WINCHESTER Arc will hold an evening discussion on the Captain Swing Riots.

Hosted by the Universities of Southampton and Winchester, the evening will see leading experts explore the history, society and language of 19th-century Hampshire.

The Swing Riots took place in the autumn of 1830, under the banner of the mythical Captain Swing.

During November 1830, more than 60 villages in Hampshire saw rick-burning, the destruction of threshing machines, the pulling down of factories and Poor Houses, intimidation of the farmers and clergy, as well as theft and general riot.

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Orchestrated by the Duke of Wellington, the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, the authorities came down hard. More than 300 ‘Swing Rioters’ were rounded up and charged with a variety of crimes including attempted murder at an extraordinary ‘Grand Assize’ held over Christmas in the Great Hall in Winchester.

At the talk, attendees will be able to learn more about the background to this period of history, including who was Captain Swing, what motivated Wellington to be so brutal and whether or not the threshing machines of yesteryear are similar to the internet and AI of today.

The evening event will take place on Saturday, November 4 between 7.30pm and 9.30pm at the Arc Winchester.

Tickets for the event cost £12 and can be purchased at eventbrite.com/e/the-captain-swing-riots-of-1830-revolution-and-revolutionary-language.