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Weapons in Society Conference 2026

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Wooden carving of faces

Since 2019, the Royal Armouries’ Weapons in Society conference has showcased the varied interactions between arms, armour, and culture. Now in its fifth event, it will once again provide an opportunity for early career and postgraduate researchers to mix with academic and heritage professionals, allowing a collaborative dialogue between the worlds of academia and heritage.

For the first time, this conference is being held at Fort Nelson. This mid-nineteenth century Grade I listed fortification is one of many permanent defences around Portsmouth which have etched themselves into the cultural landscape of the area.

8 January 2026

Fort Nelson

Adults Only

£30/£12

Conference programme

This conference aims to bring to light the changing cultural and social roles of arms and armour throughout history. 

Keynote speaker: Maria Legut-Pintal, PhD, Department of Historical Archaeology, University of Wrocław
Non-military use of fortifications as a research problem: Selected examples from Central Europe.

Accepted papers include:

  • Fortifications and the illusion of protection
  • Weapons technology and the British-Indian Army’s Indian Frontier Campaigns, 1880-1920
  • The exporting of American gun violence
  • Responses of inter-war pacifists to toy weapons
  • Collecting the Russo-Ukrainian war
  • A study of symbolic representations of philosophical and religious principles in Indian knowledge systems reflected in their weapons

Book your place

Tickets include lunch and refreshments, along with a guided tour of the Fort, and an opportunity to view the collection close-up.

We anticipate making four bursaries of up to £50 available, to support speakers in attending the event. Delegates can apply for these bursaries.

In addition, to facilitate travel to the site, we are arranging transport to and from the centre of Portsmouth on the day of the conference.

Tickets are £30

Concessionary rate £12 - available for early career researchers (within five years of doctoral award, not counting career breaks) and those in full time education or part-time education while otherwise unwaged.

For a full programme of the day with abstracts; or for any other questions related to the conference, contact Mark Bennett

Book now

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