The Castle Visit
The evening will begin at 5pm, when Dr Stephenson will give an introductory talk on Powis Castle and its significance to the Welsh kingdom of Powys, that subsequently became a Marcher lordship. Then, from 5:20 to 6:30pm, we’ll be free to roam through the castle’s rooms, where volunteer guides will be happy to explain their wonders and answer our questions. Then, following refreshments in the castle’s café, we’ll retire to the ballroom for the lecture itself at 7pm.

The Lecture: A cohesive society? Conflict and integration in the medieval March of Wales
Dr Stephenson will examine the complex nature of life in the medieval Welsh March, an area that brought together two segments of society – the English and the Welsh – that, one may assume, had every reason not to get along. He’ll analyse the violent conflicts that certainly took place and determine whether they were particular to the March or typical of the widespread and commonplace violence – both organised and casual – that prevailed across England and Wales at that time. He’ll also look at how far English and Welsh segments of Marcher society integrated to form a single and distinct social group, and whether the practice of acculturation – the adoption of each other’s cultural characteristics or practices – contributed to social cohesion or disharmony.

Our Speaker
Few historians can claim a better understanding of medieval Wales and the March than Dr Stephenson, who has published extensively on the subject. His books include classic studies such as Political Power in Medieval Gwynedd, Medieval Powys: Kingdom, Principality and Lordships 1132-1293, Medieval Wales c1050-1332, and, most recently, a study of a single family of Welsh Marcher origin, Patronage and Power in the Medieval Welsh March. In addition, he has published over fifty papers in academic journals.