Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury Society
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Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury Society
@thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
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Thomas Hobbes, born in Malmesbury, was a polymath – a philosopher, poet, classicist, mathematician and scientist. He is England’s most important philosopher and a founder of modern political philosophy.
https://www.thomashobbesofmalmesbury.org/
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thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Nice mention in @historytoday.com this month, that Thomas Hobbes was the first to properly translate The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides into English.
#polymath
Bust of Thucydides.
September 10, 2025 at 7:51 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
The Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury display in the Athelstan Museum, Malmesbury.
#skystorians #history #philsky #philosophy #17thC
June 26, 2025 at 2:15 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
On This Day, 21st May 1633, Thomas Hobbes was present along with King Charles I at a performance of Ben Jonson's play 'Loves Welcome' at Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire. One character in the play was based on Hobbes, and he may even have taken part in the performance.
#OTD #17thC #drama
Frontage of Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire.
May 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Disputed supremacy of local authority between the Manor of Malmesbury and the Borough.

The Manor consisted of the former lands of the dissolved Malmesbury Abbey, under the control of John Stumpe of Abbey House.
#16thC #17thC #History
View of Abbey House and Gardens in Malmesbury.
May 7, 2025 at 10:51 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
On This Day, 22nd April 1606, the death of Edmond Hobbes, burgess of Malmesbury and great uncle of the Philosopher Thomas Hobbes.
#OTD #History #Philsky #Skystorians
Photograph of Malmesbury looking along Burnivale towards the bell tower.
April 22, 2025 at 4:18 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Thomas Hobbes grew up in Malmesbury around the end of the 16th Century, a time of feuding between local gentry families, disputed supremacy of local authority between the Manor of Malmesbury and the Borough, accusations of witchcraft, famine and revolts of the poor commoners.
#Skystorians #Philsky
April 16, 2025 at 1:21 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Probably the most well-known quote from Thomas Hobbes:

"the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."

is probably also the most misapplied and misinterpreted. We should read all of Ch 13 of Leviathan for the full context, or if not, at least read the full paragraph.
#philsky
Whatsoever therefore is consequent to a time of war, where every man is enemy to every man, the same is consequent to the time wherein men live without other security than what their own strength and their own invention shall furnish them withal. In such condition, there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no culture of the earth; no navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by sea; no commodious building; no instruments of moving, and removing such things as require much force; no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.
April 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Last picture before surveying and backfilling. Clearly defined wall matching the map research for the location of a former cottage owned by the Hobbes family on the street in front of the URC, Westport, Malmesbury.
Archaeological trench revealing the defined wall matching the map research for the location of a former cottage owned by the Hobbes family on the street in front of the URC, Westport, Malmesbury.
April 6, 2025 at 2:40 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
The final morning of the Hobbes Dig in Malmesbury. Well defined walls now emerging in both trenches, each side of the path in the garden if the UR Church.

The footprint of the Hobbes birthplace house becoming clear?
#archaeology #skyphil
Trench to the left of the path, showing a defined wall and areas of demolition rubble. Trench to the right of the path showing a clearly defined side wall of a house.
April 6, 2025 at 9:33 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Dr Christopher Ray ready to begin his talk on Hobbesian Paradoxes this afternoon.
Dr Christopher Ray ready to begin his talk on Hobbesian Paradoxes this afternoon.
April 5, 2025 at 12:49 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
The Mayor of Malmesbury dropping in on the Hobbes Dig.
Mayor of Malmesbury with archaeologists from Cotswold Archaeology at the Hobbes Dig eastern trench.
April 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
The first guided walk of Hobbes’s Westport sets off from the URC.
Walkers leaving the United Reform Church in Westport to learn about the locations of Thomas Hobbes and his childhood.
April 5, 2025 at 10:18 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Digging under way on day 2 of the Hobbes Dig in Malmesbury.
The possible wall of the Hobbes cottage is exposed.
Archaeologists at work in the trench to the right of the path to the United Reform Church. A demolished wall is appearing in the floor of the trench.
April 5, 2025 at 9:28 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Tony McAleavy kicking off the opening event of this year’s Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury Festival.
#philsky #skystorians #17thC
Tony McAleavy kicking off the opening event of this year’s Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury Festival. The opening slide shows the Birds Eye view map of Malmesbury during the Civil War.
April 4, 2025 at 6:19 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
A reminder that we are digging all weekend in front of the United Reform Church in Westport, Malmesbury. Believed to be the spot where the Hobbes family home used to be.

Come along and see what we find!
#archaeology meets #philosophy.
Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury Society poster for the Hobbes Dig. In front of the United Reform Church, just off the Horsefair in Malmesbury. Church will be open for refreshments. Free children’s activities. Free to come and watch the dig. Short guided walks of Hobbes’s Westport.
April 4, 2025 at 2:36 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
First find from the Thomas Hobbes dig this weekend.

A 17th Century pipe bowl, imprinted with the Fry family name.

(Fry were a known family who operated a business on the horse fair in Malmesbury)
A 17th Century pipe bowl, imprinted with the Fry family name.
April 4, 2025 at 12:41 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
On Friday 4 April at 7.30 pm in Malmesbury Town Hall, Tony McAleavy will give a talk revealing his new findings based on documentary evidence as to where the Hobbes family house may have stood.
This evidence will inform the work of the archaeologists during the Hobbes Dig at the weekend.
Plaque on the wall near the Horsefair in Malmesbury which reads... Thomas Hobbes English Philosopher Was Born Near This Spot April 5 1588
April 1, 2025 at 11:10 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Part of the Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury festival..

Hobbes Today: from The Lord of the Flies to The Hunger Games by Dr. Vittorio Bufacchi. @vittorio66.bsky.social

7.30pm, Saturday April 5th in The Old Bell Hotel, Malmesbury.

Tickets £10 online or from Malmesbury Town Hall.
#philsky #philosophy
Outline portrait of Thomas Hobbes.
March 26, 2025 at 10:12 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Not long now until the Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury Festival 2025 weekend.

4th-6th April in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

Visit
www.thomashobbesofmalmesbury.org/recent-events
for event details and ticketing.
#philsky #philosophy
Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury Festival 2025 poster. Gives details of the Illustrated Talks on 4th and 5th April, the Hobbes Dig on the 5th and 6th April and Guided Walks on the 5th and 6th April.
March 21, 2025 at 3:56 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Part of the Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury Festival, we present..

Paradoxes Untamed: a Hobbesian Headache? A Talk by by Dr. Christopher Ray.

Saturday 5th April at 2.00pm in the United Reform Church, Malmesbury. Tickets £5.
#philsky #Philosophy
Glass slide of Thomas Hobbes.
March 20, 2025 at 9:32 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
To kick-off the Thomas Hobbes Festival this year, popular local historian, Tony McAleavy, will be talking about..

Malmesbury During the Childhood of Thomas Hobbes

Arrive at 7pm for a 7.30 start, Friday April 4th, 2025.

Malmesbury Town Hall

Tickets £10 from the Town Hall or online below.
#philsky
Thomas Hobbes Festival Image shows the cover of the book by Tony McAleavy - Thomas Hobbes and Malmesbury.
March 18, 2025 at 11:05 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Thomas Hobbes's most important work, Leviathan, was published in English in 1651 at the end of the English Civil War when he returned to England from France. It is regarded as a masterpiece of political theory and the greatest work of political philosophy in the English language.
#philsky
Cover of Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, as published by Oxford World's Classics.
February 24, 2025 at 11:26 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Thomas Hobbes was evidently proud of his home town of Malmesbury. He published all his works under the name 'Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury', and is also recorded as such on his tombstone.
He included a favourable description of the town in the Latin autobiographical poem of his life.
#16thC #17thC
February 20, 2025 at 11:36 AM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
The power vacuum left by the dissolution of Malmesbury Abbey was still in evidence, as the ruling cliques of the incumbents of Abbey House, their cousins at Charlton Park and the town burgesses vied for supremacy, often resorting to mob violence. #History
Abbey House in Malmesbury showing the Tudor frontage with the ornamental gardens in the foreground.
February 19, 2025 at 4:15 PM
thomhobbessociety.bsky.social
Thomas Hobbes was born in Westport, just outside the West Gate of Malmesbury's town walls, on 5th April 1588.
During his childhood in Malmesbury in the late #16thC and early #17thC, he witnessed the bitter and violent disputes that were taking place in the town at that time. #History
Plaque on the wall in Westport near the birthplace of Thomas Hobbes. Under his image, it reads Thomas Hobbes English Philosopher Was Born Near This Spot. April 5 1588.
February 19, 2025 at 4:15 PM