benedictjephcote.bsky.social
@benedictjephcote.bsky.social
Local historian with a degree of specialism in medieval Bassetlaw history
Chair of the Retford and District Historical and Archaeological Society

For more local history community info, see:
https://sites.google.com/view/bassetlawhistory/home
for the last month I've been working on a project looking to link up (to what extent I can) the Domesday holders of land in North Nottinghamshire with the landholders that were there in the 1200s
#medieval #nottinghamshire #bassetlaw #domesday #medievalnotts
November 9, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Next talk from Retford & District Historical & Archaeological Society:
Elaine Perkins - 'Candlewax, Chickens and Cheese'
Venue: Grove St Methodist Church
Wed 12 Nov 2025
Talk starts 7:30pm
talk schedule for this season available at:
sites.google.com/view/bassetl...
Bassetlaw History - Events
Upcoming events
sites.google.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Reposted
New episode!
In the latest edition of A Slice of Medieval, @derekbirks.bsky.social and I chat with Sara Cockerill about the life, times, loves and challenges of Eleanor of Castile, queen of Edward I
@penandswordbooks.bsky.social
#medievalsky #podcastsky
bit.ly/47nr4kt
Eleanor of Castile | A Slice of Medieval #78
Historian, Sharon Bennett Connolly and historical author, Derek Birks discuss, with Sara Cockerill, the remarkable Queen Eleanor of Castile. Music by Adriel Fair licensed from Epidemic Sound
bit.ly
October 22, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Michael Kirkby talked about the Battle of Waterloo and the particular parts that recruits from Nottinghamshire played - an excellent talk for the Retford & Dist. Historical & Archaeological Society yesterday evening (8 Oct 2025) - it's had me looking to find a good film to watch on the Napoleon era
October 9, 2025 at 7:21 AM
‪Sharon Bennett Connolly's talk on 'Lincolshire's Tudor Heroines' for the Friends of Gainsborough Old Hall was really good - a number of very interesting figures - for myself, as someone connected with Clumber, hearing about early de Clinton family was handy - Sharon >> @thehistorybits.bsky.social
October 7, 2025 at 8:31 PM
taking place tomorrow evening
My next talk will be on Lincolnshire's Tudor Heroines. Renaissance women from writers and mistresses to martyrs, duchesses and queens. Including some with close links to Gainsborough Old Hall.
7 October 2025 at 7.30pm
Venue: Gainsborough House, Parnell Street , Gainsborough (opposite the Old Hall)
October 6, 2025 at 8:42 PM
The Retford and District Historical and Archaeological Society will have its second talk of the season this coming Wednesday 8 Oct 2025: Michael Kirkby will be giving the talk 'Nottingham to Waterloo' about local men recruited in the 1800s to the two main Nottinghamshire military regiments
October 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Wed 15 Oct, 7.30pm - Talk by Adrian Griffiths - 'Gringley on the Hill - Life in the Past' - Gringley on the Hill Community Centre, Nottinghamshire
The talk will be about the former trades, businesses and life in the village in former times.
September 17, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Stuart Rose's talk on Laxton and the open-field system was very good to see and hear yesterday at Retford's Historical and Archaeological Society - Laxton's method of farming is unique and we may be the last generation to have this form of farming - unless new people get interested to keep it going
September 11, 2025 at 10:37 PM
The first talk of the 2025-2026 season of the Retford Historical Society will be on Laxton including its notable three-field farming - the talk given by Stuart Rose

Takes place at Grove Street Methodist Church, Retford, Notts
Talk starts at 7.30pm, Wed 10 Sep 2025

sites.google.com/view/bassetl...
Bassetlaw History - Events
Upcoming events
sites.google.com
September 10, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Reposted
My next talk will be on Lincolnshire's Tudor Heroines. Renaissance women from writers and mistresses to martyrs, duchesses and queens. Including some with close links to Gainsborough Old Hall.
7 October 2025 at 7.30pm
Venue: Gainsborough House, Parnell Street , Gainsborough (opposite the Old Hall)
September 6, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Fundraising is taking place for archaeological excavations and a small museum at Littleborough in Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire.

The Segelocum Roman fort was sited at Littleborough near, or at, an important crossing of the River Trent.

Find out more:
www.life-publications.com/retford/comm...
Community Archaeology Appeal - Life Publications
The Retford Archaeological and Metal Detecting Group has launched a JustGiving fundraising campaign to support their ongoing excavation in Littleborough and to help establish a small museum within Lit...
www.life-publications.com
August 20, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Retford Historical Society's first talk of the 2025/2026 season starts in 3 weeks' time:

Stuart Rose will be talking about: 'The Farming System, Landscape & Architecture of Laxton'

Talks start at 7.30pm, Grove St Methodist Church main service area. Arrive a bit early to get settled.
August 20, 2025 at 9:07 AM
great to see that a book from Worksop has survived for about 840 years
Bats. Worksop Bestiary, England c. 1185. NY, The Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.81, fol. 54v.
#medieval #medievalart
August 14, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Retford Historical Society's visit to Gringley-on-the-Hill was an excellent evening - Mike Garrett of Gringley History Club giving a super guide to Gringley's past and the early evening sun made it a very pleasant walk and learning experience
August 14, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I guess I should post something. I'm a local historian. My main specialities seems to be the history of Clumber Park and areas of medieval Bassetlaw.
August 6, 2025 at 9:50 PM