Medieval Canterbury Weekend
For much of the weekend the air of excitement, expectation and enthusiasm was palpable in first Old Sessions House, Canterbury Christ Church University, on the Friday and Saturday, and then at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge on the Sunday. Nor were events confined to the lecture theatres because the guided tours of St Mildred’s church – ‘How to read a Medieval Church’ and ‘Investigating a Medieval Stone Building’ at the Poor Priests’ Hospital led by Paul Bennett (Canterbury Archaeological Trust); and the Westgate Towers and St John’s Hospital by Richard Eales and Sheila Sweetinburgh, respectively, were all fully booked long before the weekend.
Moreover, for those who were especially interested in archaeology, the weekend coincided with Canterbury Archaeological Trust’s 40th anniversary exhibition at the Beaney in Canterbury High Street, and it appears some of those attending the Medieval Weekend took advantage of this opportunity. For some attendees had come from as far away as Cornwall, Wales, Manchester and Newcastle, hence to have an opportunity to see first-hand the treasures excavated over this 40-year period was too good an opportunity to miss.
To return to the lectures, the joint organisers from the Centre for Research in Kent History and Archaeology (soon to be renamed the Centre for Kent History and Heritage) and Canterbury Cathedral Library and Archives were keen to provide talks by leading academics and more ‘popular’ historians under five themes: Book and Manuscripts; The Medieval Church; War and Politics; Kings and Queens, and Social History. These themes were chosen because they offered a broad flavour of the Middle Ages and had attracted excellent speakers as well as an appreciative audience. For example, Professor Carole Rawcliffe from Norwich had an attentive audience who were fascinated by her assessment of market regulations concerning ‘Poky Pigges and Stynkyng Makeles’, and other food stuffs that were sold in medieval markets across England. Another lecture within the Social History strand was given by David Starkey on the subject of Henry VIII and his relationships with his six wives, which attracted a capacity audience at the Cathedral Lodge.
that drew an appreciative audience was Imogen Corrigan’s exploration of the impact and implications of the Black Death on late medieval society, and she drew attention to the range of evidence available which provides insights into how people felt and how they sought to cope with this apocalyptic disaster.
Among the highlights of the Kings and Queens strand were talks by Dan Jones, Helen Castor and David Starkey, who drew large audiences as they discussed, respectively, Plantagenet kings, powerful queens and Henry VII. As David Starkey explained, Henry’s claim to the throne by inheritance was extremely shaky, and even though he was able to manipulate matters in his favour, he was beset by plots during the first years of his reign. Yet it was his attention to detail with respect to financial issues and his deployment of other royal governmental agencies that marks him out as a particular type of king. Consequently, with consummate skill Dr Starkey explained why he believes the first of the Tudors is perhaps England’s most enigmatic monarch.
For those interested in Books and Manuscripts, there were opportunities on the Saturday morning to visit a special exhibition of early printed books that Karen Brayshaw, the cathedral librarian, had organised in Canterbury Cathedral Library. Also within this strand were lectures by two of the foremost experts on early medieval manuscripts: Professors Michelle Brown and Richard Gameson. Both examined Anglo-Saxon manuscripts associated with two of the most important religious houses in England, St Augustine’s Abbey and the community at Canterbury Cathedral. In Richard’s talk, which opened the Weekend, he discussed one of the most ancient and precious books still surviving: the late 6th-century Gospels of St Augustine of Canterbury.
As well as Paul Bennett’s guided church tour, the strand on The Church included lectures by Diana Webb and Professor Nicholas Vincent who considered different aspects of pilgrimage and the cult of relics, using evidence from miracle narratives that are especially rich for St Thomas of Canterbury, but also survive for other saints, including some political saints from the later Middle Ages. Diana has written extensively on these topics and members may also know her from her extremely helpful sessions on reading historic documents in the KAS library.
The fifth strand: War and Politics also drew on a personage who is buried at Canterbury Cathedral. Michael Jones is currently completing a biography on the Black Prince and this most famous heir apparent who never became king was another complex individual. For as well as being remembered for his chivalry and military brilliance, he is also seen as the man responsible for the massacre of 3,000 inhabitants at Limoges after he had taken the city. Another speaker who examined late medieval warfare was Gordon Corrigan. He drew on his own military experience to show his audience why the revolutionary ways English forces were organised and deployed during the Hundred Years’ War had far-reaching consequences that are still relevant today.
Such a rich diet of medieval fare was aided by the generous sponsorship provided by a number of organisations from Kent, including Kent Archaeological Society, Canterbury Archaeological Trust, The William and Edith Oldham Charitable Trust and Canterbury Christ Church University. The organisers were very grateful for this financial aid and the far higher than expected ticket sales meant that the surplus could be used to give considerable donations to the four iconic medieval buildings visited in the city, and to provide funding for postgraduate prizes for students investigating Kent history topics. The first of these will be awarded this autumn and the Ian Coulson Memorial Postgraduate Prize is now established at Canterbury Christ Church University.