About H.A.S.
Howdenshire Archaeological Society (HAS) was officially launched on 12th November 2019 at the Shire Hall in Howden.
The Society was the brainchild of our first Chair, Mike Hatfield, who continued in post until mid-2020. Mike's input to the Society, to the associated Bishop's Palace excavation and to the whole community of Howden has been invaluable.
As a mark of our appreciation, we have now made Mike an Honorary Lifelong Member of HAS. He is seen here being presented with his Life Membership plaque by Stephen Lonsdale.
Gary Tavender, Chair:
'Hi, my name is Gary Tavender. I am a retired Civil Servant, married with a grown-up son. Although originally from London I have lived in East Yorkshire for 25 years and moved to Howden 7 years ago. I have a lifelong interest in history and, although I have no formal archaeological training, have been fortunate to be involved in a number of digs including Castle Howard and, of course, Bishops Manor. It is my aim to not only increase my knowledge of Howdenshire history but also to research those lesser travelled pathways that history often leads us down'.
Stephen Lonsdale, Vice-Chair:
'Hello! I’m Stephen Lonsdale and I’m an archaeologist and historian; pre-Corona, I worked for a commercial archaeology company in Hertfordshire. I received my BA in History from the University of Lincoln and my MA in Medieval Archaeology from the University of York. Whilst at Lincoln I was lucky enough to receive the first Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Public Engagement with Research, having worked on a few sites and exhibitions with Prof Carenza Lewis, of Time Team fame. I’m a local lad, born in Hull and raised in Eastrington, and my heritage is something I’m deeply proud of. My interests are principally classical and medieval archaeology, particularly the Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon periods and the High Middle Ages, and the archaeology of Christianity, especially churches and monasteries'.
