IMC 2015: Sessions

Tutors: Sean Cunningham, Paul R. Dryburgh, Jessica Nelson, and Laura Tompkins - all The National Archives: Public Record Office, Kew

For all medievalists the ability to locate, read and understand archival sources is fundamental to their research whatever their discipline and stage in their career. The National Archives of the United Kingdom (TNA) holds one of the world’s largest and most important collections of medieval records. The vast archive of English royal government informs almost every aspect of medieval life from the royal court to the peasantry, land ownership and tenure, the law, warfare and diplomacy, trade and manufacture, transport, credit and debt, death and memory, material culture, literature, art and music. However, finding, using, and interpreting the rich diversity of material is not always entirely straightforward and its potential for a wide range of research uses often unclear. This workshop will offer an introduction to TNA, show you how to begin your research into its collections, and access research support. A course-pack with facsimiles of original documents will be used to illustrate the range of disciplines and topics TNA records can inform and illuminate.

The workshop is aimed at all medievalists, from Masters students through to experienced academics in any discipline, who wish to discover more about the rich archive collections at TNA and how they might use them in their research. There are no pre-requisites for attending the workshop, although a basic knowledge of Latin is recommended. Participants will have access to a course-pack with readings and further information, as well as receive a certificate of attendance on the day.

Nick Barratt is Head of Medieval, Early Modern, Legal, and Maps and Photographs (MEMLEX) at The National Archives and specialises in the fiscal and bureaucratic history of Angevin England. Sean Cunningham is a Principal Records Specialist and Manager, Medieval & Early Modern, and specialises in 15th- and 16th-century records of English royal government. Jessica Nelson is a Records Specialist with interests in queenship and government in the 12th and 13th centuries in England and Scotland. Laura Tompkins is a Reader Advisor whose research has focussed on government, parliament, and household in the late Middle Ages. Paul Dryburgh is a Records Specialist with interests in government, politics, and warfare in the British Isles in the 13th and 14th centuries.

There are no pre-requisites for attending the workshop. Tea and coffee will be provided during the mid-morning break. Fee: £7.50.

The workshop can only accommodate a limited number of participants. Early booking is strongly recommended.