Walks & Talks
We've got a varied programme of public talks at both Lancaster City Museum and the Maritime Museum, as well as walking tours round Lancaster city centre.
Read on to see what's coming soon!
A compelling programme brimming with tales of joy and resilience, along with themes of murder, scandal, crime, and punishment. These guided walks and museum talks highlight the individuals and locations that have uniquely influenced, and been influenced by, our city.
These events are designed for adults but suitable for interested younger people aged about 12+.
BOOKING
Tickets are £10 per person for each guided walk or museum talk.
Advance booking is highly recommended to reserve your place.
- Book online: Follow the links in the programme below to book for each individual walk or talk.
- Book in person: get your advance tickets at either Lancaster City Museum or the Maritime Museum.
FULL PROGRAMME
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MEET YOUR EXPERTS
From left to right above -
Dr Penny Bradshaw: Dr Bradshaw studied in Lancaster, with her PhD focusing on female Romantic poets Anna Barbauld and Charlotte Smith. She has published works in British Romanticism. Penny works at the University of Cumbria as Programme Leader for the MA in
Literature, Romanticism, and the English Lake District.
Eleanor Levin: Eleanor is a musician and former BBC Radio presenter. She leads tours for Lancaster Maritime Museum and the Lancaster, Morecambe and District Headteacher Cluster on Lancaster and Transatlantic slavery, and the history of Morecambe. She is a member of the Lancaster Black History Group and the Morecambe Bay Curriculum.
Naomi Parsons: Naomi formed Lancastrian Research and specialises in working class histories (prisons, asylums, workhouses, hospitals), public health and mapping land use with a focus on the 18th-20th centuries. Additionally, Naomi is a Freewoman of Lancaster and a Trustee of the Lancaster Health & Medical Museum Collection.
Dr Colin Penny: Dr Colin Penny came to Lancaster as a student in 1989 and never left. He has worked at Lancaster Castle since 2001, and been site manager since 2011. Colin has co-written two books about the castle, as well as published an article about the historic graffiti at the site. Known on Youtube as the High-Heeled Historian, Colin is an incredibly popular speaker.
Carolyn Dalton: Carolyn is the Museums Development Manager for Lancaster City Museums and has worked in heritage for more than 30 years. She has a personal interest in the meanings of placenames.
Dr Rachel Roberts: Rachel started her museum career with Birmingham Museums before coming to Lancaster University and staying to complete her education through to PhD. Over the last 20 years she has worked with several historical collections covering archaeology, social and industrial history. Rachel is currently Collections Registrar for Lancaster City Museums.
Jeremy Craddock: We are really pleased to welcome Jeremy Craddock as one of 2026's experts. Born in the Lake District, he has been a journalist since 1992, contributing to various newspapers and magazines. Jeremy has written two true crime books: The Jigsaw Murders (2021), which was longlisted for the 2022 Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger, and The Lady in the Lake (2024), shortlisted for the 2025 Gold Dagger and commended in the True Crime Awards. Both books are set for television adaptation. He also teaches multimedia journalism at Manchester Metropolitan University and lives in Cheshire with his family.
STAY UPDATED
Email historydetectives@lancaster.gov.uk to join our mailing list and receive quarterly updates on all our future Story Tours & Talks.
Drop in to Lancaster City Museum for regular lunchtime lectures organised by the Friends of Lancaster City Museum. Everyone is welcome and there’s no need to book.
- £3 charge for non-members (cash only please). Free to Friends group members - Click here to find out how to join.
- All talks are held at 1pm in the City Museum’s education room: entrance on New Street at the back of the museum, opposite the Journey Social cafe.
Next Talk:
Monday 20 April
Lancaster in the Long 19th Century, 1780-1914: Booms and Slumps - a talk by Dr Mike Winstanley
Lancaster's industries and institutions experienced mixed fortunes in the 19th century. This talk takes an overview of the main developments in the town which determined its prosperity. Periods of rapid expansion were followed by what were relatively long periods of stagnation including the years leading up to the First World War when many people emigrated.
Future Talks:
- Monday 18 May: Indian Troops in World War 1 - a talk by Bill Leigh.
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Monday 15 June: The Boy who would be King (the invasion of Furness by Lambert Simnel) - a talk by Chris Tinmouth.
Special Event: Trading Card Game Convention
Saturday 27 June, 1-4pm. Visit our Special Events page for details!
The Owen Lectures:
In July, the regular Friends talk at the City Museum will be replaced by this annual lecture series exploring the life, work and legacy of Lancaster-born scientist Sir Richard Owen.
The 2026 Owen Lectures will take place on Saturday 11 July from 10:00–13:00 at Lancaster Royal Grammar School, where Owen was educated.
The first confirmed speaker is Professor John Hedley Brooke, Emeritus Fellow of Harris Manchester College, Oxford. His lecture is titled: Our Mutual Friend: What did Darwin and Huxley really think about Owen?
Further details to follow.
You can also visit the Friends of Lancaster City Museum Facebook page for more details of future talks and other events.
Come along to Lancaster Maritime Museum on the second Wednesday of every month for fascinating talks from the Marine Conservation Society. Everyone is welcome and there’s no need to book, just drop in.
- £4 requested cash donation to the society. (No card payments.*)
- All talks begin at 7:30pm.
Check back here for updates on future talks, or visit the MCS Lancashire Facebook Page or the MCS Lancashire website.
*The Maritime Museum Shop is open during these talks and you are very welcome to make purchases using either cash or cards. However the £4 donation goes directly to the MCS and can only be accepted in cash.
