POETRY, archaeology and architecture are among topics to feature in upcoming talks by a Furness group.

The Dalton Local History Society holds its lectures on Wednesdays at 8pm in St Mary’s Church Centre, Market Place, Dalton.

Admission is £3 for non-members and all are welcome.

On March 7 there will be a short annual meeting followed by a talk by Barrow local historian Walter Johnston with the topic “Miles Stones: People and Places and Poems in my Life”.

April 4 is the annual Phillipson Lecture which is being given by The Norman Nicholson Society.

Mr Nicholson, who died in 1987, lived in Millom and his poetry and prose describe life in the town, its industries and its setting next to the Duddon Estuary and overlooked by the Lakeland fells.

On May 2 the visiting speaker will be Dan Elsworth from Ulverston-based Greenlane Archeology.

His topic is “John Donson: The Edwardian Archaeologist of Urswick”.

On June 6 Martin Cooper will be speaking on “Confuscious or Communism: What Drives Vietnam Today”.

The fate of a large country house will be the subject for Dr Susannah Tiplady on July 4.

Her talk is called “A Mansion Fit for Demolition: The Story of Grizedale Hall”.

Grizedale Hall has a long history and in the Edwardian era the site was cleared by Liverpool shipping magnate Harold Brocklebank for a £40,000 new mansion.

When he died in 1936 the hall and contents were sold to the Forestry Commission.

During the Second World War the hall became No 1 Prisoner of War Camp – also termed the U-boat Hotel after the comfort it offered to captured German naval crews and pilots.

After the war, the hall fell into ruin, the fixtures and fittings were sold at public auction in 1957 and the hall was demolished.