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Mark Forrest

@markforrest.bsky.social
349 followers 180 following 50 posts

Dorset history, mostly medieval and manors, SDNQ, Record Society, VCH Wiltshire and Gloucestershire

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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
Yes, they give a good snapshot of social attitudes - in Dorset's case among the local clergy who wrote much of the volume.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
Victoria County History for Dorset volume 2 (1908), sport section: 15 pages on hunting, half a page on polo and a page on falconry ... no mention of football, rugby or cricket ... #VCHDorset
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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
A fascinating, if rather grim, read! You just never know what you might find in the #archives. #ExploreYourArchive
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Victoria County History @vch-home.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
There's still time to book to join us on 15 May for @amalexathorn.bsky.social and what will be a fascinating insight into the ways history was researched and written by women in the early 20th century. 🗃️ #Skystorians
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
Thanks Alex. we are starting small, but hope to pick up some momentum!
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
While researching the manorial descent of West Dean and East Grimstead (Wilts) I came across John Evelyn, an MP who served in five parliaments 1629-1660 ...
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Centre for the History of People, Place & Community @chppc.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
The recording of this event is now available on the @ihr.bsky.social website here www.history.ac.uk/podcasts/pla... This is a great watch for anyone interested in the possibilities of doing #place based #history research outside higher education institutions.
history.ac.uk
Place-based histories beyond the academy
Recorded on 19 March 2025
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Dorset dialect poet William Barnes recalled: "The celebration of Peace, in August, 1814, took place when I was a boy ... the respectable inhabitants subscribed largely to treat the poor with a public dinner of beef and pudding, and strong beer." williambarnessociety.org.uk/dorsetshire-...
williambarnessociety.org.uk
Dorsetshire Customs, & C.
Dorsetshire Customs, & C. by William Barnes. Harvest Home, Hay making, Matrimonial Oracles, Midsummer Eve, Peace in 1814, Country Pairs, Perambulations
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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
We are arms dealers to terrorists.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
You are very kind, but I am lucky to have such excellent contributors who make the editorial process light work
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
Unusual (self-taught or with very basic instruction?) hand. Notes attached to the head of an account roll, from Tarrant Gunville (Dorset), mid-14th century
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
Surprisingly, this was not the most inappropriate casting of Brian Blessed ... here he is as a Cathar parfait ... salt.odysee.tv/@JeanMichel:...
salt.odysee.tv
Roman v. Cathar [Gnostic Debate]
Formidable verbal jousting over the future of the Languedoc region in the south of France, circa 1200 AD, between actual historical figures Dominic Guzmán, the founder of the Dominican Order who becam...
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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Once again it's great to see the results of all your hard work @wiltshistory.bsky.social @historyrosalind.bsky.social @lrylandepton.bsky.social @markforrest.bsky.social #history #research #archives
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Adam Chapman @adamchapman.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
Want to learn more about London's history this summer? Join us @ihrlibrary.bsky.social between 14 and 18 July for our fabulous Summer School featuring Jack Cade, Punk, the rebellious pasts of Bloomsbury and much, much, more. 🗃️
history.ac.uk
The IHR London Summer School 2025: Rebels
The IHR London Summer School offers a unique opportunity to explore London’s historic places from our home at Senate House in the heart of Bloomsbury.
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
'Staff at English Heritage have been shocked to discover that the cash-strapped organisation is planning up to 200 redundancies and the winter closure of various...historic sites in its care. At least 7% of the workforce could be affected, with curators being particularly targeted, it is believed.'
theguardian.com
English Heritage plans up to 200 redundancies and winter closures of some sites
Exclusive: At least 7% of workforce could be affected with curators targeted as part of charity’s restructuring
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Brodie Waddell @brodiewaddell.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
'Work, Authenticity and Social Identity in #EarlyModern Britain' Submit an abstract by Feb 1st and come along to Warwick on June 10-11th.🗃️ Excited to be speaking alongside @markhailwood.bsky.social, @jwhittle.bsky.social and Steve Hindle! Details here: warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/his...
Call for papers which begins: "We are pleased to announce that the Work, Authenticity, and Social Identity in Early Modern Britain (c.1500-1750) Conference, funded and sponsored by the Warwick Early Modern and Eighteenth Century Centre and the AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership Midlands4Cities, will take place at the University of Warwick on 10-11 June 2025.

Keynote addresses will be delivered by Professor Steve Hindle (Washington University in St Louis), Professor Jane Whittle (University of Exeter), and jointly by Dr Mark Hailwood (University of Bristol) & Dr Brodie Waddell (Birkbeck, University of London)." Further details via the link.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
Sparrowhawk in the garden #winterwatch
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
Pretty sure it was on the BBC, so yes, probably on iPlayer ...
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
In a recent documentary a French craftsman working on the restoration of Notre Dame explained that the roof timbers cut with an adze were stronger and more able to flex with the settling of the building than those cut with a saw
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
East Grimstead inclosure map, 1818, showing the course of the Salisbury/Southampton canal as "the old canal"
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Rachel Pope @prehistorian.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
This is the exciting paper drop. New aDNA science out of Dublin. Matrilineal descent systems demonstrated for Late Iron Age Dorset. Building on the work of Mel Giles (2012) who first spotted the potential for it in the archaeology of Middle Iron Age Yorkshire. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Continental influx and pervasive matrilocality in Iron Age Britain - Nature
An analysis of ancient mitochondrial and nuclear DNA shows evidence of matrilocal communities in Iron Age Britain.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 12/01/2025
This is a great album, we had it on repeat when it came out
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Wiltshire VCH @wiltshistory.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
In our latest blog, John Chandler with insights from local historians Lucy Whitfield and Chris Dallimore reflects on 'True Happiness' in Chippenham. www.wiltshirehistory.org/news/true-ha...
wiltshirehistory.org
TRUE HAPPINESS IN MALMESBURY ROAD — Wiltshire Victoria County History
Although I have driven along Malmesbury Road in Chippenham hundreds of times, it is only when you walk slowly around peering at buildings and looking for datestones and such like that you come across ...
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Victoria County History @vch-home.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
To buy a copy of Wem - and to support the work of VCH in Shropshire - www.vchshropshire.org/Wem.html or pop over to our friends @uolpress.bsky.social.
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Wiltshire VCH @wiltshistory.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
Our next Local History How-To session is on 'Ownership and Government' on 13th Jan with @markforrest.bsky.social, Francis Boorman, John Chandler, and @lrylandepton.bsky.social. It will feature a fun reenactment of a manor court. Check out wvch.squarespace.com/config/
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nickkingsley.bsky.social @nickkingsley.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
My first blog post of 2025 concerns the families of the super-rich newspaper tycoons, the Viscounts Camrose and Kemsley, and their many houses, only one of which remains in their possession today: landedfamilies.blogspot.com/2025/01/594-...
Hackwood Park, south frontHackwood Park: north frontOving House: garden frontBrockenhurst Park: garden front
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
Looking forward to talking about manors and manorial administration at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre next Monday with @lrylandepton.bsky.social @johnhchandler.bsky.social and Francis Boorman wshc.org.uk/events/
wshc.org.uk
Events - Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre
What's on Events coming up: Alternate Mondays starting 7 October 2024 Location: Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre A series of ten "How to" workshops to be held in the Wiltshire & Swind...
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
Interesting. A house at Tollard Royal is known as King John's House www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vo... The castle and park at Mere were established a generation later. The earlier royal site at Gillingham is discussed in Hutchins and a couple of early volumes of the Proceedings of the DNHAS
british-history.ac.uk
Parishes: Tollard Royal | British History Online
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British Association for Local History @balhnews.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Tonight is the night! For this year's Dymond lecture, we're joined by Professors @Medievalmariner and John McAleer, who will discuss English merchant shipping and early modern maritime communities. Find out more: ow.ly/j2Kb50SE3Pj #WeAreLocalHistory #LocalHistoryForAll
This image shows historic ships on a body of water in a drawing; the title of the talk is overlaid in black writing
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 01/12/2024
Looking forward to co-hosting the Working with Documents session tomorrow in the Local History Workshops series at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre with colleagues from @wiltshistory.bsky.social wshc.org.uk/events/
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
Roof hares, Corfe Mullen, Dorset
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
I remember exploring Ankerwyke priory, just over the Thames from Runnymede, when I was an undergraduate and being surprised that it was in Lincoln diocese
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Joe Saunders @joesaunders1.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Public service announcement that Charles Booth's 'Maps Descriptive of London Poverty, 1898-9' have been uploaded by LSE archive online to be viewed and reproduced freely. 🗃️ unsplash.com/collections/...
Map of London, East. Colour coded.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
It seems that fussy silverfish don't like ink, so they graze around it and only eat the unprinted paper ...
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
File in which General Pitt-Rivers recommends the Roman-British quarry site at Pen Pits (with an over lying motte and bailey castle) should *not* be scheduled as an ancient monument
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Richard Bradford @dorsetandbeyond.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Floodplains at work by East Stoke. The banks of the Dorset Frome can be seen in a few places but most of the excess water is now moving across the floodplains and will return to the river downstream. Not uncommon at this time of year.
Fields under floodwater in the foreground reflect the blue sky. The banks of the Dorset Frome can be seen in a few places. Leafless trees in the background.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Must try harder ...
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Ministry of Agriculture farm survey 1942. This farm downgraded from A to B due to 'personal failings' because the farmer 'lacks initiative' ... probably too soon to identify them in my text ...
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
History TV series proposal: When Transcripts Go Bad - transcripts that are far more difficult to read than the original documents
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
He used two seals, the other clearly has three rabbits and they have been cut off from the top left of this image. Sorry, pre-digital cameras or I would post it. Images of both in "Impressed seals in metal" by myself and E.A. New in J. Soc. Antiquaries 85 (2005), 366-373.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
This little red symbol has been placed above the descriptions of all former demesne lands that had been incorporated into peasant tenements in 1518. Well done Glastonbury Abbey scribe!
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
William Strode, Devon, c.1570. It is interesting because it is made of lead (which is part of the reason for the well preserved image) presumably from the local mines.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Statue by Elisabeth Frink - I helped catalogue her photographic archive a couple of years ago.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Nearly there ... just a few hundred references to check in half a dozen different archives ...
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Definitely, murdered father and son. Fortunately I can rely on Simon Payling's excellent blog, so I can concentrate on the agriculture and field systems ... historyofparliament.com/2022/01/27/c...
historyofparliament.com
‘There is no more accoumpt to bee made of them than the kylling of ij sheep’: Charles, Lord Stourton (d.1557), and the murder of the Hartgills - The History of Parliament
The fate of Thomas Fiennes, Lord Dacre, in 1541, the first peer to be executed for an offence short of treason, evokes sympathy from the modern observer, both
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
I'm looking at Stourton, no moated sites, but I do have a motte and bailey castle and a peer of the realm executed for murder ... but more important than all that there are perambulations of all three manors @wiltshistory.bsky.social
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Uncut pages come with such a weight of responsibility ... fear, excitement, self doubt, anticipation ...
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
That's also a great book. I don't think I've seen the film. Montaillou was the first time I realised that it was possible to study earlier social history. English schools in the 1970s/1980s mostly taught war and royalty before 1800 - if they taught anything apart from Tudor dynastic politics
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
It really is ... but I wouldn't have found it without being inspired by the documentary.
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Mark Forrest @markforrest.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
I'm going with Burke
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