Introduction

Much of the work by the Brecknock Society and Museum Friends aims to involve and enthuse people about the sites, stories, and history of the historic county of Breconshire.

We arrange a programme of talks and presentations through the winter months, including the nationally prestigious Sir John Lloyd Memorial Lecture, where previous speakers have included professors of history, the previous Chief Justice of England and Wales, and the past Archbishop of Wales and Canterbury. In the summer months, we organise visits and field trips to places of historical interest, as well as conferences and study days on relevant and often contemporary issues.

To foster the new generation of researchers, we run the annual Victor Jones school prize for history projects, with the awards presented at the Sir John Lloyd lecture. We also sponsor the poetry prize in the Wales Book of the Year run by Literature Wales, and invite the winning poet to present poems from the winning volume at an autumn soiree including drinks and nibbles.

We have been a local funding partner to Powys CC in the recent renovation of the Brecknock Museum & Art Gallery, and we are operational partners providing financial and volunteer support for the Museum's operation and further development. In particular, we help to purchase artefacts that add to the Museum's collections, and help to support the conservation, display, interpretation and public understanding of its collections. More recently, our members have been involved with writing digital labels for the Museum's exhibits under our Interpretation Project, including Celtic crosses, an iron worker’s tool kit, and Adelina Patti’s stuffed dog.

We also promote and help protect sites in Breconshire, such as Llansantffraed Church, where we were involved in renovating the grave of our county poet, Henry Vaughan. We also advocate for our heritage and lobby on behalf of our Museum.