Events and Projects

CADVAS’s contribution to the CBA Festival of Archaeology is below:

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Our talk for July, 14th, is with Nigel Douglas who will be giving us an illustrated talk on Woodland Archaeology. This is a part of our contributions to The CBA (Council for British Archaeology) Festival of Archaeology. This year’s theme is Archaeology in Nature. CBA 2026 Festival of Archaeology further info

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Our June gathering features an illustrated talk entitled “Art and Archaeology” from our good friend and colleague John Swogger, who is no stranger to us having presented several talks in the past, detailing his work illustrating diverse cultural artwork from places across the globe including the American North West, Micronesia, and locally, Wat`s Dyke in Wrexham, by way of San Diego!!. John, who is also known for his close involvement with the Oswestry Heritage Comics, Hillfort Creativity Group will talk about how art and creativity can help raise awareness of local heritage, highlight what a community believes is important about its past and even work to protect archaeological sites, monuments and landscapes. Drawing (pun intended!) on the art, sculpture, music and performance theatre produced by the Hillfort Creativity Group at Old Oswestry hillfort during the protests against nearby housing development, as well as on his Oswestry comic-strip heritage project, John will show how art about archaeology can play an important role in preserving and celebrating local heritage. The talk will be accompanied by a small exhibition of original works by Hillfort Creativity Group artists, as well as (hopefully) by some special guests!

For our gathering in May we are delighted to welcome Suzanne Evans, who is manager of the St Collen’s Genesis Project, an exciting scheme to reorder and preserve the historic St Collen’s church in Llangollen, Denbighshire. The recent award of a substantial heritage grant means that this essential work now moves from the planning stage into a full-blown hands-on effort to achieve the required outcome

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April sees CADVAS celebrate its Fourteenth birthday. We shall be marking this milestone in several ways in the coming weeks and months. Our celebration will start with our meeting on the 14th of April. During the meeting, we will be welcoming back our good friend; archaeologist, writer, TV presenter, and filmmaker Mark Olly. On this occasion, his illustrated talk covers one of history’s great mysteries. This mystery is the ‘disappearance’ of the Ninth Legion (Legio IX Hispana) in the early 2nd Century AD. 

Over the years many theories have been put forward as to what befell this prominent Roman legion to the point where it is as famous for its legendary disappearance as much for its many achievements, notably during the Gallic and Cantabrian Wars in which the Ninth legion earned its nickname of Hispana.

***  NOT TO BE MISSED  ***

Raffle and Refreshments.

All Welcome/Croeso i Pawb. #CADVAS

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Our March gathering will feature an illustrated talk by historian and best-selling author Rachel S Roberts entitled “Lupa; She-Wolf of Rome, Mother of Destiny. The Wild Magic and Myth of Rome’s Foundation.”

In Rachel’s own words; 

Enter through the Gates of Ancient Rome to meet the Roman Pantheon! Join me to explore the deities, the beliefs and the sacred landscape that birthed not just a city or a people, but an empire. 
Ancient Rome was known as the city of a thousand gods; and one that was believed to be destined for greatness through the patronage and presence of those gods. This talk asks, who were the deities and heroes that motivated and inspired the Roman people? And what was the mythology that defined the Roman sense of belonging and identity?

Rachel is the creatrix of Wolf Woman Rising Wisdom School at which she is an empowerment coach offering support and inspiration to attendees. In addition she is the founder of @underthedancingtree school of sacred dance, where she has taught sacred dances from around the world for over seventeen years.

Rachel is also a best-selling author with titles such as Wolf and Lupa to her credit, and her latest offering Pantheon, The Romans which has already garnered favourable reviews. 

Rachel will have copies of her books available for sale on the night, which she will happy to sign.

🌐 http://www wolfwomanrising com/

🌐 YouTube.com/@wolfwomanrising

February’s talk on Tuesday 10th February we welcome one of our archaeology Consultants, Philippa Jones. She works for Denbighshire Heritage Service and is based at Ruthin Gaol. Based on her archaeological background on neolithic studies her talk will be on the prehistoric peoples of Denbighshire. There will be much reference and illustration from the caves at Pontnewydd. The Bontnewydd palaeolithic site is an archaeological site near St Asaph, Denbighshire, Wales. It is one of only three sites in Britain to have produced fossils of ancient species of humans and the only one with fossils of a classic Neanderthal. Bontnewydd was excavated from 1978 by a team from the University of Wales, led by Dr. Stephen Aldhouse Green. Teeth and part of a jawbone from a Neanderthal boy approximately eleven years old were dated to 230,000 years ago. Seventeen teeth from at least five individuals were found.

Philippas talk will not only be about the caves and it’s findings but other known prehistoric evidence and examples of people living in Denbighshire. . The talk is titled “Re-discovering the Prehistoric People of Denbighshire”

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To begin the New Year of 2026 We welcome everybody with an illustrated talk by Historian and researcher, Anne Falloon. Titled “Celebrity Georgians Come To Wales” – 18th Century Visitors and Where They Stayed.”  

This promises to be a fascinating and revealing presentation with the focus on Dr Johnson and Mrs Thralle, Percy Bysshe Shelley and referencing the travel  diaries of the Hon. John Byng. The talk will be in Carrog Village Hall. 7.00pm on Tuesday, January 13th.

Our usual home made cakes, and other light refreshments will be supplied. This talk is free to members and only £3 for non-members. Raffle and our lending library will also be on hand. Our T-shirts and a few new books will be on sale, so bring your purse. Don’t forget this is the beginning of the year so your annual subs are due (£12).

December is traditionally our Christmas meeting with special Christmas Raffle and a night of story telling. Andy Harrop-Smith, raconteur extraordinaire, will be enthralling the audience with his Yuletide tales from Northern Lands. “The Norse Origins Of Our Modern Christmas Celebrations – an illustrated talk on how the Vikings shaped our Festive Season”. For those who do not know Andy, he is CADVAS’ Speaker and Presentation Coach and has delivered our Christmas talks for several years; entertaining us with tales about ghosts, Green Knights, Didgeridoos, and a collection of Christmas myths and legends. Seasonal refreshments will be supplied.

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Winter Solstice Walk, a steady up hill walk together to welcome the return of the light at Moel Ty Uchaf, near Llandrillo. Meet in the Llandrillo car park at 10.00 am , departure time 10.30 am Sunday December 21st.

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There is a real treat in store for our November gathering with the welcome return of our good friend Mark Olly, who will give an illustrated talk entitled “Revealing the Green Man”: a mysterious figure rooted both in Pagan traditions, Roman mythology, and early Christian symbolism. *** NOT TO BE MISSED *** 

Our October Meeting is on Tuesday the 14th, titled ” A pile of old stones” by Siobhan Wordingham.