What's new

Please check the relevant websites and social media for confirmation and last-minute changes to the events listed here.

Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group Talks

Friday 13 February History of the 384th Bombardment Group by Matt Smith.
Friday 13 March Bookbinding Past & Present by Graham Lampard.

Talks are held in Garden Room at St Matthews Church Hall, off Kettering Road, Northampton at 7.30pm. FREE to NIAG members, visitors welcome £3. Go to www.niag.org.uk for more information.

Oundle Historical Society Talks

Friday 13 February Royalist Estates during the English Civil Wars by Charlotte Young.
Friday 13 March AGM + Oundle from the Air by John Novell.

Talks start at 7.30pm in Oundle Methodist Church, Drummingwell Lane, Oundle. Visitors £5. Go to www.oundlehistoricalsociety.org.uk for more information.

Olney Archaeological Society Talks

Tuesday 17 February Living the Roman Countryside by Michael Curtis.
Tuesday 3 March The African Emperor: The Life & Times of Septimius Severus by Dr Simon Elliot.

Lectures are at the Olney Centre, Olney in Buckinghamshire, 10.00am-12.00 noon. Note that some lectures are remote and will be shown on screen. Price £4 for visitors, go to www.mkheritage.org.uk/oas/ for more information and membership.

Northamptonshire Heritage Forum

Friday 20 February Forum meeting at Silverstone Museum
Thursday 23 April AGM at Boughton House
Sunday 26 April 10.00am-4.00pm Heritage Fair at Wicksteed Park.
Saturday 24 October History Day in conjunction with Blisworth Heritage Society.
Sunday 25 October Northamptonshire Day at Kettering Market Square.

Go to www.northamptonshireheritageforum.co.uk for more information about events and membership.

Northampton Museum & Art Gallery

Saturday 21 February to Sunday 7 June 2026 Exhibition: Carboniferous Monsters: 100 million years before the Dinosaurs.

Go to www.northamptonmuseums.com for more information.

CBA Council for British Archaeology 2026

Saturday 21 February AGM and de Cardi Lecture Rewilding by Dr Anwen Cooper, The Milner York.
Thursday 12 February Winter Lecture: Facing Extinction at M Shed, Bristol

Go to www.archaeologyuk.org for more information about the Council for British Archaeology online talks.

Finedon Local Historical Society Talks

Monday 23 February 2026 The History of the Osborne Toy Shop in Rushden by Will Osborne.
Monday 23 March The Battle of Naseby by Len Holden.
Monday 27 April The Great Fire of Northampton by Ruth Thomas.
Monday 18 May The Last Days of the Northants Iron and Steelworks Railways by Mike Dix.
Monday 22 June Bridges of the River Nene by Dan Reid.
Monday 27 July When the Land Ships came to Town by Helen Frost.
Monday 26 October Northampton's County Buildings by Richard Blacklee.

Talks are at 7.30pm in the Mission Room, Well Street, Finedon, NN9 5JP. FLHS members £2.50, visitors £3.50. Go to www.tingdenetofinedon.co.uk for more information.

The Higgins Bedford

Friday 27 February Lunchtime Talk Noel Carrington by Joe Pearson.
Wednesday 25 March 1.00pm-3.00pm Portable Antiquities Scheme for Bedfordshire session. FREE but booking essential.

The Higgins Museum, Castle Lane, Bedford MK40 3XD. Go to www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk for more information.

Higham Ferrers 2026 Events

Friday 27 February Lumos Experience, St Marys Church.
March tbc Quiz at the SAS Club.
Saturday 7 March Handel's Messiah, St Marys Church.
Friday 24 - Sunday 26 April ARTS WEEKEND.
Friday 24 April  Painting with a Professional for local schools.
Saturday 25 April St Georges Day, Market Square.
Saturday 25 April at 7.30pm Rock Choir in St Mary's Church.
Sunday 26 April at 2.00pm Know Your Greaves from Your Gauntlets in Hope Methodist Church.
Saturday 30 May Chichele Garden Fair in Chichele College Garden.
Saturday 6 - Sunday 14 June Great Big Green Week for local schools.
Friday 10 July Music night at Chichele College.
Friday 7 August Music night at Chichele College.
Saturday 12 September Horticultural Show in Chichele College.
Sunday 20 September 11.00am-5.00pm Heritage Day at Rushden Lakes.
Sunday 8 November at 10.45am Remembrance Sunday on Market Square.
Saturday 21 November Sparkle townwide.

Go to the Higham Ferrers Tourism website, Facebook and highamferrers-tc.gov.uk for for more information about these events. Farmers' Markets on the last Saturday morning of the month on the Market Square.

Kimbolton Castle: Public Open Days

Sunday 1 March. Go to www.kimboltoncastle.com for more information.

Raunds & District History Society Talks

Thursday 5 March Northamptonshire Railway Talk by Andy Dyks.
Thursday 2 April History of the Pork Pie by John Paul Carr.
Thursday 7 May Lotions, Potions and Dubious Cures by Susan Copperwheat.

Talks start at 7.00pm in Raunds Library, £3 includes refereshments, all welcome.

Northamptonshire Record Society

THE NRS hold document workshops in the NRS Library at Northamptonshire Archives, Wootton Hall Park, Northampton showcasing and explaining some of the records. Go to www.northamptonshirerecordsociety.org.uk for more information and to book a place as numbers are limited. Price £10 per person, sessions start at 10.00am. 

Saturday 7 March Looking at manorial records of Northamptonshire by Wendy Raybould.
Saturday 4 April Eighteenth Century Poor Law and Settlement records by Deborah Hayter. 

Delapré Abbey Events and Tours

Friday 13 March 2026 Delapre Abbey Ghost Hunt.

Go to www.delapreabbey.org for more information and ticket details for the tours, Family Fun Days, Friends of Northampton Castle Play Days, and other events. Delapre Abbey is on the outskirts of Northampton, NN4 8AW, car parking is FREE.

Northampton Museum & Art Gallery Talks

Thursday 26 March When the Landships Came to Town by Helen Frost.

Thursday morning talks start at 10.30am, price £3.50, booking essential. Go to www.northamptonmuseums.com for more information and tickets.

Higham Chichele Society Talks

Friday 27 March A brief history of the Samurai by Barry Jones
Friday 24 April Saints, sinners and scandals by Derek Blunt
Friday 29 May Pork Pie Heaven by Jon-Paul Carr
Friday 26 June Take us back in time by Gloris and Peter Wright
Friday 31 July Grandad's War 1914-18 by Ted Barnes
Friday 28 August Roman Northamptonshire by Michael Curtis
Friday 25 September Agatha Chritie by Steve Dimmer
Friday 30 October The Ghost Detective by Adrian Perkins
Friday 27 November A History of Comedy Music by Kevin Varty

Talks start at 9.30am, doors open at 9.00am, in the Bede House, Higham Ferrers. Members £3, Visitors £4, includes refreshments, new members welcome. Go to www.highamchichelesociety.co.uk for more information. The annual subscription is £5 and due at the May meeting.

Sulgrave Manor & Garden

Closed for Winter now, opens again in Spring 2026.  Sulgrave Manor, Manor Road, Sulgrave, Banbury, OX17 2SD. Go to www.sulgravemanor.org.uk for more information.

Wellingborough Civic Society Talks

Thursday 16 April The Great Fire of Northampton by Kate Wills, Northampton Civic Society.

Talks are usually at 7.00pm in the Dulley Rooms, Wellingborough Museum, 12 Castle Way, Wellingborough NN81XB. Visitors £3.

Wrest Park

Start again in April 2026 Archaeological Collections Store Tours starting at 11.00am and 1.00pm.

Wrest Park is in Silsoe, Bedfordshire, MK45 4HR. Go to www.english-heritage.org.uk for more information, prices and opening times.

Oundle Museum

Museum opens again in Spring 2026, Saturdays and Sundays only, 1.00pm-4.00pm.

Oundle Museum is in Mill Road, Oundle PE8 4BW. Go to www.oundlemuseum.org.uk for more information.

British Museum Exhibitions

Until 4 May 2026 Samurai.
Until 25 May 2026 Hawai'i: A kingdom crossing oceans.

British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG. Go to www.britishmuseum.org for more information.

Peterborough Museum 2025

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday Priestgate Vaults Tours.

Go to www.peterboroughmuseum.org for more information about events and tours.

CBA Festival of Archaeology 2026

Saturday 18 July - Sunday 2 August

Theme for 2026 is Archaeology and Nature. Go to www.archaeologyuk.org for more information nearer the time.

Irchester Field School Learning Programme

Summer 2026, dates tbc

Go to www.chesterhouseestate.org for more information about the Irchester Field School run in partnership with the ARC and the University of Leicester. Bookings already being taken.

Irchester Parish Historical Society Talks

Society usually meets the second Thursday of each month, members £2, visitors £4. Go to www.irchester.org for more information.

Heritage Open Days 2026

Friday 11 - Sunday 20 September

Go to www.heritageopendays.org.uk for more information nearer the time.

Discover Northamptonshire Visitor Hub at Rushden Lakes

Next date tbc Finds Day with Northamptonshire Finds Liaison Officer Eleanore Cox.

FREE drop-in session at the Tourism Hub near the entrance to Cineworld, Rushden Lakes.

Earls Barton

Next date tbc Earls Barton Heritage Group meet in the library.

Northamptonshire Film Archive Trust

Next date tbc.

Films are shown at events around the county, go to www.northamptonshirefilmarchivetrust.co.uk for more information.

Finds Day at Daventry Museum

Next date tbc.

Northamptonshire Finds Officer Eleanore Cox will be at Daventry Museum, free but you'll need to book a 15 minute time slot by email.

Chester House Estate

Next date tbc Tours of the ARC (Archaeological Resource Centre), FREE but please book via the website.

The Chester House Estate is near Irchester in Northamptonshire. Go to www.chesterhouseestate.org for more information and booking.

Northamptonshire Archaeological Society

TBC Next event.

Go to www.northants-archaeology.org.uk for information.

Wellingborough Museum

Next date tbc

Wellingborough Museum, Dulley's Baths, 12 Castle Way, Wellingborough, NN8 1XB. Museum open Monday to Saturdays 10.00am-4.30pm. Go to www.wellingboroughmuseum.co.uk for more information. 

Sharnbrook Local History Group Talks

Next date tbc.

Talks held at 2.00pm in the Methodist Church, Sharnbrook but go to www.slhg.org.uk for more information.

Abington Park Museum in Northampton

Next date tbc, starts at 2.00pm Guided tour.

Volunteer-led tours of the Museum, £3.50 each person, booking essential. Go to www.northamptonmuseums.com for more information about tours and exhibitions at Abington Park Museum.

Naseby Battlefield Tours

Next date tbc

Walk in the footsteps of those who took part in the Battle of Naseby in 1645. Tours last 4 hours and prices start at £25, booking essential. Go to www.naseby.com for more information.

ISE-Dig Talks

Next date tbc

Talks start at 7.30pm and are held in St Andrew's Church Rooms, Crown Street, Kettering, NN16 8QA. ISE members £4, visitors £5, all welcome. Go to www.ise-dig.co.uk for more information.

Rushden & District History Society Talks

Next date tbc

Talks start at 7.30pm at Whitefriars School, Boughton Drive, Rushden NN10 9HX. Visitors welcome, £2.50 on the door. Go to www.rdhs.org.uk for more information.

Stanwick Lakes

Next date tbc

Go to www.stanwicklakes.org.uk for information.

Burton Latimer Heritage Museum

Next exhibition tbc

Harold Mason Centre, 120 High Street, Burton Latimer, NN15 5RH

Northamptonshire Battlefield Society

Next date tbc

Talks start at 7.30pm at Delapre Abbey, on the outskirts of Northampton, NN4 8AW. Go to www.delapreabbey.org and www.northantsbattles.com for more information.

Bedford Guided Walks

Next date tbc.

Walks start at 11.00am and are between 90 minutes and 2 hours long, 1-2 miles in length. Walks are £4 and must be pre-booked. Go to www.bedfordtourguides.org for more information and booking.

43rd Annual Brixworth Lecture 2026

Date tbc

Go to www.friendsofbrixworthchurch.org.uk for more information and tickets which are £12.

Kettering Civic Society Talks

Next date tbc

Talks throughout the year are at 7.30pm in Village Hall, Barton Seagrave. Visitors £6.

Middle Nene Archaeological Group (MidNAG)

Next date tbc

Meetings held in The Glapthorn Room in Oundle. Go to www.midnag.com for more information.

Northampton Central Library

Next date tbc
tbc Next Carnegie Talk

Northampton Central Library is in Abington Street, Northampton NN1 2BA. Go to the Facebook page for more information.

Northampton Civic Society

Next date tbc Committee meeting.

Meetings and talks at The Humphrey Rooms, 10 Castilian Terrace, Northampton NN1 1LD.

Friends of Kettering Art Gallery & Museum

Next date tbc Town Walk, £5 per person.

Kettering Museum and Gallery remain closed, go to the Friends Facebook page or www.friendskagam.org for information about their events, or visit ARTworks Creative Space in the Newlands Centre Kettering.