THE last talk was Salisbury's Medieval Water Courses and their Legacy by Peter Saunders.

When the present city of Salisbury was built in the 13th century it was constructed on a chequers system with five streets running east to west and six streets running north to south.

As the Avon ran southwards, hatches could be opened and the water would then flow west to east through specially constructed channels along the centre of most city streets. The water would then feed back into the Avon at a lower point. No one knows for sure if these ditches were intended for drainage or as a water supply for the city.

Some referred to Salisbury as the Venice of England, but by the 17th century they were dirty and stank due to poor sanitation, and the roads were very muddy. In 1737 the water courses were moved to the sides of the streets to improve the flow of traffic, but after an outbreak of cholera in 1849 it was decided to get rid of the water courses altogether. By 1860 they had disappeared.

Many items have been discovered in these water courses over the years, including medieval souvenirs, lost or thrown in by pilgrims.

There is an exhibition of these at Salisbury Museum. A question and answer session followed, and the vote of thanks was given by Jenny Foster.