Catch up

Well a lot has been happening since my visit to the British Library.

I had a fantastic day researching at the Lambeth Palace Library, discovering some excellent relevant documents and maps, and had the opportunity of visiting the library in Westminster Abbey - what an awe inspiring visit! The staff in both libraries were fabulous - very helpful and friendly.

I have also had the absolute pleasure of viewing, and the opportunity to survey, three amazing cells in two beautiful churches, All Saints Church in Rettenton, Essex and St Nicholas Church in Compton Surrey. They both took my breathe away. Stay tuned for photos.

I did visit Exeter, specifically to see an academic in this field to discuss his research, unfortunately he had to reschedule our meeting to next year, due to other commitments. A pity, as I was very much looking forward to discussing his research.

I am currently in Edinburgh conducting some more archival research at the National Archives of Scotland and whilst here, I will be travelling to Chester-le-Street to view and survey another cell.

So much more to research....so much more to see....

The British Library

What an amazingly interesting place!
The library opens at 9:30am, I arrived at 9:15 to a huge line of people, so if you do intend going there, it is a good idea to get there much earlier. After walking through the doors your bags are searched, but they are very quick so it doesn't take long at all, then you look up and the wow factor really hits you. A huge white foyer greets you, to your left a gift shop, to your right an information desk and coffee shop and straight ahead steps to the most amazing world of books, maps and manuscripts!

After sorting out my readers card, a must have to allow you entry into the different reading rooms/libraries within the library, I went downstairs to the locker room to store my bag etc. (lockers use £1 coins which is returnable). You then need to pop your pencils etc. into a plastic bag, which is available free for your use to take this into the reading rooms/libraries. Cameras are OK to take into the rooms, but you have to turn off the flash, for obvious reasons.

Each room has a manned security desk, to which you need to show your reading card to enter - no card = no entry. On the way out of the rooms you need to show them your bag for inspection.

You must order the items you wish to look at via your online account, some only take 70 mins to arrive, others will take 48 hours as they are off site.

There are many different reading rooms: Maps, Manuscripts, Old and Rare Books, Social Sciences, Humanities, Sciences, Music and the beautiful King's Library in which only staff can enter. This library is in a glass casing, over four floors in  the centre of the library - simply stunning. I have added pictures of the King's Library to this blog for you the see

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The staff are extremely helpful (most of them in anycase) and some will go out of their way to help you. This is especially true in the Maps reading room.

The British Library is an amazing place to visit and research is a breeze there, with so much at your fingertips and wonderful people who are willing and able to help.

University of London International Halls of Residence

I have finally made it to London to start my research and survey work, which I am very excited about. I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised with the International Halls of Residence at UCL. VERY clean, modern, neat and comfortable rooms. I recommend anyone staying in London to stay here (short term rental area).
The food (breakfast/dinner) is good, all of the staff are very helpful, and the property is in the centre of London - only a short walk to the British Museum.

What will WOW my examiners?

I have been thinking of innovative ways to use new technology to WOW my examiners by adding something so different and inventive to my thesis.

This would not of course answer my research question, but would be more of a tool to use to help explain and demonstrate certain aspects of my thesis.

Do I want to keep it to myself until I pass my thesis in for examination - YES! sorry. But suffice it to say I think it will give my thesis that little extra zing that will spark interest and excitement about my subject.  So excited to be working on this project and cannot wait to really get started with my research next week in the UK!

Watch this space.

My Very First Blog - EVER!

As the title states, this is my very first 'Blog' ever! 

I hope by writing these blogs I will improve my social media skills and allow everyone a window into my research.

I am currently organising my schedule (meetings, fieldwork and archive research) for my UK research trip, which is coming up fast. One always thinks that something is forgotten, or that something will be forgotten, so there are checks and double checks and the inevitable triple checks before I go. 

One thing I am very excited about, is that I will be standing in the very same cells that these wonderful, amazing, devout people stood, where they prayed and lived their everyday lives, and in some cases where they were buried, between 500 to 1000 years ago! 

Who am I speaking of? The anchorites of England, Scotland and Rome. 

In understanding who and what anchorites were, there is a need to first understand who and what the Desert Fathers and Mothers were, because they were the predecessors to the medieval anchorite and their spiritual role-models. These early Christian men and women, in the years after the death of Christ, withdrew to the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Arabia to live in solitude in order to be spiritually closer to, and to better commune with, God. Most lived in the shelter of caves and survived by limiting their bodily requirements to the basics, as well as relying on the charity of those who came to seek their spiritual guidance (Valters Painter 2012:ix).

Like the Desert Mothers and Fathers, the medieval anchorite sought out solitude, to be closer to God. Their solitude was found in the form of a cell or 'anchorhold' as it was sometimes called, which was, in the majority of cases, attached to the north side of a Church. These cells had only three windows to the outside world. There was a 'squint', a small window which was set so that the anchorite could view the altar inside the church, and hence the Mass, another small window which was for light to enter the cell - usually set higher on the outside wall, and a third which was at all times to be covered with a black curtain (usually with a white cross sewn onto it). This window was to be used to communicate with those who came to seek spiritual guidance and prayers from the enclosed anchorite and from which to receive alms. 

Although most cells were in the middle of a village or town, this cell was the anchorite's desert, where they could be alone to pray for eternity. I say eternity because the majority, particularly the female anchorites, were actually sealed in their cells, so that it in fact became their tomb. They lived and died in their cell, and for some this was to mean being enclosed for up to 50 years before their death.

A part of my research is focused on these cells, their location, the construction, layout and size. There were obviously many variances, some even included a small garden which was attached to the cell (also enclosed so that the anchorite could not leave it). However it would have offered more freedom and sunlight to those lucky enough to have one. 

There has been much research completed on the medieval anchorite by modern scholars such as Liz Herbert-McAvoy, Roberta Gilchrist, Eddie Jones and Anne Warren, with major databases being completed in the early 20th century by the likes of Rotha Mary Clay, for example. However, I will be focusing on the areas in which present some major gaps in knowledge. 

 

I will also be researching for a conference paper I hope to present in Leeds at the World Medieval Congress in July next year. This paper will be focused on the Murates of Rome, anchorites who lived extreme lives enclosed in cells in the walls surrounding Rome, with just one small window to the outside world through which food, alms and light came in and waste out.  

I am very excited about my upcoming research trip and I hope to share with you some of my day as I travel around the UK, Scotland and Rome viewing some of these amazing anchorholds. 

Wish me luck!