Ste Lingard
LightNews LightNews
banner
stelingard.bsky.social
Ste Lingard
@stelingard.bsky.social
860 followers 420 following 1.1K posts
History & archaeology, esp. of northern England. Alumnus @ Sheff & Brum history. Freelance researcher & project manager in heritage sector @ www.sglingard.com. Chair @StHelensTownAFC.bsky.social.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Ste Lingard
jpwarchaeology.bsky.social
The next online talk will look at life on the road in the mediaeval period. What was it like to travel, who could be found on the road, and what observations did they leave us?

I'll be live online at 7pmGMT on Wednesday 28 January.

Booking & more info:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-mediae...
January 3, 2026 at 12:16 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
St. Oswald's, Winwick, #Lancashire. It stands by the modern A49, a major route since at least the Roman period, just three miles north of the historic crossing of the #RiverMersey at #Warrington. The church featured in the 1648 Battle of Winwick Pass. #SteepleSaturday #ChurchCrawling
📷 my own
A colour image of the west end and steeple of a large church on a sunny day. For more information about the church, visit: https://www.stoswaldwinwick.church/
January 3, 2026 at 8:03 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
Time Team's return has been one of the few pure pleasures in the 2020s. I recall watching the first new ep. whilst away working on a difficult project: my stresses dissolved at first contact with the theme tune alone. Long may it contine. #TimeTeam #Archaeology
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
From iron age tunnels to YouTube: Time Team’s ‘extraordinary’ digital renaissance
Three decades after its modest beginnings on Channel 4, the TV juggernaut now has its own channel and global subscribers
www.theguardian.com
January 3, 2026 at 7:22 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
The 1st century Hawkedon Helmet (plus reconstructed face-guard), for a 'provocator' class of gladiator. It is one of the highlights of the #GladiatorsofBritain exhibition at the Grosvenor Museum in #Chester, open until Jan 25th. Recommended. #RomanBritain #Gladiators
📷 mine
A rusted helmet, with a broad neck guard and attachment points for a face-guard. A modern replica face-guard is beneath, with decorative eye covers. The original helmet is in the British Museum's collections, number: 1966,0605.1 You can find out more by visiting the British Museum's item page: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1966-0605-1 ...and Cheshire West and Chester Museums' page for the exhibition: https://events.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk/event/gladiators-of-britain/
January 2, 2026 at 4:47 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
For my first post & first #AdoorableThursday of the year, here's the view from the reconstructed Roman villa at #Wroxeter: it looks out onto what was the forum and across the road to the bath house. You can just see the Wrekin in the distance. All the best for 2026! #RomanBritain #Shropshire
📷 mine
The view through a doorway flanked by two large wooden doors, swung open and towards the camera. Outside, two large stone columns with chunky square capitals frame the view of a grassed area, with ruined stonework beyond and a hill on the horizon. There are people visible inspecting the ruins. The photo is taken from a reconstructed villa, completed in 2011. It was designed by Professor Dai Morgan Evans and based on evidence from the site.
January 1, 2026 at 12:23 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
Shucks. I lack lackeys.
typejunky.bsky.social Nick Stone @typejunky.bsky.social · 2d
Now comes the big decision, do we watch Jools Holland’s hootenanny, or do we take a cyanide capsule, shoot ourselves in the head, then have some lackeys burn our bodies in a trench in the car park. Toughie.
December 31, 2025 at 11:35 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
I'm proud to have been part of such a good year for the club, along with everyone else - we're nothing without teamwork. We'll have more teamwork next year. All the best! #StHelens #NonLeague
sthelenstownafc.bsky.social St Helens Town AFC @sthelenstownafc.bsky.social · 2d
League champions for the first time in 50+ years 🏆
U23s flying, U18s developing at a high level
@town_in_the_town stronger than ever

Thanks to everyone who makes Town what it is 💙
Happy New Year merts n mauds

#townteam #est1901 🔵⚪️
December 31, 2025 at 10:58 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
The outer bailey walls and gatehouse at #BeestonCastle, built onto the ramparts of an earlier hillfort. The mediaeval works disrupted the prehistoric, though evidence of the earlier banks and ditches remains. #HillfortsWednesday #Cheshire #Castles
📷 my own
A steadily sloping hillside, rising from left to right. A ditch runs along a contour, with a steep bank on the higher side and large stone walls above that. A person dressed in black stands on a path through a ruined gateway, illustrating that the walls and a remaining tower are imposing. It is a winter day, with sombre, rust, green and grey tones on the ground and walls, and broken cloud in a pale blue sky.
December 31, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Reposted by Ste Lingard
raypurvis.bsky.social
One last chance to win one of my hand-painted Trail related items, coming soon. Not doing anymore, due to lack of interest.
Answer to my easy question about Portgate to Heavenfield section of Trail will be pinned to my profile. #hadrianswall #followtheacorn
December 30, 2025 at 2:09 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
The remains of #Bridgnorth Castle keep, #Shropshire. It was built in the 12th century & blown up/down by Parliamentarian troops following a three week siege in 1646. It makes one hell of a feature in the town park. #Castles #TowerTuesday
📷my own
A large stone tower, broken and and listing at an alarming angle. The disrupted structure is rather a contrast to the orderly park surroundings, with a neat fence, tidy path and planter.
December 30, 2025 at 7:53 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
Feb 2020: the Museum of the Gorge, #Ironbridge about to be flooded again, whilst still recovering from the previous flood. Seeing it happen in person was a start reminder of the increasing threat water ingress poses to historic buildings. #MuseumMonday #RiverSevern #Flooding #Shropshire
📷 my own
A large river having burst its banks, covering the riverside path and lapping at the door of a Victorian gothic brick building. There is woodland on the far bank.
December 29, 2025 at 2:16 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
Thank you to @raypurvis.bsky.social for this terrific hand-painted Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail acorn - and for all his volunteer work on the trail. Volunteers make such a difference to it. #HadriansWall #RomanBritain
A white acorn symbol on a black piece of wood.
December 28, 2025 at 2:15 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
The Beast of Moreton Corbet: one of several mythical creatures decorating features of the castle, in this case a ground floor corner of the 16th century extension. Well worth a detour from the A49 or A53, close to RAF Shawbury. #Shropshire #StoneworkSunday #Castle
📷 my own
A worn carving of a mythical winged beast on the corner of building, set into classical features.
December 28, 2025 at 9:18 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
St. Mary's, #Stamford, viewed across the #RiverWelland on an autumnal day. The tower is early 13th century, the spire a little later. St. Mary's is one of of twelve historic churches in the town, which is one of the loveliest in the country. #SteepleSaturday #Lincolnshire #ChurchCrawling
📷 my own
The view across a river to a church steeple, also reflected on the water. It is an autumnal day, with leaves on the ground and the river looking rust coloured.
December 27, 2025 at 11:35 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
Bloody Christians, banning #Christmas.
storiesofbritain.bsky.social Extraordinary Stories of Britain Podcast @storiesofbritain.bsky.social · 9d
On Christmas day 1647, Puritans tried to stop celebrations in Canterbury. Forcing shops to open and people to work. Hear how it ended in our Stories of Christmas Podcast: podbean.com/eas/pb-anfqe-1768735 #history #christmas #canterbury
December 25, 2025 at 11:50 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
Merry Christmas, friends, illustrated with the card used by the 5th Battalion South #Lancashire Regiment 107 years ago.

Thankfully, most of us are enjoying the season at peace, though I'm conscious that not everyone is so fortunate. Thinking of them, and hoping for a brighter future.
An old Christmas card featuring the South Lancashire Regiment's badge (a Sphinx supporting a fleur de lys emblem, with the following words: SOUTH LANCASHIRE, PRINCE OF WALES'S VOL.S, ICH DIEN, and EGYPT'), beneath the word 'CHRISTMAS' topped with a rose emblem, flanked by '5th' and 'Bn' (meaning 'battalion') and above '1918' on top of an inverted black triangle (their identifying symbol in 55th West Lancashire Division) on top of a helmet supporting a crossed Lewis gun and Lee Enfield rifle with bayonet attached. Two of my Great Great Grandfathers served and died with the 5th.
December 25, 2025 at 10:17 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
Welcome news from Historic England re. Winstanley Hall. #Wigan #Lancashire www.placenorthwest.co.uk/historic-eng...
December 23, 2025 at 10:30 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
Mediaeval tile pieces relaid together to form a fragment pavement, at #WenlockPriory. It has several areas like this. #TilesOnTuesday #Shropshire #Medieval
📷 my own.
A colour photograph of a pavement made from fragments of mediaeval floor tiles, taken from directly above. Some are almost complete, some in halves, and others in much smaller pieces. Lots of them have floral or heraldic symbols on them.
December 23, 2025 at 10:07 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
🫣
fesshole.bsky.social fesshole 🧻 @fesshole.bsky.social · 11d
Worked on several major infrastructure projects in the 1970s. Watching old Time Teams on C4 on demand at the moment I weep for all the archaeology we smashed through back then, including several burials and what I suspect was a Roman villa on one occasion.
December 22, 2025 at 10:47 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
Whilst researching the movements of a particular infantry brigade during the First World War, I happened upon original letters from Conan-Doyle attempting to persuade a senior officer to send him files off the record. Rabbit hole ahoy! #Archives #FWW
appuhn.bsky.social Karl Appuhn @appuhn.bsky.social · 11d
I think we need a mega thread of everyone's craziest archive stories.
December 22, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by Ste Lingard
ninabake2.bsky.social
Leon Rosselson's song covered here by Bragg:
youtu.be/apWE0puBAPY?...
The World Turned Upside Down live from Rote Lieder 1998 - Billy Bragg
YouTube video by Billy Bragg
youtu.be
December 22, 2025 at 9:26 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
'The Earth Was Made a Common Treasury for All'. Memorial to Gerrard Winstanley, founder of The Diggers, in #Wigan. A radical reformer who believed in direct action, he founded short-lived 'colonies' in 1649-50. He is celebrated locally w. an annual festival. #MosaicMonday #Lancashire
📷 by me.
A circular mosaic* depicting Gerrard Winstanley wearing red and holding a tract and a scythe, with people working the land behind him. Around the perimeter, are the words: GERRARD WINSTANLEY GARDENS THE WIGAN BORN FOUNDER OF THE DIGGERS 1609-1676 "THE EARTH WAS MADE A COMMON TREASURY FOR ALL" *I say 'mosaic', but it is really a representation of one, made in one piece. It is in Wigan town centre, at the top of The Wiend, next to Millgate. For information about the Wigan Diggers' Festival, visit: https://wigandiggersfestival.org/
December 22, 2025 at 9:13 AM
stelingard.bsky.social
'From the rising of the sonne...to the setting of the same.' Excerpt from Psalm 113 on the beautiful early 17th century (note the clothing) painted ceiling at the church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Muchelney, #Somerset. #CeilingsOnSunday #ChurchCrawling
📷 my own
A painted wooden ceiling divided into a grid of square panels. Each depicts an angel set against clouds and blue sky. Some are holding scrolls with inscriptions. A ceiling boss is painted to represent the sun.
December 21, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Reposted by Ste Lingard
marcmorris.bsky.social
The complete Bayeux Tapestry has finally been released and proves that Bishop Odo had absolutely nothing to do with the illegal Norman invasion of England.
December 20, 2025 at 12:38 PM
stelingard.bsky.social
The grand staircase at the Grand Hotel, #Tynemouth. Built in 1872, lots of actors performing up the river in Newcastle stayed there - famously including repeat visitors Laurel and Hardy. That fact lent my visit the air of a pilgrimage. Shucks. #StaircaseSaturday #Northumberland
📷 my own, 2024.
An opulent and wide staircase, spiraling around an atrium, viewed from near the top. The steps are covered in red carpet and the walls hung with black and white photographs. A table covered in leaflets is visible far below.
December 20, 2025 at 3:19 PM