Frome Community Education, a community interest company dedicated to providing affordable and interesting adult education courses for the people of Frome, is set to begin its new term on 22nd September.
This term sees an increased focus on our local area, local personalities and local historical events in addition to their usual range of courses which encompass Arts & Crafts, Health & Wellbeing, Languages, Words and Culture.
New tutor, Dr. Richard Massey, a professional archaeologist and heritage specialist, will teach a 10-week course on “Exploring Prehistoric Wessex” ranging from the time of the post-Ice Age hunter-gatherers, to the rise of rich Iron Age kingdoms and their eventual conquest by Rome.
“The evolution of human societies during this period has left our local area with a legacy of extraordinary monuments and landscapes, including Stonehenge and some dramatic hillforts,” explains Richard Massey. “The course will consider the evidence of prehistoric lives, including settlements, homes and possessions. There will be opportunities to handle and discuss prehistoric tools and pottery and one of the course sessions will include a field trip.”
Travelling considerably forwards in time, another new tutor, Rob Hollier will delve deeper into “Wordsworth and Coleridge – The ‘Somerset Poets.’” Whilst we often think of Wordsworth as the poet of the Lake District, he actually wrote some of his greatest poetry in Somerset – where he’d moved to be close to Coleridge in the foothills of the Quantocks. This class will look at some of the poems they wrote in Somerset and explore the lives and personalities of the two men.
In addition to his extremely popular “Local History” course, local author and historian David Lassman is introducing two new one-day Saturday classes which feature Frome events. “Frome and the Monmouth Rebellion” explores the critical three days that James Scott, Duke of Monmouth and illegitimate son of the late Charles II, spent in our town in 1685 – as part of his endeavours to take the throne from his recently crowned uncle, James II.
“Frome and Non-Conformity” explores how Frome became a major centre for non-conformism throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, charting the rise of several organisations in the town, the building of their places of worship and some of the people behind this significant and major religious movement.
One of David’s five-week history courses also comes with a local twist. “The History of Detective Branch” explores the launch of this new type of police force in 1842 with a focus on several high-profile cases including the Road Hill House murder, (where Mr Whicher had his suspicions), and Frome’s very own awful killing of Sarah Watts.
Some courses are already sold out and students are encouraged to book quickly in order to secure their place. Other more general courses include “Ethics and AI” with Roz Sunley, a much-anticipated sequel to Roz’s previous course (also available) “AI – An Introduction For Beginners.” Tutor Graham Burgess also returns with “A Guided Tour through Dr. Iain McGilchrist’s Magnum Opus; The Matter With Things” visiting key points in this treasure-trove of philosophical thought. Almost certainly more light-hearted are David Lassman’s “A History of Modern Britain in 20 Songs” and Harriet Derioz’ “All the Poetry You Hated at School (And More!)
For more information on any of these courses (and to book!) visit www.fromecommed.org.uk or the Box Office at the Cheese &Grain.
Pictured: Harriet Derioz (All the Poetry You Hated at School) and Rob Hollier (Wordsworth and Coleridge) outside the Cheese & Grain where Frome Community Education’s Free Classes offering IT support will restart on 15th September.
