Centre for Medieval Studies

York Medieval Lecture - Glaire Anderson 12 Nov - Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York York Medieval Lecture with Dr Glaire Anderson (The University of Edinburgh)

Join us for our Autumn York Medieval Lecture with Dr Glaire Anderson (The University of Edinburgh) on Wednesday 12 Nov. Glaire will be speaking on: Video Games & the Work of Medieval Art History: Possibilities for Public Impact Through Industry Collaborations. Further details: buff.ly/4MAXOHZ

Join us for our 2nd annual York and the North Lecture with Dr Andrew Woods (Head of Collections and Research at York Museums Trust) on Tuesday 30 September. Andrew will be speaking on: Coinage, silver and power in York and the Viking North. Registration required: www.york.ac.uk/medieval-stu...

New PhD Funding for 2026!

The AHRC funds outstanding original research across the arts and humanities. The University of York is pleased to be awarding six Doctoral Landscape awards to fund students beginning their doctoral research in 2026. www.york.ac.uk/study/postgr...

Congratulations to Robyn Stewart who passed her viva yesterday. Robyn’s thesis “Harmonising the Word: A Textual and Philological Study of Iohannes Scottus Eriugena’s Gospel Quotations in the Periphyseon” was supervised by Mary Garrison, Thomas McLeish and Thomas O'Loughlin (Nottingham).

Ella Gaskell standing in front of a Byzantine image of the Virgin Mary.

Ella Gaskell (CMS MA student) is another recipient of an Elizabeth Salter bursary, which partially funded their recent trip to Istanbul to research the Virgin Mary in Byzantine Apocrypha #byzantineart #medievalstudies

‘Bawd, Traitor, Fleming, Thief and Other Horrible Names’: Immigration and Nationality-Based Insults in Late Medieval and Early Tudor London Many people born outside England, defined as aliens, lived in late medieval London. Despite a growing literature on immigration in late medieval Engla...

📢 Congratulations to former York PhD student Josh Ravenhill and post-doc Bart Lambert on their new article on nationality-based insults against immigrants in later medieval London. Read it here: biblioscout.net/article/99.1...

#History #Medieval #London #Immigration #Research

Diana Wallis, CMS MA student, recently presented a paper at the ‘Reading Visual Devices in Early Books' conference in Turku, Finland. The trip was partially funded by a bursary from the Elizabeth Salter Fund, which supports research and career development of postgraduate students.

Look what arrived from @yorkmedieval.bsky.social today ! I am so honored by this award and grateful for the continued support of the wonderful community at the CMS.

Becca Drake - Unstill Landscapes — Guillemot Press Becca Drake (she/they) is a poet and researcher based in York. They completed a PhD on the sea in late-medieval English and Icelandic literature at the University of York (2023). Their work focuses…

To celebrate this milestone, Becca will be reading from her new book this Thursday (12th June) at the Bluebird Bakery in Acomb. The event is all sold out (!), but you can read all about Becca's book here: www.guillemotpress.co.uk/poetry/becca...

Becca Drake - Unstill Landscapes — Guillemot Press Becca Drake (she/they) is a poet and researcher based in York. They completed a PhD on the sea in late-medieval English and Icelandic literature at the University of York (2023). Their work focuses…

Huge congratulations to our CMS alumna, Becca Drake, on the publication of her debut poetry collection with Guillemot Press -- an award-winning publisher of eco-poetry 📚✨ www.guillemotpress.co.uk/poetry/becca...

John Margham in front of Bootham Bar discussing the history of York.

John Margham in front of Clifford's Tower in York.

Thank you to CMS PhD student, John Margham, who took us on a historical excursion around York yesterday. #yorkhistory #walkingtour #CliffordsTower #BoothamBar

For both international and UK applicants, there is still time to apply to study a medieval MA at York this September. To find out more, join us for our online open day on Tuesday 10 June. www.york.ac.uk/.../postg...... #StudyInUK / #studyineurope

A picture of a courtyard of an old building (King's Manor).

A courtyard with a tree.

A collection of people inside having coffee.

Happy to say that Norse in the North 2025 is officially underway! Looking forward to a day of discussions of power and powerlessness in the Old Norse world #medievalsky #conference

Part of ‪@yorkfestofideas.bsky.social‬ Join Hannah Armstrong (York) on Saturday, May 31st, 11–11:20 at #York Explore Library for her talk "Sagaland: A history of British writers in Iceland." Free admission, but booking essential!

Sagaland: A history of British writers in Iceland Postgraduate researcher Hannah Armstrong of the University of York examines a 19th-century form of literary tourism which saw readers of medieval sagas sail to Iceland to see where their Viking…

Discover the fascinating history of British writers who journeyed to Iceland in search of the sites where their favourite Viking heroes had lived, fought and died! 👉 yorkfestivalofideas.com/2025/calenda... #York #History #Literature #Iceland #Sagas

Sign up to this #free #webinar to hear how medieval carols weren’t just dance songs or sacred hymns, but a rich blend shaped by both mendicant preaching and festive tradition—revealing a far more complex history than previously considered.

This Monday, the Ideology, Society and Medieval Religion #seminar series is delighted to present Dr Micah Mackay, talking on ‘An Odour of Sanctity?’: The Late Medieval Carol in Dance and Devotion. 6pm, #online - register here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ideology-soc... #medievalsky

Riddy lecture 29 Apr 2025 - Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York Annual Riddy Lecture with Professor Marion Turner (Oxford)

Next Tuesday (29th April) is the Annual Riddy Lecture. Come along to hear Professor Marion Turner (Oxford) talk about "Medieval Fictionality: Poetics, Emotion, and Chaucer", in-person (K/133, King's Manor) and online. Register here: www.york.ac.uk/medieval-stu... #medievalsky #Chaucer

Richard McClary's new book: Stucco in the Islamic World A wide-ranging, illustrated exploration of the uses of stucco in Islamic architecture in the pre-modern period.

You can read more on the CMS website: www.york.ac.uk/medieval-stu...

The edited volume, published with Edinburgh University Press, engages with new methodological approaches, including those that go beyond traditional art-historical ones, and works with a wide range of disciplines, including material science and archaeology.

Congratulations to Dr Richard McClary on the publication of his latest work: "Stucco in the Islamic World. Studies of Architectural Ornament from Spain to India." #newbook #medieval #islam #arthistory

If you haven't already, check out the Dante exhibition @uoyborthwick.bsky.social @uoylibrary.bsky.social This is the final week showcasing beautiful facsimiles connected to some of Dante’s famous works #York #medieval

ISMR Kimm Curran

Join the next Ideology, Society, and Medieval Religion Seminar to hear Dr Kimm Curran (St Andrews) talk on "Communities of Medieval Women Religious: Re-assessing definitions of gendered landscapes in Scotland" - 7 April, 6pm #online #webinar #medievalwomen

MedLits seminar 25 March - Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York York Medieval Literature Seminar with Dr Harriet Soper (University of Bristol)

Next week we have the York Medieval Literature Seminar: ‘Oaths on the Edge in The Battle of Maldon and Völundarkviða’. Dr Harriet Soper (Bristol) will focus on representations of betrayal and its consequences in these two texts

Still time to register if you want to come along!

A reminder for the Ideology, Society, and Medieval Religion Seminar tomorrow (Monday 10th), where Gillian Jack (Open University) will talk on: "Sex Work, Lay Religion and the Cloister in Renaissance Florence". 6pm, register for the zoom link here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ideology-soc...

Masters Taster Day - Postgraduate, University of York Join us on campus to get a taste of why so many people love living and learning at the University of York.

Considering starting postgraduate study in Medieval Studies? You still have time to register for our MA Taster Day on Weds 12 March! 🤩 Come and see what all the fuss is about:

Our latest York Medieval Lecture is now ready to view on YouTube! 🤩

In case you missed it, you can catch up with Prof. Marcus Milwright talking on "New Cities and Palaces: Drivers of Change in the Crafts of Early Islam": buff.ly/TAzkf2E

Marisa’s thesis “The Boundaries of Sainthood: Text, Image, and Iconographic Construction in Margaret of York's Manuscript of the 'vie de Colette'” was supervised by Jeanne Nuechterlein and Craig Taylor, and examined by Hanna Vorholt (York) and Alixe Bovey (The Courtauld).

✨ Viva Success ✨

Congratulations to @marisapmichaud.bsky.social for passing her viva last week! Completing the PhD is a huge achievement, and the massive efforts and dedication shown by the students that come through CMS are always inspiring.