Blog

On 24 April, 8pm, Antiquum Documentum are pleased to present a concert to celebrate the launch of the new book ‘Light on Darkness: The Untold Story of the Liturgy’ (Cosima Clara Gillhammer, Reaktion Publishers). The programme features music connected to the book’s main themes, by composers such as Palestrina, Byrd, Weelkes, Amner, Judith Weir, and… Read more: Light on Darkness – Book launch in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

The Oxford Medieval Commentary Network is pleased to present a plainchant workshop on 24 April 2025, 3-4.30pm in Christ Church. All are welcome; no prior experience necessary. Please sign up here or email cosima.gillhammer@lmh.ox.ac.uk

When? 26 April 2025, from 12 noon. Where? St Edmund Hall, Queen’s Lane, OX1 4AR Come One, Come All! Free entry, no booking required. On Saturday, 26 April 2025, a cycle of medieval mystery plays will be performed by various troupes around St Edmund Hall’s grounds. Medieval mystery plays were performed throughout the Middle Ages… Read more: The Oxford Medieval Mystery Plays 2025: Programme

Medieval Epic. Special Issue of The Explicator From the Editor-in-Chief: We invite contributions to The Explicator on any work of medieval literature that is conventionally considered (or should be considered) an epic. Eligible works include Beowulf, Waltharius, the Song of Roland, the Nibelungenlied, and other works traditionally associated with them. Less prominent works, such as bridal-quest… Read more: Call for Submissions: Medieval Epic

When? 28 March, 18:30–20:15 Where? Research Centre, Thatched Barn, Christ Church Meadow The anonymous English Enterlude of Godly Queene Hester (c. 1529) is a fascinating play, unperformed since the 16th century. Ostensibly in praise of Esther, heroine of Jewish history, the play is actually a political satire about the demise of Cardinal Wolsey. The fall of Wolsey,… Read more: Play: The Enterlude of the Godly Queen Hester

When? 2 May 2025, 6-7.30pmWhere? Old Library (drinks) and Crypt of St-Peter-in-the-East (performance) From the website: The year is 1320 in the stinking town of Netherhole. A young nun feels the hand of God clutch her guts, an ambitious Earl issues a dangerous decree, and a ghost rises from the river. Doctors, priests and rumours… Read more: The Netherhole Martyr – Dramatic Reading

We have made it to 8th week, and the sun has come out in celebration. The full booklet of weekly events, as always, can be found here. A few brief notes to begin: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Opportunities Until next term, Tristan

 A new DiSc-funded project within the Bodleian Libraries is working to transform the Bodleian’s TEI-encoded medieval manuscript catalogues into accessible tabular formats such as CSV, to support innovative research in manuscript studies and the digital humanities. By making these data more user-friendly, the team hope to foster new research avenues and collaborations. We kindly invite you… Read more: Call for Survey Responses: Enabling Digital Research on Manuscript Catalogue Data

The Oxford Medieval Graduate Conference Committee is pleased to announce the program for their twenty-first annual conference, held at the Maison Française d’Oxford on 24-25 April 2025, on the theme ‘Rituals and Ceremonies’. Interested in attending? Register for in-person or online attendance on the conference website. THURSDAY, APRIL 24 9:00-9:25 Registration (in-person) 9:25-9:30 Opening remarks 9:30-11:30… Read more: Oxford Medieval Graduate Conference Registration and Programme Release

Welcome to week 7: the full booklet, as always, can be found here. A few important points to draw your immediate attention to: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Upcoming Opportunities

When? 26 April 2025, 12noon-5.30pm. Where? St Edmund Hall, Queen’s Lane, OX1 4ARPreparatory Meeting: 13 March 2025, 5-6.30pm, St Edmund Hall (ask at the Lodge for directions to Henrike’s office) The days are getting longer, the sun has come out for three days in a row (!), and the flowers in Teddy Hall are starting… Read more: Get Ready for the Medieval Mystery Cycle

The group continues to meet in hybrid format at Harris Manchester College (see photo!). We study the literature of the Anglo-Norman world (the insular French of the Middle Ages) in four collaborative sessions per term, presenting and translating texts chosen according to members’ needs or suggestions. The range of material is inclusive: romance, chronicle, saints’… Read more: The Oxford Anglo-Norman Reading Group

We are seeking a highly motivated, inspirational person to join our thriving academic community of historians and bring exciting perspectives to the teaching and study of Byzantine History at Oxford. You will have the opportunity to join one of the foremost global centres for teaching and research on the history of Byzantium, and to develop… Read more: Job: Associate Professor in Byzantine History

The Faculty of History and Wadham College are seeking an outstanding palaeographer to join the team of medieval historians. Medieval History is exceptionally strong in Oxford with a large and lively community of taught graduates, doctoral students and postdoctoral early career researchers.  The collegiate university is home to the largest university-based collection of medieval manuscripts… Read more: Job: Professor in Latin Palaeography

Talk: Breaking Walls, A Graphic Novel: Reflections on Public History. Medieval Women’s Writing Research Seminar Friday 28 February 2025, 5pm -7pm Lower Lecture Room, Lincoln College, Turl St, Oxford OX1 3DR Medieval Women’s Writing Research Seminar Hilary Term 2025 Lower Lecture Room, Lincoln College Week 6: Friday, 28 February 2025, 5pm Speaker: Dr Carolin Gluchowski… Read more: Medieval Women’s Writing Group

Invitation to a tea party with LIVING STONES on SATURDAY 15 MARCH 3.00-4.30 in the Church Hall, Church Way, Iffley OX4 4EG. Come along and find out about LIVING STONES. Meet the Living Stones volunteers. Join in: Living Stones is looking for volunteers of any age, background or beliefs Living Stones is the heritage and… Read more: Volunteering at Iffley Church

Welcome to week 6: the full booklet, as always, can be found here. This week features the last of the Ford Lectures: Jocelyn Wogan-Browne will be giving a lecture entitles ‘“Et lors que parlerez anglois /Que vous n’oubliez pas le François” (manuscript dedication, c. 1445): Off-shoring French?’. Of special interest to many of you will be… Read more: Medieval Matters HT25, Week 6

Krasis is a unique, museum-based, interdisciplinary teaching and learning programme, which began life at the Ashmolean in 2017, devised by classicist (and historian of ancient Boeotia) Dr Sam Gartland and Teaching Curator Dr Jim Harris. In 2018, the programme won a University of Oxford Humanities Division Teaching Excellence Award. Hilary term 2025 was its 22nd… Read more: Krasis: Object-centred symposia at the Ashmolean

Week 5 rolls around – stave off the blues with an extensive course of medieval events. The full booklet, as always, can be found here. Events Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Opportunities

The Centre for Manuscript and Text Cultures’ Hilary Term ‘Work-in-Progress’ colloquium – Tuesday 18th February (5.15-6.45pm, the Memorial Room at Queen’s)  The CMTC is delighted to be hosting the following speakers:  Dr Riccardo Montalto (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II): From manuscripts to history: The reconstruction of the Greek manuscript library of Achilles Statius (1524-1581) Achilles… Read more: CMTC presents — “Work in Progress” Colloquium

Welcome to Week 4. Please find below the events and opportunities for this week: the full booklet, as always, can be found here. A reminder: the deadline for the OMS Small Grants scheme is this friday – don’t miss out! Events Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday For your Calendar Opportunities

Friday 21 March 2025 11am–5pm The Bodleian Libraries have recently acquired a previously unknown manuscript from the library of Humfrey Duke of Gloucester. First written and illuminated in Paris towards the end of the 13th century, the manuscript is an early example of the translation of the New Testament into French. Owned by Jean le… Read more: From Jean le Bon to Good Duke Humfrey: a new manuscript witness to Anglo-French cultural exchange

Where? Exeter College Chapel When? 27 February 2025, 7pm A musical interpretation of the Tale of Beren and Lúthien. Stuart Lee, Readings. Owen Chan, Organ Free Admission

The 35th International Conference of the Spanish Society for Medieval English Language and Literature (SELIM 35) will be hosted by the Department of English at the University of Málaga, 24th-26th September 2025. There is a long-standing link of SELIM to Oxford since offer Bruce Mitchell Award for early-career scholars which honours the memory of Dr Bruce… Read more: CfP: SELIM 35

The sun is out (for how long remains unclear), and third week is upon us. Please find below the events and opportunities for this week: the full booklet, as always, can be found here. Let me draw your particular attention to Brepols’ upcoming webinar introducing their International Medieval Bibliography (12th Feb at 4pm, see below).… Read more: Medieval Matters H25, Week 3

Welcome to Week 2. As always, we have an impressive set of medieval events for you to enjoy this week. A brief outline is provided below, but the full booklet can be found here. There is still time to sign up for the Medieval Mystery Plays on 26 April – just contact Antonia Anstatt and Sarah Ware. Of… Read more: Medieval Matters HT25, Week 2

October 24 – 25, 2025Binghamton UniversityBinghamton, NYSUBMISSION DEADLINE: APRIL 15, 2025 Queer, trans, intersex, non-binary, genderfluid, and gender-nonconforming people and sourcesare abundant in the premodern textual, artistic, and artifactual record, and studies of gender andsexuality in the medieval period are flourishing as never before. Yet, work on the LGBTQIA+Middle Ages remains limited—especially in our classrooms… Read more: CFP: ‘Always Here: Non-Binary Gender, Trans Identities, and Queerness in the Global Middle Ages (c. 250–1650’