Posted by Gregory Lippiatt
28 April 2025Welcome back to another term of the Centre for Medieval Studies! As usual, our summer fare is lighter, reflecting the importance of exams and coursework in this largely non-teaching term. However, please keep a close eye on the Centre mailing list for research seminars, Latin and Medieval French Reading Groups, and our Bring-and-Share sessions.
A full termcard for our events will circulate in week 1, but we are delighted to be able to confirm two events taking place this term as part of the Medieval Research Seminar. On 14th May, Dr. Alun Williams (who has written previously for this very blog) will be speaking on ‘Reminiscence and Marginalisation in the taifa states: Evidence of Muslim identity in the Historica Roderici‘. Two weeks later, we will be joined by Dr. Jonathan Hughes, whose paper will discuss ‘The Premature Renaissance: the Emergence of the Mother Tongue in 14th-century Florence and London’. Details for both events are now available on the Centre website.
A new offering this term will be Dr Tom Hinton’s ‘French in Medieval Britain’ seminar, in association with his ERC ‘Learning Anglo-French‘ grant, which will take place on 14th May and 11th June at 12:30pm (room TBC). We hope to see many of you there for a discussion of how French was taught and used in Britain during the Middle Ages.
This blog will also remain active over the coming term, thanks to the sterling work of contributors from around the Centre. Without giving too much away, readers can expect posts on everything from flattering lisps to advice for dealing with conference nerves, and more besides … as ever, mark your calendars for 9am on Monday mornings (UK time) for the latest dose of medievalist news from Exeter and beyond.
Again, please look out for further details on the Centre mailing list; we look forward to another fruitful term of work as a medieval studies community!
Featured image: playing bowls, from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 264 (fol. 63r). Similar amounts of fun await you at the seminars!