16th October 2025, 7.30 pm at the Holy Trinity Church – Tim Clarkson, Historian & Author
Tim Clarkson: synopsis of talk, biography, list of books
The period from the end of Roman rule in Britain to the final phase of the Viking Age was a turbulent one for the inhabitants of what is now East Lothian. Across their lands marched rival armies led by powerful kings and ambitious warlords. This was a time when battles were fought, kingdoms were toppled and territories were won or lost. Away from the fields of war, Christianity replaced ancient pagan beliefs and a new religious elite of bishops, abbots and abbesses emerged to establish churches and monasteries. Tim Clarkson’s talk traces the story of East Lothian through this volatile era, highlighting important historical events while touching on related topics such as archaeology, language and place names.
Tim Clarkson is a historian and author whose main research interest is the early medieval period. He obtained an MPhil in archaeology and a PhD in medieval history, both from the University of Manchester. Over the last fifteen years or so, he has written eight books covering a variety of themes, ranging from the Scottish legends of Merlin to the early history of the Isle of Man. From 2012 to 2016 he participated in a number of community heritage projects at Govan as a historical adviser. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 2024.
Tim Clarkson’s books:
The Picts: a History
The Men of the North: the Britons of Southern Scotland
The Makers of Scotland: Picts, Romans, Gaels and Vikings
Columba: Pilgrim, Priest and Patron Saint
Strathclyde and the Anglo-Saxons in the Viking Age
Scotland’s Merlin: a Dark Age Legend and its Medieval Origins
Aethelflaed: the Lady of the Mercians
A Mighty Fleet and the King’s Power: the Isle of Man, AD 400 to 1265
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