I wonder what she's thinking.

But when the disaster occurs, people are too ignorant even to realise it's because of their ignorance.

I'd love some tips on delightful places to visit in central France for medievalists and their families. Especially grateful for less obvious places, small idyllic spots in the countryside, etc!

A classic.

Archaeochums! I'm doing a bit of research and need someone to do some Bayesian analysis on some old scientifically-derived dates from a pottery kiln (2 C14 and 1 TRM). Quite happy to pay for it, so any recommendations for someone you've used where I can get them done? #archaeology

It’s the 232nd anniversary today of Robespierre setting fire to a papier-mâché statue of atheism in the Tuileries gardens in Paris to inaugurate his Cult of the Supreme Being, the new state religion. No one liked the idea and Robespierre was dead by the end of July 🧵

"Singer lands plumbing job after fixing recording studio toilet"

I spent weeks practising singing the lyrics backwards so that when the recording was reversed they would sound forwards, but weird (like in the Black Lodge, Twin Peaks). Inspired by a 1920s sci-fi story. katearnolduk.bandcamp.com/track/clockw...

“Amis tous dous - Molendinium de Paris” by Pierre de Moulins #nowplaying #radio3

Looks like I'll be in the BMW Graveyard, but close enough to Prog Rock that I may be able to survive. Kind of the same as now really.

#AdoorableThursday Beautiful doorway on the facade of #CastleAcre, Cluniac priory, founded in 1089 by William de Warenne and dissolved in 1537.

Ultravox - Alles Klar [Germany, Minimal Wave] [1981] - hypnotic and haunting and one of the best forgotten B-sides. https://redd.it/7qbbtg https://youtu.be/OrPeDOQAGqg

JOB ALERT - Curator: Modern Archives and Manuscripts (1601-1950) at the British Library - full-time, permanent www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRR461/c...

No relation (as far as I know).

Gorgeous!

St Andrew's church, Wroxeter. Font formed from the base of a Roman pillar. #fontsonfriday

Last night I read a papal encyclical. I quite liked it. www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

A pilgrim's scallop shell found with a burial at Whitby Abbey cemetery, 14th-15th century. Displayed at Whitby Abbey Museum. 📸2026

"Il est petit, il est bleu !": comment des chercheurs ont découvert un nouveau poulpe

A friend of mine who was TA’ing for an AmLit course found a copy of Moby Dick a student had left behind. It had only one marginal annotation, around page 100, that simply said “whale is important.”

It's pretty metal.

Historical relatives of mine helped start the Swing riots of 1830. A bit like the Luddites, "Captain Swing" would smash machinery that was destroying folks' already meagre livelihoods. I wonder what Captain Swing is doing now.

I consider it to be London.

It's the date on which, traditionally, I remind people of the existence of the Batley goth night video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9sM... "The owner invites you to a special disco evening..." I didn't go to this one, but there were, are and shall be others! Happy/Gloomy #WorldGothDay ! 🦇🎶🎵🦇

I had some relatives involved in the 'Captain Swing' riots. The three Barton brothers, only teenagers, were sentenced to hanging but after a 'petition of concerned housewives' they were instead transported to Australia for seven years. One of them came back, hence (eventually) my appearance.

I had some relatives involved in the 'Captain Swing' riots. The three Barton brothers, only teenagers, were sentenced to hanging but after a 'petition of concerned housewives' they were instead transported to Australia for seven years. One of them came back, hence (eventually) my appearance.

Persian verses (recto) from a Haft Awrang (Seven Thrones) of Jami (d. 1492) https://clevelandart.org/art/1947.500.a

The Strickland Brooch, AD 800s. A fabulous example of Anglo-Saxon creativity and craftsmanship! This large silver disc brooch is inlaid with gold and niello, and decorated in ‘Trewhiddle-style’ with an intricate pattern of puppy-like animals. 📷 British Museum #Archaeology

In further ponderings, Behold! one of my favourite websites from ye olde days of The Before Times: www.entrances2hell.co.uk

May this cute skull bring you joy on this Tuesday.

In further ponderings, Behold! one of my favourite websites from ye olde days of The Before Times: www.entrances2hell.co.uk

In related ponderings, I often wonder whether the reason some people think AI is so great is that they just haven't seen The Terminator, The Matrix, Hardware etc.

It's a far cry from when I first made this trip in the mid-1990s. Lets go tomorrow!

HMML has one of the best digital collections of rare, weird, and at-risk manuscripts anywhere in the world. Their Virtual Reading Room (www.vhmml.org) let me study Syriac manuscripts in inaccessible Syrian monasteries *during the pandemic*. Here, you can search by country: hmml.org/collections/...

Flags on Birmingham Council House at the end of WW2 Including Poland and the former Czechoslovakia

Banning a booke ys extinguishing a beacon. Banning a booke ys silencinge a thousand voyces speakinge yn the heart. Banning a booke ys refusinge to looke at the stars. Banning a booke ys damming a streame of feelinge and invitinge flood. Banning a booke ys making a violent litel shryne to ignorance.

Happy birthday to David Byrne. Here are Talking Heads performing Life During Wartime at Montreux in 1982. Watch the full concert at youtu.be/ldwpwrW6tno?...

Really sad about this.

My next book "Crusader Storm" will be published on 4 June! Pre-order a copy of my book from Bookshop.org between 13-17 May and save 20% with the code: PREORDER20 Every sale supports real independent bookshops across the UK!

Ignore my previous! The proper dates for THE MIDDLE AGES IN THE MODERN WORLD CONFERENCE in Oxford are 22-24 JUNE 2027!!! (I had end of week brain freeze, so sorry!) themamo.org

Birmingham! The 49th Latin and Palaeography Summer School is coming to you in July. A brilliant experience to learn how to work with medieval documents. Book your place 👇 #MedievalSky #Skystorians #Latin palaeography.uk/study/short-...

George, Andrew and their Jewish heritage. This is more detailed version of video I've taken down because of racist comments. Tonight The Music Seems So Loud: The Meaning of George Michael, is published soon. You can pre-order copies now and book spaces at live events. Sathnam.com/events

It's wonderful that David Attenborough's 100. As always on this date I'm also thinking of my Nan Arnold, who would have been 99 today. After being a 'land girl' in WW2 she spent her 18th birthday celebrating VE Day on the streets of Birmingham. She died in 2010 and I still miss her terribly.

DW arts journalist Breandáin O’Shea brings us the music of British ensemble Musica Secreta, which combines historical scholarship with an all-female sound world.

Huge thanks to everyone who made a KA purchase over the weekend. Your support is appreciated, especially these days. As always, proceeds are going towards the release of the new album. Still a couple of bits of merch available, and you don't have to wait until the next #BandcampFriday!

The Adventures of Prince Achmed just turned one hundred years old. It's still among the best movies ever made. For the film's birthday, we're sharing Lotte Reiniger's wonderful firsthand account of its creation: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/a-film-tha...

Swiss-Brummie chocolate! I feel like I need to know much more about what 'Charm', 'Check', 'Consort' and 'Briton' chocs actually were.

Reviews of the T-shirts (& bags) indicate they are among the finest available in all the land! Good quality, durable cotton, and the printing technique means the design doesn't have that plasticky 'stuck-on' feel that a lot of band T-shirts have. Medieval-inspired designs on front, back and sleeves!