New purchase 📖 "Mary's Mother: Saint Anne in Late Medieval Europe" by Virginia Nixon. I loved researching depictions of St Anne for my biography of Elizabeth Boleyn, and I'm especially fascinated by late medieval imagery of her as a teacher to the Virgin Mary.

The Radcliffe Camera on a blisteringly hot day ☀️

One of my fave things in York Minster: a medieval wren stalking a spider. It reminds me that history isn't only kings and battles. Someone, centuries ago, found joy in the same things we still notice today. It's a reminder of how much we have in common over our differences.

A brilliant book for all early modernists. Since its release a year ago, I have recommended to so many students who have used w joy @patrickwallis.bsky.social @echistsoc.bsky.social @lseechist.bsky.social

#OTD 1483, Anne Neville was crowned Queen of England, alongside her husband, Richard III.

New article has just been published OA @womenshistoryrev.bsky.social ! Lots of archival work in here tracing the the women who ran “Indian houses” in #17thc London. Including one woman who may have helped plot the Glorious Revolution!! #earlymodern www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

If you're someone who like a hard copy, but you've been holding off because of the price, I'm happy to say that my book is being paperbacked at the end of the month and it's available to preorder now!

This is my favourite posthumous depiction of Perkin Warbeck. 19th-century artists are notorious for romanticising their subjects, but I feel this engraving really captures the tragedy and vulnerability that I see in the figure of Warbeck, whoever he really was.

Anyone who is mad about the appropriation of @rachelcleves.bsky.social 's research should go buy her book and encourage others to do the same: bookshop.org/p/books/char...

Please join us as we take the time machine back 400 years!

One of the few facts repeated about Elizabeth Boleyn is that she may have had an affair with Henry VIII. When did this rumour begin, and is there any truth to it? My new Substack post explores this question. You can read it here: sophiebacchuswaterman.substack.com/p/did-henry-...

CALL FOR PAPERS  📣   Experiencing Relief in Early Modern Britain: 1500-1800   We welcome papers from ECRs, PGRs, and established scholars. For more info (e.g., how to submit a paper) please see our website: earlymodernreliefconference2027.wordpress.com #earlymodern #earlymodernists #AcademicSky

Much cooler today so no need of dark shadows indoors and out. Perhaps this is a possibility for today in the garden - making rose garlands medieval style. Or more likely watering my tomatoes.

Edward IV was crowned King in Westminster Abbey on this day 28th June 1461. His wife Elizabeth Woodville was crowned 26th May 1465. The marriage of Edward to Elizabeth, which in fact was kept secret, shown here in the illuminated manuscript Anciennes Chroniques d'Angleterre, by Jean de Wavrin

Looking at this image of the Wife of Bath from a second edition of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" (SJC A.2.5 and MS 266), it occurred to me that she would fair quite well in the current UK heatwave, in her sun hat and linen dress.

#OTD 1509, Elizabeth Boleyn attended the coronation of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. This was her first recorded appearance at a court event.

Begging news outlets to stop illustrating deadly heat waves with happy beach fun 🏖️😎 and life-saving vaccines with terrifying needle assaults 💉😭. Especially on social media (where many/most people get their news) the photo is the most prominent part of the story; these choices undermine it completely

Archaeologists: D.C. Capitol May Have Once Been Used For Legislating

2 spots left, kids, for those who have been considering (next class will be in Jan or Feb)

#OTD 1509, Thomas Boleyn was one of twenty-six gentlemen who served Henry VIII at dinner at the Tower of London. This was a symbolic gesture ahead of the gentlemen being made Knights of the Bath the following day as part of the coronation celebrations of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon.

My new Substack post looks at Elizabeth Boleyn and embroidery. What items did Elizabeth embroider in her lifetime, and what might they have looked like? You can read the post here: sophiebacchuswaterman.substack.com/p/elizabeth-...

#OTD in 1483 Edward, the young son of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville was joined in the Tower of London by his younger brother, Richard. 1/2

@sophiebwaterman.bsky.social I saw the 'Boleyn Cup' in Cirencester earlier

Attention early medievalists! This workshop on coastal communities organised by Marco Panato & Irene Bavuso is being held in Nottingham (hybrid format via Teams) on 20/21 June. All welcome.

#OTD 1456, Anne Neville was born at Warwick Castle. The daughter of Richard Neville ("Warwick the Kingmaker") and Anne Beauchamp, Anne Neville was the coheiress to vast northern estates.

On this day 9th June 1363 Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince, with his wife Joan of Kent, sailed from Plymouth with a large retinue, landing at Bordeaux on the 29th. Edward had been created Prince of Aquitaine by his father King Edward III as shown here in the illuminated initial.

I've just received proofs of my forthcoming paper, "My Cosyn Margarett Keymes: Katherine Gordon's Kinship Links to Margaret Kyme", which will be published in volume 36 of "The Ricardian" in December.

Every review means so much to me, even small ones like this. A lot of research went into "Elizabeth Boleyn", and it's lovely when reviewers acknowledge that. Thank you, Deborah ❤️

On This Day 7th June 1394 died Anne of Bohemia, wife of King Richard II, at 28 years, possibly from plague. Richard said to be so grief-stricken that he had the palace at Sheen where she died demolished. Gilt bronze effigies on the tomb of Anne and Richard in Westminster Abbey

My new Substack post looks at the life of Muriel Howard, Elizabeth Boleyn's sister. Where did she grow up? Who did she marry? What evidence do we have for her relationship with her elder sister, Elizabeth? You can read the post here: sophiebacchuswaterman.substack.com/p/elizabeth-...

Academic research means reading 1 article, which leads you to a book and 6 other articles, which lead you to 17 articles and 4 book chapters, and oops now you’re an expert in the 1990s feminist criticism of Taylorist management philosophy, a thing you didn’t know existed until 3 days ago.

Another lovely June Calendar Page from the Book of Hours of Joanna of Castile, 1500, courtesy of the British Library. Working in the fields almost at an end, the hay being moved to a hayloft in the distance. A tankard of ale is waiting bottom right for necessary refreshment.

#OTD 1533, Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey. Hers would be the last solo coronation of a queen consort.

Celebrating the first day of June with another of the splendid images from the early 15th century Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. Working in the fields outside Paris with the Palais de la Cité and the Sainte-Chapelle in the distance.

if you are "using AI for writing," you are not writing. i do not know how to make this any simpler

#Anatolia’s oldest #crossbow nut found arkeonews.net/first-mediev...

Great charity shop find in Oxfam on Broad Street! "Ardent Queen: Margaret Anjou and the Lancastrian Heritage" by Jock Haswell 📖 It was published in the 1970s! I love older biographies. Of course I had to take it home❤️

My new Substack post explores the possibility that Elizabeth Boleyn taught her children to read and write. What evidence do we have for medieval mothers as teachers? How did medieval children learn to read and write? You can read the post here: sophiebacchuswaterman.substack.com/p/did-elizab...

#OTD 1465, Elizabeth Woodville was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey. She was the wife of Edward IV and the mother of the Princes in the Tower.

Isabel Neville - the forgotten pawn in the wars of the roses his-ill-fated-wives.wixsite.com/henryviii/po... #History

✨ Great opportunity to join the Special Collections & Archives team @mulibrary.bsky.social ✨ We’re recruiting a temp Library Assistant, closing date 11 June 2026 @laibluesky.bsky.social #JobFairy #LISJobsIE #rarebooks #heritage universityvacancies.com/maynooth-uni...

My new Substack post discusses the ways in which Elizabeth Boleyn acted as a role model and inspiration for Anne Boleyn, on par with the other powerful women who inspired Anne. You can read the post here: sophiebacchuswaterman.substack.com/p/elizabeth-...

#OTD 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed by sword. She had languished in the Tower of London for days after the execution of her brother and the four men killed alongside him.

How were medieval legal manuscripts created? How can historians utilise them? In his series of guides for medieval historians, in Issue 23 @joshcoulthard.bsky.social sat down to talk Irish and Welsh manuscript texts. Follow the link for more! 👇 www.epoch-magazine.com/post/a-begin...

My new Substack post explores the possibility that Elizabeth Boleyn dressed in similar clothes to her daughter during Anne's queenship! What evidence is there for this, and why might they have worn similar clothes? You can read the post here: sophiebacchuswaterman.substack.com/p/did-elizab...

#OTD 1536, George Boleyn, William Brereton, Francis Weston, Henry Norris, and Mark Smeaton were executed on Tower Hill.

I'm sorry, what? In writing my first monograph, I spent six weeks trying to track down a citation in TWO languages I didn't know. And good thing too, because the citation was wrong. That's scholarship. That's research. You know, the thing we're trained to do?!?

New podcast episode 🥳 I had a great time chatting with @ifitaintbaroquepod.bsky.social about Elizabeth Boleyn 💕 We discussed Elizabeth's family, her court career, why she's been left out of Anne's story, and much more! You can listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/6SYs...

Elizabeth Boleyn and Mary Boleyn spotted together at Blackwell's in Oxford 💕 @sylviabso.bsky.social