The History Reading group is convened, chaired and organised by an academic historian who has a specific interest in crown – town relationships and the economy of 14 th century England. Those who attend are a group of people with a broad based historical interest. The purpose of each meeting is to discuss the book read since the previous meeting of the group.

Each meeting follows the format of a round table discussion about the issues arising from the book that had been read during the previous period of approximately 8 weeks. After that, those present select a book to read for the next meeting.

The book to be read, and later discussed, is picked from a selection of books which attendees bring with them to a meeting or from on line resources. Refreshments in the form of sweet and savoury snacks and Shloer or similar are provided. There is an occasional effort to have themed snacks which fit with the book being discussed at a particular meeting.

No great or specific historical knowledge is required by attendees. It is simply an opportunity to meet and enjoy some fellowship in the form of a lively discussion around the book which we have read.

The books which the group tend to read are what can be described as “Popular History”. They are easily obtained from bookshops or online retailers and are of reasonable cost. Lengthy, expensive and inaccessible academic texts are very much avoided!

By way of example the group have read about and discussed subjects as diverse at The Vikings, The Early Roman Empire, The History of Sicily, The Battle of Stalingrad, Renaissance Florence, World War 2 Berlin and the Plantagenet Kings.