22 February 1583: An important pamphlet in the Stationers' Register today: 'A wonderfull and strange newes which happened in the countie[s] of Suffolk and Essex the Firste of Februarie [1583] beinge Frydaie where it rained wheate the space of Sixe or seauen miles compasse'. 1/ #earlymodern

Promising signs of Spring out there this morning - snowdrops and daffodils out, birds singing, woodpecker drumming away and geese flying north. Wonderful!

The Spelling of our Tongue was in the main ſettled ere the eighteenth Century, & the Grammar has ſuffer'd but little Alteration ſince. Yet before this happy Settlement, things were exceeding ſtrange.

If you liked this experiment, I published a full piece today in the same vein: a text that gets 100 years older with every section, from a modern blog post to a medieval chronicle. It's a single story spanning 1000 years of English. See how far you get. www.deadlanguagesociety.com/p/how-far-ba...

Some signs of spring- and this week's forecast looks a bit less miserable

A special treat for @oldenoughtosay.com: the site of the Waynflete from the top of Magdalen Tower. Lots of flooding.

Flooded meadows, the Cloisters and the New Building from the top of Magdalen Tower today

American professors, who wants to come to Oxford for a year or two? Get in quick - deadline soon. www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/vacancy-geor...

ngl though this ALSO brings me so much joy #RIPToTheFlete

*opens doors to cat sofa emporium* craftysharp.etsy.com

Yes, this office chair is way too small to contain my fur: what of it?

The awakening of our English Bluebells is a signal. Spring is coming

It's cold but it's Monday night and it's 5pm so it's time for EPISODE 6 of 'How light is it in #Orkney at 5pm this week?' We thought it couldn't possibly be any lighter than this time last week BUT IT'S ABSOLUTELY THIS LIGHT! 💡

How can it be raining again? How is there still water left in the sky?

Here to help

"Senior mini horses" 😍

I think this would improve almost every conference I've been to; even when people finish their presentations on time, a bear hanging round on stage would add to the general gaiety. I'd also let him deal with anyone who turns up with a Mac they want to plug in without having brought the right cable.

'Storm light' by UK contemporary printmaker Mikki Bowers #WomensArt

It is rare for something shot in Manchester to feel absolutely Hooklandian, but Small Prophets is a rare thing - an esoteric TV comedy that grows the heart. Mackenzie Crook is a genius. Small Prophets is television treasure. m.youtube.com/watch?v=wLKL...

I'm surprised by this negative review. Just finished the series and found it harrowing. Brilliantly acted and shot, hard-hitting. And I don't agree with the criticism of the dialogue - it was entirely appropriate to the period and the age of the boys. www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

...and it’s the 222nd anniversary of the Battle of Pulo Aura, but I’m not going to attempt a better telling of that than this one:

1804. Oceans are now Battlefields. In the South China Sea a British convoy worth almost £1bn today is spotted by the French. It should be a massacre. Instead, Commodore Nathanial Dance is about to defeat a French battle squadron using some paint and the most overplayed hand in #navalHistory. /1 🧵

Today would be a good day to visit Magdalen.

A similar decision was made by the English Court of Appeal in 1914, in a case brought by the brilliant Gwyneth Bebb. She'd also got first class marks in Oxford law finals, but couldn't take a degree, as a woman. She died in childbirth soon after women were admitted to the legal profession in 1919.

Visiting Medwell Quarry, and the actual stone for the new Waynflete Quad, reserved for us.

Michael wished to ride with me to Birmingham today. This was not permitted.

Town and Gown

It’s 10 February, which can only mean one thing. YES, OF COURSE! It’s the 671st anniversary of the townsfolk and students of Oxford marking Saint Scholastica’s day by... er, hammering shit out of each other until over 90 people were dead 🧵

To be strictly accurate, it might be the 672nd anniversary, because no-one seems to know whether it happened in 1354 or 1355, but we shouldn’t allow this to distract us from this vital piece of history

"I'll be damned, it's a Beaver" Hand embroidery thread painting artwork #AnimalArtTuesday #embroidery #WildlifeArt

Meet the 1591 cat man. I am counting 7 cats on and near him. #catcontent

I’ve written about that! I’ve got a story ready about mummified cats, but I could recycle this later, too…

@oddthisday.bsky.social I was hoping you'd do the St Scholastica's Day riot....

35 years ago today!

Flooded

"Benedictus benedicat"

Play time

Mackenzie Crook’s rural dreamscape #Detectorists published by #PenguinBooks (and its offshoots) down the years. 🧵 1/

Marathon concluded! What a day...

We do not celebrate the achievements of that generation of immigrants to the UK nearly enough. Baron @alfdubs.bsky.social comes to mind, or Sir Peter Hirsch. They have enriched British society in numerous ways.

Two down. Just the Return of the King to go. The Two Towers still seems a total masterpiece to me. Bernard Hill is peerless.

I've spent years shelving and cataloguing various issues of Treitel's Law of Contract and didn't know either of these facts. Something to think of every time I encounter it from now on.

Perfect day for it, the weather outside is not great. Have fun. What film series would people like to watch for a rainy day film marathon?

A big crowd gathering in the Magdalen auditorium for our Lord of the Rings marathon. All three movies, extended versions, with hobbit meals and a special.mystery guest... Real sense of anticipation. Not sure how I'll feel by 10pm.

Some more information about the Magdalen 1964 Ball, from the College archives. It looks like the Rolling Stones played three sets! No wonder they were annoyed. And it looks like the Star Attraction might have been John Lee Hooker. Wow.

Never mess with a Magdalen lawyer

Absolutely losing it at this note in the Magdalen alumni newsletter

Quite apart from Chitty, Morris's contributions were notable: Conflict of Laws, Theobald on Wills, the Rule Against Perpetuities (and probably others too). A very impressive breadth (and depth) of knowledge!

I've actually met a retired Professor of Medicine who attended said Magdalen May Ball. He confirmed, based on having chatted to one or two of the band, that the Stones were *distinctly* unhappy to be there, as all the reports indeed tell.

Without the Duncan Mackinnon scholarship, GHT's life would have been very different. I'm sure seen, but his academic life is nicely captured by Reynolds' FBA obit www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publishing/m... and Burrows did a piece on his work supremecourt.uk/speeches/tal... /1