London & Middlesex Archaeological Society

04/09/2026

Our new 2026-27 lecture season starts from next month! We have a fascinating line up of topics and speakers for you. Do put these dates in your diary!

We also have video content from the last lecture series up on our website and YouTube channel featuring National Trust archaeology, mapping Restoration London, and the archaeology of the Palace of Westminster. And more!

https://www.lamas.org.uk/videos/

https://www.lamas.org.uk/lectures-lamas/

We look forward to seeing you at our lectures.

Many lectures will be hybrid, taking place in-person and as Zoom webinars. Please check the lecture details for the in-person location.

01/09/2026

Our next LAMAS Late walking tour will be on Thursday 10 September at 1730 for 1.5 hours. Community archaeologist Andrew Mayfield will lead a guided walk around Richmond Park, focussing on some of the Lost Waterways of Richmond Park, from Tudor conduits to Victorian reservoirs.

Richmond is the focus of year one of a three year Lottery funded project to explore, survey and understand historic waterways and structures in Richmond, Greenwich and Bushy parks.

The 20 spaces on the tour are available to members only to book and are free.

Please see the link to book here:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/conferences-and-lates/

Please see the benefits of membership here:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/become-a-member/

29/07/2026

Our next 'LAMAS Late' London historical walking tour is on Wednesday 12th August at 1730; it will be a walk around the archaeology of the Old Kent Road led by Chris Constable, Southwark borough archaeologist. Covering .... Mesolithic tool making, retired publicans, wiggly Roman roads, canals, mosaics, gasometers and a very interesting Roman site!
This follows last month's successful Great Fire of London tour, see picture below.

The 20 spaces on the tour are available to members only to book and are free.

Please see the link to book here:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/product/walk-old-kent-road/

To become a member and understand the benefits of membership, see this link:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/become-a-member/

15/07/2026

Missed some of our recent lecture series? Curious about LAMAS lectures and want a taster? Considering joining LAMAS?

Three of our lectures from the October-May series have now been loaded onto our website for you to watch this summer, before the next lecture series begins.

They are:
* Mapping Restoration London, by Professor Vanessa Harding
* National Trust Archaeology in London and Middlesex, by Nathalie Cohen
* The Archaeology of the Palace of Westminster by Diane Abrams

You can access them here:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/videos/

09/07/2026

Our next 'LAMAS Late' London historical walking tour 'London on the Eve of the Great Fire of 1666' will be on Tuesday July 21st at 1730.

The tour continues Vanessa Harding's series of the Historic Towns Trust maps of London. It will look at the evidence for London as it was, just before the fire. The tour will take approximately 90 minutes. The 20 spaces on the tour are available to members only to book and are free.

Please see the link to book here:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/product/eve-great-fire-london-1666/

To become a member and understand the benefits of membership, see this link:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/become-a-member/

03/07/2026

LAMAS Lates are are archaeological and/or historical walks or tours for LAMAS members only, occurring after working hours. They explore unusual and undiscovered parts of London as well as more well known places, and are led by experts in their field.

Last week's Late tour of Greenwich Park was led by Jane Sidell and took in the Saxon barrow cemetery, Roman temple and Stuart earthworks, as well as looking at the development of the Park over time.

Lates will generally be announced through the LAMAS email list, or on our LinkedIn or Facebook channels. Members can book for our upcoming Lates on our website via this page:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/conferences-and-lates/

To become a member, see our membership benefits page here:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/become-a-member/

12/06/2026

A lot of people have views about tall buildings in London. LAMAS's Historic Buildings and Conservation Committee's aim is not to suffocate development, but to ensure it is appropriate and balanced to protect the unique heritage of London for generations to come. The sighting and impact of tall buildings across London is one key element.

Read the views of two experts on the Committee via the link below:

https://www.lamas.org.uk/who-wants-tall-buildings/

02/06/2026

Did you know that there are over 40 local history and archaeology societies across Greater London that are affiliated to LAMAS? Each has its own schedule of talks and events. It's easy to locate your nearest and join up!

Our new web page lists contact details for each along with their activities between May and September.

Why don't you check it out?

https://www.lamas.org.uk/history-and-archaeology-society-talks-and-events-across-london-may-sept/

A list of meetings, talks and events held by LAMAS affiliated local history and archaeology societies across Greater London in the next quarter

28/05/2026

Exciting news! The programme for our 2026 History Conference 'An Intelligent Interest – Learning and Education in London' at London Museum Docklands on Saturday 21 November has just been confirmed!

We have assembled a fantastic programme of speakers covering a wide and varied range of topics:

* Publicly funded education in endowed London secondary schools leading up to the First World War and its role in facilitating social mobility (Dr Andrew Whittaker)
* Life Opportunities provided through secondary education in Tower Hamlets between the Wars (Robert Kemp)
* Keynote: The Social Wreckage in our Streets: The Deptford Ragged School and its surrounding neighbourhood (Dr John Price)
* Designing Pinnock’s Catechisms, 1812-1828, a popular schoolbook and juvenile encyclopaedia (Margaret Lock)
* Educating Pinner: The History of Pinner National Schools (Pinner Local History Society)
* Learning to Resist: Black Supplementary Schools in London (Jo Large)
* The London housewife at the turn of the twentieth century; learning from everyday life, familial connections, and the Electrical Association for Women (Lucy Wood)

You can now buy tickets on our website at the early bird rate of £17.50. See the link below for further details! We look forward to seeing you there...

https://www.lamas.org.uk/lamas-60th-history-conference-programme-and-registration-announced/

18/05/2026

A fitting way to end our 2025-26 Lecture Series - it was fascinating to hear Diane Abrams, Archaeology Lead, Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal, speak about the history and archaeology of the Palace of Westminster.

We learnt about the earliest origins of the site, a small eyot surrounded by streams 6,000 years ago, from 60 flint flakes found beneath Cromwell Green. Diane showed us below ground structures of The Lesser Hall from the medieval Old Palace of Westminster, and also artefacts left behind from the building of the New Palace of Westminster from 1840, on reclaimed land. Excavations in Victoria Tower Gardens revealed a C14th floor tile, lead badge, shoes, animal bones and oyster shells 6 metres below current ground level.

Many thanks to Diane and all our speakers in this lecture series. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements for our 'LAMAS Lates' - evening archaeological and historical walks around London this summer!