Happy #WorldBeeDay! Image: Museum Meermanno, MMW, 10 B 25, folio 37r

I don’t know what to tell you, man. I’m a medieval historian, and, in my field, if you don’t check your sources (and your sources’ sources) you are just asking to be taken for a ride by some bored 19th C. aristocratic English antiquarian with a penchant for inventing history.

Le musée de Cluny retrace l’histoire de la représentation des licornes à travers une exposition de 100 œuvres et objets d’art fabuleux, en écho à sa célèbre tapisserie.

2/3 A mermaid holding a mirror, a symbol of vanity, among the graffiti in Carlisle Castle. It all seems to date from about 1480, judging by the dress of some figures and the prevalence of the boar motif of Warden of the March Richard Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Historians of medieval Scotland 🏰 Does anyone have a copy of Ditchburn, ‘Scotland and Europe’ (2001) handy? I want to look at a page and associated refs, but I’m home-bound today. I think it’s p.259 I’m after.

This summary of different early medieval literature is still one of my favourite things on the internet. #medievalsky

Just received *the nicest* e-mail from one of our fabulous contributors to the Adornes book saying 'The volume is a testament to the seriousness, sensitivity, & intellectual generosity with which the project was conceived & brought to completion'.🥹and I think that I might have something in my eye...

Monk Bar, York is the largest and most ornate of the bars, early 14th century. It has the city’s only working portcullis, in use until 1970. The rooms above the gateway have had various uses over the years, including as a home and as a jail for rebellious Catholics in the 16th century. #drawing

This stunning 15th/16thC aumbry at St John the Baptist, Oxenton has some of the loveliest carving I've seen in a while. The detail in the tiny windows and vaulted bay ceiling is so fine that I'm amazed it's survived in such good condition. I don't covert much but this.... want it! #TraceryTuesday

The DDS is pleased to announce two additional Zoom groups coming in June: Niccolò Rising Reading Group: 5 June 16:00 BST Craft and criticism discussion group: 10 June 18:00 BST – this group will look closely at the Lymond books; first meeting topic ‘Worldbuilding and the historical novel’.

Natalie Grueninger speaks with Dr Sara Charles about the production of medieval manuscripts, her hands-on experiments with parchment, inks and pigments, and her book 'The Medieval Scriptorium'. talkingtudors.podbean.com/e/inside-the... @onthetudortrail.bsky.social #Tudors #Podcast

Also, Ode to Joy slaps. (The kids in this video. 🤩)

Happy #InternationalDonkeyDay or asses as they were known in the Middle Ages.

Our thanks to all the attendees at the Deer Park Library in Toronto who showed up to hear one of our members talk about Richard III, and the discovery of his remains. The librarian told us she had to keep refilling the book display.

Layers of time in the honeyed oolitic at Tewkesbury Abbey - "It is in that golden stain of time, that we are to look for the real light, and colour, and preciousness of architecture.." John Ruskin

📣 Attention CMS Alumni! The 2026-2027 Alumni Programme is now open! Here is your opportunity to contribute to the Centre as a guest speaker or mentor, whether working in or outside of academia, and to promote your research, events, and accomplishments. Fill out your form today! uoft.me/CMS-Alum

4 May 1471, the Battle of Tewkesbury. Edward IV & his army fought the Lancastrian army headed nominally by Edward of Lancaster. The Prince died as did some of the other Lancastrian battle commanders. See www.tewkesbury.org.uk/the-battle Image from the Douce ms courtesy of @sonjadrimmer.bsky.social

The Star Wars Day x Medieval Monday mash up that no-one asked for or wanted... May the Fourth be with you. All images available on Digital Bodleian: MS. Douce 178, fol. 049v; MS. Bodl. 264, fol. 79r; MS. Bodl. 264, fol. 21v; MS. Bodl. 264, fol. 79v #MedievalMonday

Video now also on Youtube: Includes some of my favourite bits from my #envhist #medievalsky #earlymodern research into Alpine & Animal history, like the mysterious exploding pigs Andeer & retirement homes for cows from the title & more, like the iron eating cows of Disentis youtu.be/t3xiWUfztmk

Click through! Wonderful, supportive mediaevalists at Exeter!

Richard Neville, the 16th Earl of Warwick, was all “move fast and make kings”

It's May and one of the "Labours of the Month" was courting, preferably outside. Here we have a lovely scene, delicately painted, of a couple who look very much enamoured of each other.

Be sure to read about our Summer Latin programming in the newest Chronica! uoft.me/ChronicaXI

😍 A gem! Wonderful diagram of a Guidonian hand!

Dorchester Abbey, resting place of St Birinus, is a stunner. From its 12thC font, early 13thC stained glass, and superb Tree of Jesse window… truly glorious.

A lean, mean good boy with a curling tail begs for pets in the bottom margin of Ms. Codex 724 f. 325v, a 13th century illuminated Bible. #medievalsky 🔗: https://bit.ly/3OowRAL

Happy Saint George’s Day! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 St George, best known for the story of the dragon, appears in (and even on, in the case of the binding shown here) many manuscripts across the Bodleian’s collections. 🐉 Shelfmarks: MS. Add. A. 185, fol. 061v MS. Douce 112, fol. 157r MS. Bodl. 523, spine and front board

Watch Laura Ingallinella ( Italian, Spanish, Portuguese & LAS / CMS ) on "Trade, Poetry, and Belonging. Carlo del Nero, a Merchant in Fifteenth-Century Languedoc" for The Medici Archive Project. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw6F...

Registration for the 2026 Harlaxton #Medieval Symposium is now open! The theme is 'The Rural #Parish in Late Medieval England', and it will be held at Madingley Hall, #Cambridge, Monday 14th - Thursday 20th August ⛪ #MedievalSky #Skystorians

U of T's Department of French presents Dorothea Kullmann, "From Vulgar Latin to Middle French. Considerations around the history of the French language and historical linguistics" on April 21, 5pm, at Odette Hall. Please attend if you are able!

Join @uguelphscottish.bsky.social on April 23 (1pm EST) for the Frank Watson Book Prize lecture. Dr. Catriona Macdonald (U.Glasgow) presents "Patrons and Politics in the Making of Scottish History: Past, Present and Future." All are welcome! Sign up here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/patrons-an...

Happy #InternationalBatAppreciationDay. From Kongelige Bibliotek, GKS 1633 4° [Bestiary of Ann Walsh], folio 42v

The programme is set and we are looking at the options for the food for lunch. What is missing, is you! The Middleham Festival runs 4-5 July and on Sunday we will have wonderful presenters along with a buffet lunch. Pre-booking is essential. For details see richardiii.net/events/upcom...

A vibrant proof copy of SR Badmin‘s Ludlow Castle travel poster

Did you know… when Exeter Cathedral’s nave was built in the 14th century, a method of securing the west doors was included and it’s still in use today 🤯 ––– Could you be the South West’s 2026 Young Historian of the Year? Register your interest to be the first to apply! Visit: bit.ly/yhoty

La Broderie de Bayeux (pas une tapisserie) a-t-elle été fabriquée pour être "lue" pendant le repas des moines ? Une nouvelle théorie intéressante proposée par un médiéviste anglais... Un fil ⬇️! #medievalists #medievalsky

Starting soon. Our meetings are always the highlight of the week.

For students currently enrolled for a postgrad History degree at TCD, or planning to enrol, or TCD History grads enrolling for a postgrad degree elsewhere: Cluff Memorial Studentship www.tcd.ie/history/post...

Members and friends of the Richard III Society of Canada are looking forward to our monthly meeting this weekend when we will learn all about “ The Wrong Side of the Blanket – The Other Children of Edward IV and Richard III” How many of them can you name?

Diana Wallis (CMS graduate and research associate) features on the latest episode of Out of the Archive Box, speaking on York’s Merchant Adventurers and the Petition of 1478: open.spotify.com/episode/6yAK...

This Saturday at St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto, a symposium on Mappa Mundi: Mapping the Mediaeval World. stmikes.utoronto.ca/program/smce... #Medievalsky @uoftcms.bsky.social

I wonder if any hagiographic or manuscript scholars, or any other medievalists with relevant input, have recommendations for choice images of the sisters Mary and Martha. Late-medieval are preferable. Many thanks.

Goede Vrijdag. Indrukwekkend tweeluik van Rogier van de Weyden. Philadelphia Museum of Art

Folks! A reminder! A signal boost! A note that the gardening can wait til tomorrow! By thunder, there’s sixteen million all new records to search!

@greenleejw.bsky.social You have no doubt seen this but for those who haven't, an eel spear at the London Museum Docklands.

The Chantry Chapel of St. Mary the Virgin, Wakefield is open this Good Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Easter Monday, 11am to 3pm.

Spotted this 15thC boss of the last supper in the cloister at Norwich Cathedral when visiting recently. It's making wonderfully varied use of perspective but I was most intrigued about the table spread, which says rather more about late medieval England than Roman Judea. Let's decode it! 1/5

NEW: Introducing the Bodleian Whispering Service. Too busy to read? Our expert librarians can now quietly narrate books, articles, and selected manuscripts directly to you in our reading rooms. Please note: whispering remains subject to standard library noise regulations.