Centre for Medieval Studies

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Medieval Research Seminar

The Centre runs a fortnightly seminar series throughout the first two terms of the year, incorporating two public events (the Barton Lecture in the autumn, and the Orme Lecture in the spring, the latter of which is accompanied by a postgraduate seminar). If you would like to attend any of the other seminars and are not on the Centre for Medieval Studies mailing list, please contact the convenors, Thomas Hinton and Gregory Lippiatt.

Details for seminars in spring 2025 will be published in the New Year. Posters from previous years' seminar series are also available for autumn 2024, spring 2024, autumn 2023, spring 2023, autumn 2022, and spring 2022.

For the latest news from the Centre, see our regularly-updated blog.

There are no current events to display, but please come back soon for updates.

Reading Groups

Members of the Centre run a number of reading groups in their areas of study, to which any and all members of the University (and anyone with an interest in the field) are more than welcome. We currently run the following groups:

  • The Medieval French Reading Group (convened by Thomas Hinton and Edward Mills) meets weekly, on Wednesdays at 9:30am (Old Library 124), to explore and translate collaboratively a work written in the French of the pre-modern period. Our current text is the Jeu de Saint Nicolas, and members of the group bring a variety of experience with medieval and modern French, from internationally-recognised expertise to absolute beginners. All are welcome! 
  • The Medieval Latin Reading Group (convened by Gregory Lippiatt and Naomi Howell) also meets weekly, on Wednesdays at 11:30am (Forum Seminar Room 9). The focus is likewise on developing attendees' experience and familiarity with Latin texts that met with popularity during the Middle Ages, ranging from the short Disticha Catonis ('Distichs of Cato') to the longer Somnium Scipionis ('Dream of Scipio') and texts of monastic hours. For autumn 2024, the group will be exploring medieval accounts of the Trojan War.

Other Seminars and Events

  • Various dates: members of the Centre contribute to the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies' Monday Majalis seminar series, which will cover a number of medieval topics this term. Information about these events is hosted on the Institute's website.
  • Sunday 27th - Monday 28th October 2024: multiple Centre members and alumni (including Nicolas Orme, James Clark, and Desmond Atkinson) will present at the 'Making of a Medieval Library' symposium at Wells Cathedral. Tickets are available via the link.
  • Thursday 21st November 2024: Viktor J. Speredelozzi, a graduate of the MA Medieval Studies, will speak on as part of the Devon and Exeter Institution's 'Turning the Page' evening lectures series.
  • Wednesday 4th December 2024: members of the Centre will be involved in the new 'PhD Proposal and Funding 101' online Masterclass and MOOC.

Contact

If you have details of any other relevant seminars or events that you wish to be displayed on this page, please e-mail the webmaster for the Centre, Edward Mills.