Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York

Ramalya, one of our MA students, reflects on a year exploring medieval York — read their piece: https://blogs.york.ac.uk/student-voices/2026/07/16/going-medieval-in-york/

Curious about studying Medieval Studies in York? Amanda, one of our current students, reflects on their experience — read it here:

Finding Myself in the Medieval City - Student Voices Hiya! My name is Amanda, and I’m currently earning my MA in Medieval Studies. My academic interests are very interdisciplinary; I sit at the intersection of literary, manuscript, medieval, and library studies! University of York’s interdisciplinary masters, infamous among medievalists, felt like...

Another beautiful day at Heslington Hall.

We are delighted to be co-hosting the Society for Medieval Archaeology 2026 Conference at the Guildhall in York on Saturday 19th September. It is a jam-packed programme of all things heritage science.

🎫 Discounts apply for members and students, with registration starting at just £20.

🍴 Tickets include lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

Registration:

The Society for Medieval Archaeology | SMA Conference 2026 – Booking Now Open! The Society for Medieval Archaeology was established to study evidence of the past, whether standing buildings, landscapes, buried remains or artefacts in museums.

Earlier this week we hosted our CMS Summer Celebration 🥂 — a chance to celebrate the dedication of our wonderful staff and students as we wrap up the teaching and assessment period and welcome the summer ahead. The croquet set proved a big hit.

Professor Sarah Brown to head Merchant Adventurers!

During her term as governor, she will lead a series of events focused on heritage business and will oversee the installation of a new stained-glass window at the Hall.

Professor appointed governor of York Merchant Adventurers Professor Sarah Brown will head the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York for 2026–2027.

Shrinidhi Prakash, CMS MA student, enjoyed a trip to Durham Cathedral to gain a better understanding of its physical layout, as well as to explore its rich museum. The trip greatly enriched her research on liminality in Symeon of Durham's Libellus de Exordio, a medieval history of the church of Durham.' The trip was funded by a bursary from the Elizabeth Salter Fund, which supports research and career development of postgraduate students.

The Lords of Misrule are excited to present ‘3 Moral and Edifying Tavern Plays’, an anthology of medieval farce theatre at the Black Swan Inn this coming week, on the 24-26th April. Performances will start at 7pm, and tickets are available at the door (£7 for students, £10 standard ticket). Come along for some heartening tales of moral fibre (and also farts).

Next week is the Annual Riddy Lecture with Professor Cameron Cross (University of Michigan), speaking on: The Boundaries of Love: Romance as a Method of Joining and Parting (in) the Global Middle Ages

The Boundaries of Love: Romance as a Method of Joining and Parting (in) the Global Middle Ages Cameron Cross explores the medieval romance as a global Afro-Eurasian phenomenon, using love narratives to manage cultural differences and borderwork across disparate literary traditions.

Diana Wallis (CMS graduate and research associate) features on the latest episode of Out of the Archive Box, speaking on York’s Merchant Adventurers and the Petition of 1478: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6yAK0XrX6BYdZpQA3ViLO6?si=6FIGruWyQ_2BQ6pFoZsbfQ