Our social:

TAG: Professor Peter Vujakovic

Medieval Animals, Marc Morris and Kent History Postgraduates – great ideas

I thought I would start by mentioning a Kent matter. The Agricultural Museum Brook (near Wye) will be reopening again for visitors from Saturday 5 June. We at the CKHH work with the Museum in various ways, including the joint Nightingale Memorial Lecture in late September and Dr John Bulaitis and I are trustees there. If you want to have a look at the Museum virtually as well as opening times and other details, please check out: https://www.agriculturalmuseumbrook.org.uk/

Battling ducks, other animals, lych gates and Anglo-Saxons – busy times!

Many apologies to all those who wanted to join the ‘In conversation with Dr Marc Morris’ event on Tuesday evening, we experienced major technical issues just as we were getting started. However, Marc is happy to reschedule, and it will now take place on Wednesday 2 June at 7pm using Teams Live Events. We are keeping our fingers very tightly crossed this time!

Kent History Postgraduates and Kent Maps – exploring space and time

I thought I would start this week by saying that I really like the display in the CCCU Bookshop front window for Marc Morris’ new book due out on 20 May For as well as Marc’s very striking cover for his The Anglo-Saxons. A History of the Beginnings of England, Craig also has a couple of artefacts as part of the display that shout out ‘Anglo-Saxon’.

Lossenham project – exciting new development

More excellent news, congratulations all round to Lily who is now officially Dr Lily Hawker-Yates because her internal examiner has signed off her corrections and her doctoral thesis is thus completed. Indeed, a copy is now with the CCCU Graduate College and Lily is turning her attention to what next. More on that soon after the next meeting of the Kent History Postgraduates group.

Kent History Postgraduates and retiring academics

As well as being the feast day of St Calimerius – a 3rd-century bishop of Milan, persecuted and killed by being flung head first into a well, and invoked against drought; and that of several other saints, the 31st July also marks the end of the academic (financial) year. Consequently, amongst those leaving (retiring) from Christ Church are Professor Jackie Eales, co-director of the Centre, Professor Peter Vujakovic, from Geography and someone we at the Centre have worked with on several projects, and Dr Lesley Hardy, who as readers of the blog will know is one of the leaders of the ‘Finding Eanswythe’ project. We at the Centre wish them all the best for the future.

Mapping landscapes from Charles Dickens to Hilary Mantel

I thought I would just begin by mentioning that Dr Diane Heath is intending to submit her HLF ‘Medieval Animals’ project application in the next week or so, which is excellent news! Also good news is that several of the taught MEMS MA students are going to be working on Canterbury research projects this term: Amber’s project is linked to the Roman Museum, Ed will work on Canterbury Castle, Beth will be looking at the history of St Mildred’s church and its patron saint, keeping with Kentish saints Steph will be exploring material for the ‘Kentish Saints and Martyrs’ exhibition to be held at Eastbridge, while Alisha and Lizzie will be working with Professor Louise Wilkinson in conjunction with people from the Medieval Pageant organising committee.

Biodiversity and Medieval Pageant at Canterbury

I’m going to concentrate on the Medieval Pageant this week because it has now become a major day in Canterbury’s calendar, and once again Professor Louise Wilkinson led a team of staff and students from CCCU to bring family-friendly activities to those on the city trail, but first I want to bring other matters to your attention.