Interesting & Interested Chichester

📅 Wednesday 18 February 2026
🕕 Meet at 6:15 pm | Lecture 6:30 – 7:30 pm
📍 The Assembly Rooms
🎟️ £10 (pay on arrival; no advance booking needed)
🍷 Wine available at the venue
🍸 Optional drink afterwards at Purchases Bar & Restaurant
👥 Numbers limited to 12

Join us for a bit of mid-week culture and conversation, exploring the rich and layered history of Sicily - one of Europe’s great cultural meeting points. (Confession, I used to live there!)

In Sicily: Cultural Crossroads, lecturer Richard Whincop traces the island’s remarkable story before and after the Norman invasion of the 11th century. Sicily was shaped by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Visigoths and Islamic cultures from North Africa, before the Normans wove these influences together during a notably enlightened period that saw Palermo become one of Europe’s most important cities.

We’ll meet at 6:15 pm at The Assembly Rooms to say hello before the lecture begins at 6:30 pm. The talk lasts around an hour, and wine is available at the venue if you’d like a glass during the evening.
Afterwards, we’ll cross the road to Purchases for a relaxed drink and informal conversation about the talk and anything else we fancy to round off the evening.

### Good to know

• 🎟️ Entry is £10 for non-members, payable on arrival
• 🍷 Wine is available at the venue
• 🍸 The post-lecture drink is optional — feel free to head off if you need to
• 👋 I’ll post a short comment beforehand so you know how to spot the group