Loading...About The Speaker...
Writing about yourself is one of the hardest things to do to draw the right balance. Therefore I will start this with a paragraph written by another academic:
“Paul Remfry is arguably one of the greatest castle scholars of our era. He is a meticulous researcher who has spent over 30 years studying medieval history, genealogy, and architecture. As an historian with a passion for telling the stories of castles and the people who once lived in them, Remfry lectures throughout the United Kingdom and also frequently appears as an expert on television documentaries exploring the history of castles. He has also written extensively about castles, abbeys, and battles and his list of published works now includes some 20 books and over fifty booklets and scholarly articles for academic and archaeological journals. His scholarship, particularly on the castles of Wales and the Marches, is widely praised as superlative and his research approach to the study of castles has garnered widespread acclaim from the academic community.”
For myself I would like to say that I regard myself as a scientific historian. As such I try to treat the subject like a science and cut out hearsay and get back to the original history. This in turn means studying and translating the original documents – a past time that could be a talk in itself. Certainly it tends to give my lectures unusual slants that go against conventional modern theories. This is the difference between historical fact and modern speculation.
I enjoy meeting people and groups and telling them in plain English about our shared history. I have lectured to varied groups over the years from in depth reviews to fellow scholars and enthusiasts to schoolchildren and lighthearted after dinner speeches on subjects ranging from the Victorian Navy to obscure Welsh princes.
My main love has always been Wales and its borders, the military hub of Medieval Britain and all the castles and churches to be found there with their builders and patrons. This love has spread out throughout Europe and has led to my lecturing in places as assorted as Sicily, the Pyrenees, Normandy and the Loire valley as well as throughout Great Britain.
About Their Talks...
My talks are highly varied, flexible and designed to provoke thought, though all talks can be modified to suit your needs. I can talk one to one, either on site or via zoom with or without powerpoint demonstrations, although a photograph or plan goes a long way in explaining complex events. Having studied and in many cases translated the original documents I have a wide range of knowledge on most historical subjects and can often supply a new look to old topics.
I have given talks on television and radio as well as in person to many public groups, the general public, students and scholars in places as far apart as Scotland and Sicily. With suitable recompense I am available for up to fortnight long tours, or why not join me on my regular tours?
A talk can last for whatever time suits your needs and day or longer excursions and even accommodation can be planned for onsite visits to the castles of North Wales etc. Please contact me via email to discuss matters further.
REFERENCES
Thank you so much for sharing your depth and knowledge and your generous spirit. We have truly enjoyed these two weeks of travelling with you through Wales and Scotland. Visiting castles, even seeing castles in movies and televisions shows will never be the same again as we are better informed in so many ways about these amazing and beautiful structures.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. It is delightful to walk beside someone with such passion for their endeavour.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and making our trip wonderful.
Thank you for the journey through time. Hopefully we will learn something from the past that will make our future better.
Thank you for making our trip so enjoyable. We appreciate your fine instruction, your insight and your expertise. You really brought the history and castle to life for us.
We enjoyed your humour and expertise throughout both tours. We learned so much from you about the castles and history of medieval times. We feel that you are not only an expert, but also a friend.
Fee:
My fee is determined by the type of event and distance travelled from North Wales. My typical fee would begin at £100 for a single zoom lecture or £150 for a local talk (within 20 miles of Pwllheli, North Wales). Sadly in today’s climate mileage at 50p a mile etc would have to charged (without 20 miles of Pwllheli, North Wales) if the talk is wanted on site. You could also hire me for a full day at £400.
I am flexible with arrangements, so please get in touch to discuss your needs. I am also usually able to assist with short notice talks as well. Distance is no great problem, but would be subject to additional travel costs for fuel, food, accommodation and other expenses as appropriate, similar to multiple day and even European excursions.
