Rook Lane Blog

March 4, 2026

Come and discover the untold history of these intriguing warrior-monks who have fascinated the world for over 700 years. In our day of talks, our expert speakers will reveal the stories behind the conventional history: what were the knights really doing in Jerusalem during the Crusades, why were they called the guardians of the Holy Grail, and why are the Cathars also important in this story?

January 22, 2026

Join us for an in-depth examination of traditional + modern psychedelics, including their benefits for mental health. Followed by Q+A.

The traditional use of psychoactive plants and fungi for spiritual and shamanic rituals has occurred for thousands of years, whereas the Western scientific research of these substances has only been explored in the last 100 years, and prohibition stalled the last 50 years of this.

January 9, 2026

Journey into the fascinating history of witchcraft and its connections to femininity and feminism. Followed by Q&A.

The word ‘witch’ – what does it conjure for you? Do you immediately have an image of a hat, broomstick and cat, or an old, warty woman who entraps children in her gingerbread house? Or do you see a young, empowered healer who is targeted simply for being different? Whatever you’re thinking, the unifying feature is probably that the witch is female. But why? How did this stereotype come about?

January 8, 2026

Discover the nuances of how ADHD presents itself differently within women in a neuroaffirming environment. Followed by Q&A.
Join us for an insightful talk exploring how ADHD uniquely affects women – from late or missed diagnoses to the emotional toll of being misunderstood. 

May 2, 2025

Explore exhibitions and selection of three thought provoking films. 25 Million Stitches discusses human displacement, Jus d’orange explores humanity’s delicate relationship with nature, and Heal The Land captures a transformation of former livestock farm into a resilient haven for wildlife recovery. 

August 9, 2024

When did you last have a good conversation?
Are you ‘zoomed out’ by endless virtual meetings?
Brian Snellgrove, will lead a discussion with audience participation on The Art of Conversation

May 20, 2024

Lynn Barber is one of the best loved – and most notorious – journalists and interviewers in the country. She began her career at Penthouse, moving on to the Independent on Sunday, The Observer and The Telegraph. Join Lynn as she discusses the tales from her book A Little Art History.

March 8, 2023

An evening of talks, entertainment and dancing with food by Ebbie’s Kitchen, Bar and Raffle with a celebrity guest speaker to be announced. Tony is raising money for CRUK by hosting this ball as well as hiking across Snowdonia this year, followed by a 1000 mile treck in Iceland. He will tell of his inspirational fight with cancer since he was 19

June 13, 2022

A Frome Society for Local Study event to coincide with the ‘Celebrated Women of Frome’ exhibition at Frome Museum. Although famous in her day throughout most of the known world, Elizabeth Rowe has sadly been neglected for the greater part of the time since her death in 1737. A re-evaluation of her works and their influence, however, has been recently taking place. Dr Carole Sargent, from Georgetown University, Washington DC, will talk about why Elizabeth Rowe still matters today and how Frome can best honour her.

June 13, 2022

Photographer John Angerson was granted unprecedented access to the Kennedy Space Center, Florida
and the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA, to document the final months of a yearlong intensive training programme preparing for the NASA (STS-72) mission in January 1996. After revisiting the original negatives during lockdown without the pressures of the original deadline, he discovered photographs that had been previously overlooked.