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Tudors and Stuarts 2019

So that is the Centre’s fourth History Weekend which is done for another year and shortly we will start in earnest on Medieval Canterbury Weekend 2020. This will be the weekend of Friday 3 to Sunday 5 April with an exciting ‘taster’ lecture the previous Friday evening (27 March). More on this anon but now I want to concentrate on Tudors and Stuarts 2019.

Becket 2020, Cluniac rituals and the Cod’s revenge

We are now gearing up for the Tudors and Stuarts History Weekend on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 April. I have recruited a great group of postgraduates and undergraduates who will be the Welcome Team, and several staff members – both full-time and associates have volunteered to chair various events or ‘back-stop’ the tours. It looks as though it is going to be a busy and exciting time! There are still some tickets available, so if you are interested do check out the website at www.canterbury.ac.uk/tudors-stuarts we shall be delighted to see you.

William Somner, Archbishop Laud and Canterbury

It has been an interesting and busy week, and before I get to the William Somner conference on Saturday, I thought I would just mention that it was great to see the new Juxon Room at Eastbridge Hospital. They have certainly transformed a rather dark room into a light space that means the roof timbers are beautifully exposed to be admired at last. The other exciting feature is the glass floor panels that allow you to see the bridge timbers and the river below. See the photo below.

Princeton and Canterbury – bringing historians together

Before I get to news of events next week, including the William Somner conference on Saturday 23 March, and a report on the Kent History Postgraduates meeting, I have a stop-press announcement to make regarding Tudors and Stuarts 2019. Unfortunately, Dr Clive Holmes has had to withdraw due to ill health. Thus, he will not be able to give his lecture on Oliver Cromwell and witches, but I am exceeding fortunate and grateful that Dr Rebecca Warren from the University of Kent and an expert on the period, has generously agreed to step into the breach. She will cover the same topic but from her own angle and her lecture will be entitled: ‘Protector or Persecutor? Witches, the Devil and Oliver Cromwell’. Obviously, everyone at the Centre wishes Clive a speedy and full recovery.

Mapping places and spaces in Canterbury and Faversham

Before I get to the book launch and a meeting on mapping Faversham through time, I thought I would mention that the CCCU Kent History Postgraduates will be holding their monthly seminar next Wednesday. Our two presentations will be given by Janet Clayton, whom many of you will know is studying Scadbury manor and the surrounding area with special reference to the High Middle Ages, and Abigail Sargent. It will be great to welcome Abigail because she is doing her doctorate at Princeton University in the United States. Currently, she is on an archival research trip studying peasant communities in Kent and Normandy, again looking specifically at the High Middle Ages. Obviously, there will be a report on this seminar next week.

Folkestone, Faversham and Canterbury – medieval saints and other matters

Now that we are in March, I thought this week I would start with news of the book launch next Thursday which features Gender in Medieval Places, Spaces and Thresholds, and among the three speakers will be Professor Louise Wilkinson, who attended the conference at CCCU this publication came from and Dr Diane Heath, one of the three editors and the contributor of a chapter on ‘tombscape’. If that sounds intriguing, please do come along to the CCCU bookshop at 5pm. Copies of the book will be on sale at a special CCCU Bookshop discount. We will be having a wine reception, too, courtesy of the School of Humanities and organised by Professor Jackie Eales. Here is a link to this and other events taking place as part of International Book Day: https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/studentnews/celebrating-academic-book-week/#.XHjwF_vMLGw.twitter

Women’s History Month – gender matters in the workplace

Now that it is just a week away, I thought I would highlight Paul Bennett’s annual Frank Jenkins Memorial Lecture on Saturday 23 February at 6pm in Old Sessions House. As Visiting Professor in the Centre and Director of Canterbury Archaeological Trust, it is always excellent to hear about the work of the Trust, and this year I expect two of the key sites will be in Canterbury: Slatters Hotel and Canterbury Cathedral. This event is another joint enterprise involving the Centre, the Friends of Canterbury Archaeological Trust and the Canterbury Historical and Archaeological Society. All welcome to attend, so please come along.

Victorian Kent – ‘Dickens Land’

I have received an email from Dr Lesley Hardy to say the Anglo-Saxon Candlemas concert last Saturday was a great success at SS Mary and Eanswythe church in Folkestone. About 150 people attended and heard poetry and other readings, as well as musical items, including plainchant. I believe the final preparations are underway for the exhibition in Folkestone library that is coming soon on the ‘Finding Eanswythe’ project, so do watch out for further notices.

Medieval queens, Anglo-Saxon saints and a Roman fort – another busy week

Apologies about the short notice, because the Anglo-Saxon Candlemas concert is taking place on Saturday 2 February at 7pm in SS Mary and Eanswythe church, Folkstone. This is part of the HLF-funded ‘Finding Eanswythe’ project and will feature plainchant, poetry, songs and readings by candlelight in this 12th-century church. This Marian feast celebrates the presentation of Christ at the temple, bringing light to the world and sending winter on its way. Those taking part are Margaret Cameron as singer and choir leader, Dr Mike Bintley who will read passages in Old English, James Lloyd who will provide an account of the life of St Eanswythe, and the concert will also feature the Eanswythe choir. Do feel free to join them in Folkestone.

Hengist, medieval Jews and Tudors and Stuarts 2019

This week I want to draw your attention to a few of the lectures that will be taking place at the Tudors and Stuarts History Weekend on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th April. For full details see: www.canterbury.ac.uk/tudors-stuarts but before that yesterday was our Kent History postgraduates meeting, the presentations given by Dean Irwin and then Lily Hawker-Yates.