Historic Building Mythbusting – Uncovering Folklore, History and Archaeology

Secret tunnels under towns? Buildings made of ship timbers? Fighting on spiral staircases? 
Visit Firebrand Brewing Co. for a fascinating afternoon of history, archaeology, and mythbusting with Dr James Wright as part of Make Stuff Happen's Curious Talks programme. 

Go to any ancient building in Cornwall and there will be interesting, exciting, and romantic stories presented to the visitor. They are commonly believed and widely repeated...but are they really true?

These stories include those of secret passages linking ancient buildings, spiral staircases in castles giving advantage to right-handed defenders, ship timbers used in the construction of buildings on land, blocked doors in churches which are thought to keep the Devil out and claims to be the oldest pub in the region.

James will explain the development of such myths and investigate the underlying truths behind them. Sometimes the realities hiding behind the stories are even more interesting, romantic, and exciting than the myth itself…

What to Expect
An illustrated talk with award-winning buildings archaeologist, Dr James Wright, with local craft beers available to purchase throughout. This is not your average lecture - the setting is laid-back with a full bar of the finest local craft beers available throughout. Perfect for anyone who enjoys a good pint and discovering the more unusual side of buildings and their history. 

James will take a closer look at some of the stories we’ve all heard about historic buildings, from secret tunnels and devil’s doors to spiral staircases and ship timbers, revealing where these myths came from, how they became accepted as fact, and what the archaeological evidence actually tells us.

Expect plenty of surprising discoveries along the way, followed by an audience Q&A and the opportunity to meet James and purchase signed copies of his books.

If this is your thing you can also join us in Tavistock Town Hall on Saturday 17th October for a date on James's nationwide tour for his new book: The Buildings Archaeologist. Find our more here. Two-day tickets also available. 

We may be on the cosier side at the venue which may affect viewing. Firebrand allow dogs, however we cannot guarantee to place you with a clear view for this event due to layout implications. 

About the Speaker
The speaker, James Wright (Triskele Heritage), is an award-winning buildings archaeologist. He has over two decades professional experience of ferreting around in people’s cellars, hunting through their attics and digging up their gardens. He hopes to find meaningful truths about how ordinary and extraordinary folk lived their lives in the mediaeval period. He is the author of Historic Building Mythbusting and The Buildings Archaeologist (The History Press).