Professor Horton will be talking about his research and excavations that explore what happened to the ‘lost’ American colony of Roanoke. In 1587, over 100 English settlers vanished from Roanoke Island, leaving behind almost no trace – except one cryptic word carved into a tree: Croatoan. Was the colony destroyed, absorbed into Indigenous communities, or did something even stranger happen?
Professor Mark Horton is currently Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at the Royal Agricultural University and Emeritus Professor at the University of Bristol. His research has taken him on fieldwork to all over the world and he has been a passionate advocate for the public understanding of the past through TV, radio and media. He was closely involved in the early series of Time Team and has worked with the History, National Geographic and Discovery channels.
The talk is taking place at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, 16 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN on Thursday 8th October 2026, 7.30pm, with an admission charge of £5 for members, and £7 for the general public. Pay on the door.