Bath and Bristol as a Cradle of Geology 1750 - 1850

The Colin Horstmann Memorial Lecture, Bath and Bristol as a Cradle of Geology 1750 - 1850 is given this year by Professor Hugh Torrens from Keele University.
It will be held at 7.30p.m. on Thursday 7th May
at BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath, hosted by Bath Geological Society.
"This area has held a special place in the history of geology ever since it was christened the ‘cradle of English geology’ in 1826 by Rev. Joseph Hunter. This was the result of the work there of William Smith (1769-1839) and who then responded to Hunter by noting that High Littleton had been its ‘birthplace’. But Smith had had several forerunners in this area, some quite forgotten, who will be discussed, as will Smith’s legacy in terms of the work of some of the many other later Bristol-Bath area geologists. The importance of the establishments of the two separate ‘Scientific Institutions’ in Bristol (founded 1820) and Bath (founded 1823) must also be considered, as will their quite separate, and instructive, legacies to the area."
Everyone is welcome to attend this lecture. It is free to members of Bath Geological Society and £4 for visitors. Refreshments will be served at the end of the talk.

Future plans for Bristol's Museum

If you are interested in the future of the geology collections in Bristol Museum, you may be interested to know about this stakeholders' meeting. This is to discuss future plans for Bristol's Museums, Galleries and Archives Service and will be held at the Colston Hall between 4 and 6 on Monday 20th April.
The feed back from this meeting will, we are assured, be useful for the Museum's Select Committee at their next meeting. So if you can come please do so.

April 18th - The Avebury Landscape - Monuments and Megaliths

As part of the Bath Geological Society programme, Isobel Geddes from the Wiltshire Geology Group will be leading this field trip on Saturday April 18th - 'The Avebury Landscape - Monuments and Megaliths'. This will be a walk relating local geology to archaeology in the pre-historic landscape of the Kennet valley, visiting the West Kennet long barrow, Silbury Hill, the Sanctuary and the Ridgeway then down the West Kennet Avenue to Avebury. This is a 4-5 mile walk.
Meet at Silbury Hill car park (free), SU 097 685 at 10.30am. We will be at Avebury at lunchtime so there are facilities/pub/cafe for those who prefer not to picnic. Participants can then return to their cars (1 mile) at their leisure after a tour around the stone circle/buildings (and those that have already done that, could go!). Avebury car park is free to NT members and we will arrange for some cars to be there.
Contact the Bath Geological Society's field secretary for further details.

From Fossil Fish to Fossil Forests

From Fossil Fish to Fossil Forests, Evolution of Life and Landscapes in The Marches, is a short residential summer school at Lucton School near Leominster - 9th - 12th July 2009.
All details and a booking form can be found on the website.