SOMERSET historian Adrian Webb will be giving a talk in Kilve Village Hall later this month on 17th century ‘scoundrel’ Thomas Spigurnell (1630-1663).

The talk, ‘A Somerset Scoundrel’, is being organised by the Quantocks University of the Third Age (U3A), and will be held from 2 pm to 4 pm on Monday, February 24.

Spigurnell, who was born in Berkshire, was an attorney, money lender, surveyor, and gentleman farmer.

He was a known pettifogger, the term for a lawyer who used ‘petty, underhanded, or disreputable’ methods, and lived in Taunton and Long Sutton.

Mr Webb has published a book on Spigurnell’s life titled ‘A 17th Century Scoundrel’ which was praised as a groundbreaking piece of research and thought to be the first of its kind.