After a well-received talk earlier this year, the team at Stone Heritage Centre is back with two new guest speakers for August – both offering fascinating insights into the town’s past.
Taking place on back-to-back Saturdays, these free events promise to delve into local stories buried beneath our feet and etched into wartime memories. Booking is essential (and free) via Eventbrite to secure a seat.
Sat 9th Aug 2025 (2pm-4pm) – Geoff Banks – History in The Ground: Unearthing Stone’s Stories
Following on from last year’s popular session as part of Staffordshire History festival, Stone’s own metal detectorist Geoff Banks is coming to the Heritage Centre to talk about the treasures and artefacts found in the fields around Stone, and how the discoveries help to shape our understanding of our area through the ages.
With coins and curiosities across all eras of British history, guests will be given the opportunity to handle genuine historical items dating back thousands of years, from the industrial age to the bronze age, and everything in between.
Sat 16th Aug 2025 (2pm-4pm) – Shaun Farrelly – When the War Came to Stone and Areas
The advent of the Second World War affected the whole of North Staffordshire, not least in Stone and the surrounding villages. In a predominantly rural area, Stone, and some local villages like Yarnfield suddenly assumed a remarkably high profile. Had it not been for those changes, the whole area would have seen little local impact. As it is, the area played a significant role in that war and the aftermath is still apparent today. How did this all happen?
