Witness to Medieval War: The Sawley Hoard and the Great Raid of 1322

Join medieval historian Dr Christopher Tinmouth for a captivating exploration of the Great Raid and its impact on the Ribble Valley. During the period 1286-1327, Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, raided the North of England to bring Edward II of England into battle, to force him to recognise him as King of Scotland in his own right, owing no allegiance to the King of England. From 1318-1322, Lancashire felt the fires of war, as Scottish armies pillaged and burned everything they could. The Great Raid of 1322, led by Robert the Bruce himself, penetrated the Ribble Valley, and torched the lands of Sawley Abbey. In this time of near constant invasion and economic hardship, with no support from the King of England, Lancashire communities fended for themselves as best they could.

This lecture will investigate the Pendleton and Sawley Hoards, discovered by the Ribble Valley Metal Detecting Club in 2017, and what they can tell us about this turbulent period in Lancashire's mediaeval history. The Sawley Hoard is currently on display as part of the Hidden Hoards & Fascinating Finds exhibition at Clitheroe Castle Museum, which closes on Sunday 8 March. Don't miss your chance to combine the talk with a visit to see this remarkable hoard before the exhibition ends!

Booking essential. £6.00 per person including refreshments and a free pass to visit the museum (you will receive your free pass on arrival to be used within 30 days). Doors open 11.10am for an 11.30am start.

Meet Dr Christopher Tinmouth:

Dr Christopher Tinmouth (PhD Medieval History, Lancaster University, 2023) has worked with Lancashire County Museum Service (LCMS) since 2015, primarily as a guide at Lancaster Castle. He has gained wide curatorial experience across the Lancaster museums, including research and installation of the Sawley Hoard at Clitheroe Castle Museum. Notably, he mounted a silver penny of Alexander III of Scotland (c.1286) and authored an LCMS blog on the hoard.

Dr Tinmouth's doctoral research focused on late-medieval monastic documentary culture, particularly the ways in which monastic communities constructed their "institutional memory" through cartularies (registers of property). His primary focus was the Furness Abbey Cartulary (c.1410), a beautifully illuminated manuscript housed in the National Archives and the British Library. He also has experience working with several other monastic cartularies, including the Ripon Cathedral Cartulary (c.1350) during his Brotherton Fellowship at Leeds University.

He has also published a peer-reviewed academic article in Northern History Journal (2024) examining how the Scottish raids into Lancashire in the early 14th century, led by Robert the Bruce, influenced the institutional memories of Furness and Byland Abbeys.

Dr Tinmouth has served on the Board of Directors of the Richard III Society and is a standing member of the Society's Research Committee. He has actively contributed to "The Missing Princes Project," led by Philippa Langley MBE, which investigates the fate of the Princes in the Tower of London—work that has uncovered compelling evidence suggesting a need for historical revision.

Since 2021, Dr Tinmouth has chaired the Friends of Lancaster City Museum (FOLCM). With FOLCM's support, he launched the Owen Lectures in July 2025—a new academic conference exploring the life and legacy of Lancaster-born palaeontologist Sir Richard Owen (1804–1892). His latest publication, The Value of Encouraging Neurodivergent Participation in Community Research Initiatives for the Victoria County History of England (2025), grew from his role as Participatory Research Officer for the Victoria County History (Cumbria). The article explores how autistic participants—and their support groups—can contribute scholarly work by harnessing their special interests.

Finally, he is very proud to have created the UK's first trading card game based on museum objects: "The Bonds of Time Historical Trading Card Game".