Heritage Lottery Fund supported Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership and Historic Environment Scotland. 

The Archaeological Research Resources Masterclasses follow a series of Framing the Landscape Saturday walks in and around Chatelherault, Lanark, Wishaw, Craignethan Castle, New Lanark and Carluke in February and March, which explore writers, artists and film-makers associated with these sites. Please see the eventbrite link on the right for details.

Donna Marshall, CAVLP Programme Manager says, “With 2017 being the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, there’s never been a better time to get involved with your local culture. CAVLP are delighted to be able to support a project that will help people unlock the mysteries of the past, whether it’s through local or family historical research.”

Workshops are FREE but booking is essential using the eventbrite link on the right.