Great new @ippr.org report from @sachahilhorst.bsky.social, making very clear the link between the decline of community spaces and the rise of the radical right. Sacha reimagines the 20th century miners' welfare fund as a model for reviving social infrastructure: www.ippr.org/articles/pla...

This is a tiny book of hours, use of Metz. It is bound in modern velvet, and features a miniature of the Virgin Mary nursing the baby Jesus - iconography specific to artwork made in Metz (dated between 1375 and 1399) (Ms. Codex 1566) 🔗: bit.ly/4kJdOex

And more decorated/illuminated letters to download and print and print for free, and then colour in. Good for children in the holidays, teachers who want a bit of a quiet time (!!), and adults who want to spend some time thinking only of what colours to use! www.patricialovett.com/mediaeval-de...

Do you like: magic? women? magic women? history? romance? biblical poems with dodgy rhymes? Then please come to @imc-leeds.bsky.social session 837, magical learning in history and literature, Tues at 4.30pm, with @magicnotwitches.bsky.social, Harry Lewis and me, chaired by @hattiesoper.bsky.social

Hey kids! First time at the #IMC2025 @imc-leeds.bsky.social? Here are some of Old Man Kramer's Hot Tips! #medievalsky

A beautiful illustration from MS Ashmole 150; a Tudor pattern book. Well worth a look at on Digital Bodleian: digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/385c...

Custard is the elixir of life

Do you like: magic? women? magic women? history? romance? biblical poems with dodgy rhymes? Then please come to @imc-leeds.bsky.social session 837, magical learning in history and literature, Tues at 4.30pm, with @magicnotwitches.bsky.social, Harry Lewis and me, chaired by @hattiesoper.bsky.social

1-year temp. medieval lectureship at KCL, covering Alice Rio's teaching, closing date 20 July: my.corehr.com/pls/coreport...

We're in Bristol 24/7! www.bristol247.com/culture/thea...

Satan: What did you say? Job: er... Satan: You haven't got your 'Life of Job' tickets? But there are only 10 DAYS UNTIL FRIDAY 27 JUNE! Job: ... I haven't quite got round to it... Satan: There's patience and then there's procrastination. Get on it. www.ticketsource.co.uk/winterbourne...

Today is Pentecost. This beautiful image is taken from a 15th century 'Honresfield Book of Hours', depicting the Virgin and Apostles sitting beneath a dove. [MS5204 f. 90v] #LambethPalaceLibrary #Manuscript #Pentecost

I spent yesterday morning the NMS collections at Granton, where Helen Wyld showed us the incredible Fetternear Banner. An extraordinary survival of Scottish Pre-Reformation (c. 1520) linen embroidery - stunning to see it up close.

The modern première of the ‘Life of Job’ is on 27th June at Winterbourne Medieval Barn. Job suffers torments: property loss, family death, physical disease and a scolding wife. Uniquely in this play, God reprimands Job for how he treats his wife! Tix/ info at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/winterbourne...

Did you know that in medieval England, short plays often accompanied celebratory feasts? On 27th June at Winterbourne Barn, come and see the 15th-century ‘Life of Job’ for one night only: feasting followed by high drama, music, dance and acrobatics. Tickets at www.ticketsource.co.uk/winterbourne...

Tickets now on sale for a medieval feast performance of ‘The Life of Job’ at the Winterbourne Medieval Barn! This is part of a fascinating project by the CMS' own Dr Cathy Hume! Tickets are £25 (plus booking fee) and include a meal and a drink. Book today at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/winterbourne...

3D-print your own medieval toy! Thanks to my amazing collaborators Beth Kimber and @noreenmasud.bsky.social www.instructables.com/Buzz-Bones-t...

Satire go home, you’re not needed anymore

In 2008 this incredible medieval wallpainting of St George slaying the Dragon was discovered at St Cadoc’s church, Llancarfan, Wales. Likely 15th century, the vivid mural was painstakingly uncovered from under c20 layers of lime wash in 2013. #WallsonWednesday #medievalwallpainting #StGeorge

Swifts have lost more than half their population in 20 years. A simple £35 brick in new builds could help save them. Labour used to support this: now they’re planning to backtrack. Sign the petition now to show them the public still backs this nature-friendly fix act.38degrees.org.uk/act/swifts-p...

SMART. I did that on my first Kzoo trip 20 years ago. Might have to revert to that practice next year! (If you happen to know anyone driving from OHare on Wednesday who might like someone to chip in for costs in exchange for a seat in the car, please let me know!!)

Only two days until the conference kicks off! 😮😆We cannot wait to welcome everyone to Bristol! Be sure to check out the schedule ahead of Thursday! #medievalsky

'The fragment was preserved by accident in the binding of a book in Hereford Cathedral’s library' Prof @matthewsteggle.bsky.social uncovers new evidence which complicates the idea that William & Anne lived an unhappy marriage in a new piece for @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...

Bristol University is threatening redundancies for staff in our Centre for Academic Language and Development, and is going about it in a highly questionable way, with v limited consultation and crazy timescales. Please consider signing this open letter: speakout.web.ucu.org.uk/save-bristol...

Now available for pre-order: Medieval Manuscripts in Bristol Collections: A Descriptive Catalogue by @themedievaldrk.bsky.social & Melek Karataş. The latest amazing title in our Bristol Studies in Medieval Cultures series @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social! Get yours: boydellandbrewer.com/978184384747...

Words To Live By Number 202

We're very excited to share our provisional conference schedule with you all! This is subject to change, but is unlikely to change much. We will be sharing the full programme soon too! #medievalsky medievalstudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/pgr-conferen...

Don't forget our Post-PhD Options event from the Bristol Drinking Studies FRG is tomorrow (4.30-5.30pm, online). In this roundtable, Amy Burnett, Annamae Burrows, & Alice Kinghorn share their experiences of navigating the next steps after a PhD. All welcome. Message me for the link.

Starting work on editing 'The Ballad of the Twelfth Day', about the Magi, today. After an epic struggle with a poem covering the whole of creation history where every letterform was open to question, it's a relief to work on a 40 line, single episode poem that is mostly about stars and presents.

I read an article shared on here (I think) recently about university cuts and how they are driven by ludicrous models of internal accounting that result in ever greater cuts. Now I can't find it - does anyone remember this and could help me please? I want it for good altruistic organising reasons!

We are hosting this great conference in April! Registration is now open - online and in-person attendance possible! Follow this link for the programme and to register: blog.mowlit.ac.uk/french-of-th... #medievalsky #celtic #medievalfrench

I would actually be fascinated to know what people did at work last week. I: commented on some PhD students’ draft chapters; completed an ethics application for audience research; wrote explanatory notes for my edition of biblical poems; wrote most of the talk I’m giving in Oxford next week. (1/2)

Writing my paper for next week's Oxford medieval English research seminar, 'Biblical poetry and its place in medieval English culture'. It's going to be all about misinformation, performance and nice medieval pictures. Wed 26th at 5.15pm, Lecture Theatre 2 in the English Faculty.

Giving up on the Today programme after 30 years. Why Emma Barnett has to treat every interviewee as if they’re a liar I don’t know but it makes my blood boil in a way that is not conducive to starting the day well!

Just had a box of mead delivered to my office so I guess I'm living the dream/ fulfilling everyone's stereotypes.

It's been a while since I posted a dad joke. Why can't you breed an eel with an eagle? It's eeleagle.

There’s an old Scottish version of “every cloud has a silver lining” that goes “today’s rain is tomorrow’s whisky”

tune in or drop by at 5.30pm for: a partially successful replica of a medieval buzz-bone; noble early medieval toddlers riding sticks as if on horseback; a feathered girl making out with a mermaid! 🧜‍♀️

Modern languages has been under threat in British HE for some time — really not helped by the policy change, in 2004, when the requirement for all pupils to take a language to GCSE was dropped. Fewer GCSEs: fewer A levels: far fewer students who want study at degree level, even as a minor.

Labour MPs who follow me on here — I know you’re there! — please do push for this change of 6 weeks pat leave at 90% of pay. And please also push for an increase in statutory maternity pay — to minimum wage! — and for pay to cover the full 12 months of leave.

William Caxton really out here spelling Christine (as in de Pisan) as "Xprystyne". I love early English printing so much.

Quoting mostly for the meme, but also: this looks like a good program!

Have you ever seen Mary look less enthusiastic about becoming the Mother of God than here? 13th Century Carrow Psalter, fol 23v, detail from www.thedigitalwalters.org/Data/Walters...

Wonderful story. Deservedly on the front page.

No idea what's going on here but everybody seems to be enjoying themselves, and that's the main thing.

A book I’d definitely recommend. I read quite a few months back and I really enjoyed it. It touches upon texts that have often been overlooked.

One of the known issues with digitized MSS is the difficulty of grasping the scale The newly digitised roundel MS is 127mm x 127mm, or c. 3 matches www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/articles/par...

'And, because [Britain] lies almost under the North Pole, the nights are light in summer, so that at midnight the beholders are often in doubt whether the evening twilight still continues, or that of the morning has come...' #Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 8th century.

Roll up, roll up, it's the METh 2025 meeting on Sat 29th March, themed on 'Medieval Theatre in Action', with a stellar array of speakers, and my AHRC-funded 'Life of Job' performance ft. music, acrobats and cake. Registration £40, PG bursaries available. medievalenglishtheatre.co.uk/meet_2025/me...