Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Saturday, 17th October 2026
3.00pm for 3.30pm
The Extraordinary World of John Aubrey
What do dragons, ghosts, witches, magic rings, murderous clouds, and giants have in common with the most advanced scientific thinking of the seventeenth century? For John Aubrey (1626–1697), rather more than you might think. Born in Chippenham, Aubrey combined his curiosity for the unexplained with genuinely revolutionary scientific insights — including ideas about extinction, earth history, and plant ecology that were a century or two ahead of their time. He applied his restless empirical curiosity to flora, fauna, folklore, and phenomena, with a fervour that led — among much else — to an African expedition in search of a two-legged dragon, the Wyvern. Dr Louise Ryland-Epton invites you to discover Aubrey's extraordinary world ahead of the first complete publication of his Natural History.
Louise's book, ‘John Aubrey’s Natural History’, will be published by Hobnob Press in 2026. She has a PhD in History from the Open University, where she is a Visiting Fellow, and she is a Fellow of the Institute of Historical Research.
Louise Ryland-Epton
Saturday, 17th October 2026
3.00pm for 3.30pm
The Extraordinary World of John Aubrey
What do dragons, ghosts, witches, magic rings, murderous clouds, and giants have in common with the most advanced scientific thinking of the seventeenth century? For John Aubrey (1626–1697), rather more than you might think. Born in Chippenham, Aubrey combined his curiosity for the unexplained with genuinely revolutionary scientific insights — including ideas about extinction, earth history, and plant ecology that were a century or two ahead of their time. He applied his restless empirical curiosity to flora, fauna, folklore, and phenomena, with a fervour that led — among much else — to an African expedition in search of a two-legged dragon, the Wyvern. Dr Louise Ryland-Epton invites you to discover Aubrey's extraordinary world ahead of the first complete publication of his Natural History.
Louise's book, ‘John Aubrey’s Natural History’, will be published by Hobnob Press in 2026. She has a PhD in History from the Open University, where she is a Visiting Fellow, and she is a Fellow of the Institute of Historical Research.
Louise Ryland-Epton