Medieval History
Dr Elizabeth Boyle writes:
From 17th - 20th August, the ASNC Department hosted our first Sutton Trust Summer School in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic. The students who took part came from state schools all over the country, from Barnsley to Ross-on-Wye, Stockport to Peterborough, in order to experience life as an undergraduate at Cambridge. The School began with an introduction to Anglo-Saxon History from Prof. Simon Keynes, followed by an introduction to the Vikings from our Head of Department, Dr Máire Ní Mhaonaigh. As in the case of real undergraduate study, the information gained in these lectures was then consolidated in small-group supervisions on Anglo-Saxon and Viking-Age History, led by PhD students and Junior Research Fellows in the ASNC Department. In the afternoon, Dr Richard Dance introduced the students to the basics of the Old English and Old Norse languages, and again this was consolidated in supervisions which focused on Old English and Old Norse literature.
The second day began with an introduction to medieval Welsh language and literature from Dr Paul Russell. This involved lessons in how to hang a mouse in medieval Welsh (and if this makes no sense to you, I suggest you read the Mabinogi). Afterwards, I gave a seminar on medieval Irish literature, which included some lively discussion on the 'Death of Conchobar'. In the afternoon the students were given a research assignment in the reading room of the Parker Library at Corpus Christi College, which resulted in some superb presentations on some of the Anglo-Saxon and medieval Welsh manuscripts in the Parker collection. The students then had the opportunity to see at first hand the manuscripts they had researched and spoken about.
The final morning included a lecture from Dr Fiona Edmonds on cultural contacts in early medieval Britain and Ireland, followed by supervisions on Celtic History led by post-doctoral researchers in the ASNC Department. The Summer School ended with a session on university admissions, applying to Cambridge, and opportunities for studying medieval culture more widely, which was led by Dr Andrew Bell, an Anglo-Saxon historian who is also Admissions Tutor at Gonville & Caius College. The aim of the Summer School was to offer students a taste of life as an ASNC undergraduate at Cambridge: the disciplinary breadth of the Department is such that the students got an intensive, whistle-stop tour of medieval languages, literature, history and palaeography over the course of a few brief days, but they were unflagging in their enthusiasm, their ability and their dedication. We hope that the Summer School will inspire all the participants to go on to university and to further their interest in the medieval world.
- Sutton Trust Summer School 2015
From 18 - 21 August, the Department will be hosting its annual Sutton Trust Summer School in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic. The Summer School is held in association with the Sutton Trust, a philanthropic organisation which seeks to promote social mobility...
- Sutton Trust Summer School In Asnc 2013
Applications are now open for the 2013 Sutton Trust Summer School in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic, which will take place during the week of 26th - 30th August. The Summer School provides an opportunity for Year 12 pupils from non-privileged backgrounds...
- Outreach And Widening Participation
Dr Elizabeth Boyle writes: Applications are now open for our annual Sutton Trust Summer School in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic, which will take place on 13th-17th August. The Sutton Trust is an organisation which seeks to promote social mobility through...
- Parker Library Blog And Ccasnc
Two notices which may be of interest: First, the Parker Library, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, now has a blog, which you can find here. Second, the 2011 Cambridge Colloquium in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic, which is organised by postgraduate students...
- Upcoming Events
Forthcoming events in the ASNC department: The Cambridge Colloquium in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic will take place on Saturday 27th February. This event is aimed at postgraduate students, and other interested scholars. Registration costs £5: see...
Medieval History
Sutton Trust Summer School in ASNC
Dr Elizabeth Boyle writes:
From 17th - 20th August, the ASNC Department hosted our first Sutton Trust Summer School in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic. The students who took part came from state schools all over the country, from Barnsley to Ross-on-Wye, Stockport to Peterborough, in order to experience life as an undergraduate at Cambridge. The School began with an introduction to Anglo-Saxon History from Prof. Simon Keynes, followed by an introduction to the Vikings from our Head of Department, Dr Máire Ní Mhaonaigh. As in the case of real undergraduate study, the information gained in these lectures was then consolidated in small-group supervisions on Anglo-Saxon and Viking-Age History, led by PhD students and Junior Research Fellows in the ASNC Department. In the afternoon, Dr Richard Dance introduced the students to the basics of the Old English and Old Norse languages, and again this was consolidated in supervisions which focused on Old English and Old Norse literature.
The second day began with an introduction to medieval Welsh language and literature from Dr Paul Russell. This involved lessons in how to hang a mouse in medieval Welsh (and if this makes no sense to you, I suggest you read the Mabinogi). Afterwards, I gave a seminar on medieval Irish literature, which included some lively discussion on the 'Death of Conchobar'. In the afternoon the students were given a research assignment in the reading room of the Parker Library at Corpus Christi College, which resulted in some superb presentations on some of the Anglo-Saxon and medieval Welsh manuscripts in the Parker collection. The students then had the opportunity to see at first hand the manuscripts they had researched and spoken about.
The final morning included a lecture from Dr Fiona Edmonds on cultural contacts in early medieval Britain and Ireland, followed by supervisions on Celtic History led by post-doctoral researchers in the ASNC Department. The Summer School ended with a session on university admissions, applying to Cambridge, and opportunities for studying medieval culture more widely, which was led by Dr Andrew Bell, an Anglo-Saxon historian who is also Admissions Tutor at Gonville & Caius College. The aim of the Summer School was to offer students a taste of life as an ASNC undergraduate at Cambridge: the disciplinary breadth of the Department is such that the students got an intensive, whistle-stop tour of medieval languages, literature, history and palaeography over the course of a few brief days, but they were unflagging in their enthusiasm, their ability and their dedication. We hope that the Summer School will inspire all the participants to go on to university and to further their interest in the medieval world.
- Sutton Trust Summer School 2015
From 18 - 21 August, the Department will be hosting its annual Sutton Trust Summer School in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic. The Summer School is held in association with the Sutton Trust, a philanthropic organisation which seeks to promote social mobility...
- Sutton Trust Summer School In Asnc 2013
Applications are now open for the 2013 Sutton Trust Summer School in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic, which will take place during the week of 26th - 30th August. The Summer School provides an opportunity for Year 12 pupils from non-privileged backgrounds...
- Outreach And Widening Participation
Dr Elizabeth Boyle writes: Applications are now open for our annual Sutton Trust Summer School in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic, which will take place on 13th-17th August. The Sutton Trust is an organisation which seeks to promote social mobility through...
- Parker Library Blog And Ccasnc
Two notices which may be of interest: First, the Parker Library, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, now has a blog, which you can find here. Second, the 2011 Cambridge Colloquium in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic, which is organised by postgraduate students...
- Upcoming Events
Forthcoming events in the ASNC department: The Cambridge Colloquium in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic will take place on Saturday 27th February. This event is aimed at postgraduate students, and other interested scholars. Registration costs £5: see...