ORDINARY MEETING OF FELLOWS LECTURE

Investigating Historic Building Myths

by Dr James Wright FSA

This lecture is based on the original fieldwork and research of, the buildings archaeologist, Dr James Wright FSA. It represents some of the findings of his new book Historic Building Mythbusting, due to be published by The History Press in June 2024. It is a multidisciplinary subject which considers the architecture, archaeology, history, and folklore of mediaeval and early modern buildings in the United Kingdom.

Go to any ancient building in the land and there will be interesting, exciting, and romantic stories presented to the visitor. These stories include those of spiral staircases in castles giving advantage to right-handed defenders, grooves left in church porches by archers sharpening their arrows and secret passages leading from the manor houses to nunneries. Ship timbers are often cited as being used in terrestrial buildings. Burn marks on those timbers are said to be the result of unattended candles. Blocked doors in churches are thought to keep the Devil out. Delightful as these tales are, they can be a tad misleading in some cases and absolute myths in others.

The spiral staircase myth was invented in 1902 by an art critic obsessed with spirals, left-handedness, and fencing – it is intricately bound up with Victorian ideals of militarism. Grooves left in churches reflect long lost ritualised medical potions to ward off fevers. Tunnels tales are invariably connected to the Reformation and an emerging cultural identity. Ship timber yarns can be linked to a seafaring nation. Burn marks can be demonstrated to be the result of deliberate protective rituals. The blocked doors in churches are connected to forgotten processions on church feast days. Understanding the truths behind the myths is just one part of this lecture – it will also seek to understand how those tales came to be.

This lecture links folklore, history, art, architecture, archaeology, sociology, and psychology to delve into the myths surrounding many mysterious features in mediaeval buildings. We can learn so much of value about a society through what it builds. By explaining the development of myths and the underlying truth behind them, a broader and deeper understanding of historic buildings can bring us that little bit closer to their former occupants. Sometimes the realities hiding behind the stories are even more interesting, romantic, and exciting than the myth itself…

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This event will be both in person at Burlington House and online. Please select the appropriate ticket below.

Attendance at Burlington House:

• Open to anyone to join, Fellows, Affiliates and General Public.
• Places in person will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The event will begin at 17.00 GMT. Please arrive in plenty of time.
• Tea/Coffee is served from 16.30 GMT.
• Registration is essential for non-Fellows but we encourage Fellows to register as well.
• Fellows must ensure they sign the guest book and sign their guests in.

The schedule for the evening if attending in person:

• Refreshments are served from 16.30 GMT in the council room.
• The meeting begins at 17.00 GMT with the lecture starting at approximately 17.10 GMT.
• Lectures run for approximately 45min and are followed by a short Q&A.
• Sherry is served in the Foyer following the lecture.

Attendance by Live Stream:

• Open to anyone to join, Fellows, Affiliates and General Public.
• The event will be live-streamed to YouTube here
• The event will begin at 17.00 GMT.
• You will receive an email reminder with the link to join the day before the lecture.

Please help the Society continue to deliver our FREE online Lecture Programme by making a donation to cover the cost of upgraded IT and software. We would really appreciate your support. Thank you! 

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

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