November 2015 – Medieval Section of the Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society

December Lecture: Chris Robson – The St Bees Man and Woman

St Bees Man Autopsy Team courtesy of Chris Robson

Our Christmas lecture at 2-3pm on Saturday December 12th will be given by Chris Robson of the St Bees Village History Group. Chris will be talking about the St Bees man and woman.

For anyone not familiar with this amazing archaeological discovery from the Middle Ages: in 1981 an archaeological investigation was carried out in a car park (where have we heard that one before? (!) – and even the students involved were from Leicester…), which was once the South Chancel of St Bees Priory Church in Cumbria.

The archaeologists discovered by chance a stone vault that would have at one time been in front of an altar. Inside the vault was a body-shaped lead coffin and the bones of a woman. The lead coffin was opened and to everybody’s surprise inside there was a body wrapped in protective layers of sticky linen.

The wrapped body after opening the lead coffin. Photo: Chris Robson

At a hastily arranged autopsy, the linen cloth was removed to expose a man so well-preserved that it was possible to discover how he died, to look at the state of his heart and liver, to see liquid blood in his lung and to guess what he had eaten for breakfast. The preservation of the body seemed to suggest that the man had been dead for only a few months, yet the building in which he had been buried fell down in 1500.

This lecture, which will be illustrated by some extraordinary pictures (sensitivity alert!), tells the story of the best-preserved medieval body found in modern times, and suggests who the man was and where he met his violent death. The identity of the lady is a key part of this historical puzzle.

This lecture will be held in our new venue at the Swarthmore. This being our December meeting, members will recall that we usually mark the occasion by bringing in mince pieces and savouries and mulled wine. This year I’ve been advised we can still bring in our own food and drink and we may even be able to use one of the hot water boilers to make cups of tea and coffee. If you are willing to bring some food or drink in for the meeting please would you let me know in advance so that we can co-ordinate and not end up with ten boxes of mince pies (!).

Writing a week or so after the event, I am pleased to report it passed off successfully and was enjoyed by all those who came, including the President. Members please be aware that Toby Jones can no longer give the advertised lecture about the Newport ship on 9th January. Instead David Cockman of the Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society has very kindly agreed to step in and speak to us about the Luttrell Psalter. This promises to be a visual treat. Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas and New Year.

Bryan Sitch
Hon.Secretary
Medieval Section
Yorskhire Archaeological Society

IMS Open Lecture

‘Men, Again, in Early Medieval Studies: Gender, Masculinity, Literature and Culture’

Tuesday 24th November 2015 at 17.30

Speaker: Clare Lees, Professor of Medieval Literature and History of the Language, Department of English Language & Literature, King’s College, London)
Location: Council Chamber, Parkinson Building, University of Leeds.

Richard II and the north

This Saturday, 14th Nov 2015, Alison McHardy is talking about Richard II and the north. Dr McHardy’s interest in Richard II arose from her teaching of this reign at three universities: London, Aberdeen and Nottingham.She has published a source book, The Reign of Richard II: From Minority to Tyranny 1377-97 (Manchester UP, 2012), which is intended to be the students’ friend. Also some articles:

‘Haxey’s case, 1397: the petition and its presenter reconsidered’, in ‘The Age of Richard II’ (1997).

‘Richard II: a personal portrait’, in ‘The Reign of Richard II’ (2000)

‘John Scarle: Ambition and Politics in the Late Medieval Church’ in ‘Image, Text and Church ‘(2009)

Her main research interest is in the relations and interaction between crown and church, and she has been publishing on this since 1972. In 2010 she published, with Gwilym Dodd, her successor at Nottingham, a volume called ‘Petitions to the Crown from English Religious Houses’ for the Canterbury and York Society, and this is the best-selling volume in the Society’s history.

With Phil Bradford, Dr McHardy is editing the material relating to proctors for the clergy in parliament. The first of the two volumes will go into production in the new year. This is also for the Canterbury and York Society.

With Gwilym Dodd Dr McHardy is working on a volume of ‘Petitions from Lincolnshire’ for the Lincoln Record Society – which she describes as great fun.

The lecture will be held at the Swarthmore Centre in Leeds and starts at 2.00pm. Contact the Hon.Secretary, Bryan Sitch, for more details.