Dunnett Summer Day in Portsmouth

This year’s Summer Dunnett Day was held on Saturday 27th June 2026 at the Guildhall in Portsmouth. The event was enjoyed by all, and guests gathered to hear some fascinating speakers then panel discussion. In Whispering Gallery issue 171 you can read more reports about the event.

Dr Chloe Fairbanks

“Defer…to dinner time”: Unstaged Meals and the Hospitality Crisis in Two Elizabethan City Comedies

The last decade of Elizabeth I’s reign has often been seen as particularly xenophobic, but it was equally concerned with the perceived decay in traditional, aristocratic English hospitality. This talk brings the two issues together, tracing the emergence of a new paradigm of middle-class hospitality which seeks to assimilate cultural and class difference through shared meals.

Dr Toby Jones

Basque Oak and Portuguese Wine: Unlocking the secrets of a 15th-century merchant ship in Newport, Wales

Dr Toby Jones, Curator of the Newport Medieval Ship Project, will reveal the latest astonishing findings about this mid-15th century merchant vessel which traded with Bristol. Discovered and raised in 2002-3, the well-preserved hull remains and numerous artefacts indicate that the ship was likely built in the Basque Country as a wine-trading vessel for Portuguese owners. Examination of the ship’s timbers has led to a greater understanding of Atlantic-Iberian ship design and ship building in the late mediaeval period. The recovery of such a unique find of unparalleled craftsmanship offers insights into technological innovation at the very beginning of the Age of Exploration, while the hundreds of artefacts reveal the complexity of Anglo-Welsh/Iberian trading links and illuminate life on board the ship

Dr Aysu Dincer Hadjianastasis

‘A wild lot, the Lusignans’: Trade, Foreign Invasion and Dynastic Struggle in 15th-century Cyprus

In the 15th century, Cyprus’s ruling Lusignan dynasty fought to maintain power amid civil war, Mamluk invasions and looming financial ruin. Despite this seemingly disastrous picture, trade continued, various industries flourished and some inhabitants of the island made their fortunes. While the Lusignan dynasty eventually came to an end, the power of Venice rose to new heights in the Eastern Mediterranean.