JORVIK Medieval Festival to take place this August
27 venues, an army of experts, re-enactors and interpreters and nearly 1000 years of history will feature in this year’s blockbuster JORVIK Medieval Festival, taking place throughout August at venues from York’s city bars and Hornsea’s St Nicholas church, to Knaresborough Castle and Selby Abbey.
Imprisoning the Mentally Ill in Medieval England
What to do with mentally ill individuals who are violent? This is a question that modern and medieval societies had to deal with.
‘The Mystic Hunt of the Unicorn’ tapestries unveiled at Stirling Castle
A 14 year project to recreate the lost tapestries of James V has been completed at Stirling Castle.
A Precious Ancient Souvenir Given to the First Pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela
All of us who have made pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwest Spain – three for me – are often reminded of their visits by the souvenirs they bring home.
Pigs and Prostitutes: Streetwalking in Comparative Perspective
‘No one shall keep pigs which go in the streets by day or night, nor shall any prostitute stay in the city.’
Tolkien and the Viking Heritage
Much has already been written about the influence of Norse mythology on The Lord of the Rings. Less research has so far been done about how other aspects of the culture and history of the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons influenced Tolkien’s writing.
Pearl, translated by Sophie Jewett
We are very proud to offer our first ebook: Pearl, translated by Sophie Jewett.
10 Fun Fashion Facts from the Middle Ages
Here are ten fascinating fashion facts for your enjoyment (I’ve saved my favourites for last).
The Laws about Weddings in Viking-Age Gotland
An important source about daily-life in Viking-Age Scandinavia is Guta Lag, a set of laws from the Swedish island of Gotland. This includes details on how weddings were to be conducted.
White Castle and the Dating of the Towers
Paul Remfrey makes a detailed case for dating the towers to 1229-31, and 1234-39, built by Hubert de Burgh.
Medieval Emergencies and the Contemporary Debate
This article shows that medieval France formulated its own state of exception, meant to deal with emergencies, based on the legal principle of necessity.
Medieval Parchment: Sewing Lines and Growing Surfaces
Talks about growing a medieval parchment by stitching in items to it.
Cuthbert, Guthlac and the Life of St Antony
Christians far from Egypt have drawn inspiration from the Life of St Antony, including England’s two most popular pre-Conquest hermit saints
Movie Review: Knights of Badassdom
When the people behind Knights of Badassdom wanted us to promote the film, I asked if they wanted us to review it. They said no. After watching it, I can understand why.
How Well Do You Know A Song Of Ice And Fire?
Think you know Westeros and Essos? Find out here!
Continuity: Folklore’s Problem Child?
Few topics play a more central role in the way scholars have thought – and, in some cases, continue to think – about medieval folk cultures than has the issue of continuity.
Beowulf and the Comic Book: Contemporary Readings
This paper explores the appropriation of the Old English poem by modern popular culture in such a distinctive 20th-century art-form as the comic book, which proves that a heroic, legendary story already old for the Anglo-Saxons —it was set in geardagum, ‘the ancient days’— still elicits the interest of the audience in the modern world.
Julian of Norwich: Mystic, Theologian and Anchoress
Very little is known of her actual life, not even her real name. We do know she wrote two texts in English on her visions and their meaning
Chest burial: a middle Anglo-Saxon funerary rite from northern England
Chest burials, in which the body is interred in a wooden chest with a hinged lid, are one of the most characteristic funerary practices of the middle Anglo-Saxon period in northern England.
Rebirth and Responsibility: Cistercian Stories from the Late Twelfth Century
‘His face sadder, his look harsher, his speech more bitter, his movements slower…’ He was going from bad to worse.
How the Jin Loyalists Made a New Home in the South
The events of the transition from the Western Jin (265-316) to Eastern Jin dynasties (317-420) at the turn of the fourth century affected not only the people and history of that era, but also the development of China and Chinese culture today.
Richard Duke of Gloucester as Lord Protector and High Constable of England
During Richard’s protectorate he was responsible, as far as we know, for four executions for treason
Which Roman or Byzantine Emperor Are You?
Ever wonder which Roman Ruler you are most like? Find out here!
Who actually died at the Battle of Crecy?
This battle, fought on August 26, 1346, was one of the most important victories for England during the Hundred Years War. New research about the battle has revealed how much confusion existed about who actually died during the battle.
Early Christian Mosaic Floor discovered in Nazareth
Mosaic floor found under the Church of the Annunciation is believed to date to the fourth century.