This is the first time the important and multi faceted topic of Pilgrims and Pilgrimage has featured at a Medieval Studies Forum meeting. Two exciting external speakers will attend the meeting and be discussing pilgirmage from their perspectives: Martin Locker from UCL will be giving a presentation based on his research that set out to explore the link between the landscape and the pilgrim in Medieval Britain while John Jenkins from the University of York will discuss the experience of pilgrimage in relationship to English cathedrals that has arisen from the University's project.

This study day promises a very interesting visit to a local town with a variety of talks on recent archaeology discoveries that throw light on the early development of Godalming, guided visits to the Church and around the town plus a visit to the excellent local museum. Not forgetting the opportunity to lunch in one of the local hostelries.

Please see the attached programme for more details.

For more information, call 01483 532454 or email info@surreyarchaeology.org.uk

Professor Richard Selley will be giving an illustrated talk on the importance of geology and soil and how this shapes the life of the region to the Effingham Local History Group. Visitors are welcome. Charge £2. Please see the attached flyer.

The Medieval Studies Forum has arranged a meeting at the Leatherhead Institute on the topic of 'Castles and Church Towers'. Full details have been sent to members. Speakers include Michael Shapland and Terry Carlysle plus a number of Forum members. The day will also include a presentation by Jo Richards on the recently completed Villages Study Project looking at Esher.

The full programme for the day is attached. The cost is £9 per person, payable on the day. All are welcome. Please register your interest with Brian Creese (contact details on the attached programme).

A full day meeting of the Medieval Studies Forum and Villages Study Group, featuring presentations on various aspects of "Moated Sites" in the mornng and "Churches in the Landscape" in the afternoon. See programme attached for full details and the 'invitation' to offer displays, which gives further background to the two seminars. The programme of presentations is now full but further tabletop displays would be very welcome, whether large or small.

The Medforum has been offered the opportunity to dig three test pits in the garden of the Old Manor House (ie Rectory Manor).

This is a highly strategic site in the attempt to complete the sampling of the historic centre of Old Woking.

A number of experienced volunteers will be needed. Please contact Chris Hayward or Richard Savage either via the office or at medforum@hotmail.co.uk

This meeting of the Medieval Studies Forum will look at a variety of aspects of village life in the medieval period. Professor Chris Woolgar will look at Food and the Medieval Peasantry while Dr Rupert Goulding, Regional Curator of the National Trust, will talk on the Manor House at Horton Court in Gloucestershire which was created from a Norman hall.

A visit has been arranged to see the medieval aspects of this city. The day will start with a tour of the Cathedral at 11am followed by visits to the Cathedral Precincts, the Bishop's Palace and St Mary's Hospital. The afternoon will close with a walking tour of medieval Chichester taking in a variety of the principal sites. The day will be led by Peter Balmer.

The meeting point will be Chichester Cathedral, West Street. Attendance will be by ticket costing £8, available from the Society's office at Castle Arch in Guildford. The detailed programme and application form is attached.

A meeting will be held at The Education Centre, Guildford Cathedral when the keynote speakers will be Prof John Arnold of Birkbeck and Prof Diane Watt of Surrey University. There will also be contributions from four members of the Forum. The cost of the day is £10 per person (£5 for students under 21). Please see the attached programme for details of all the presentations and of time, location etc.

A Medieval Studies Forum Study Day including a visit to the new Mary Rose Museum, a "behind the scenes" talk and a guided walking tour of historic Portsmouth led by Alan King, the former head of Local History at Portsmouth City Library, who has a particular interest in Medieval Portsmouth