Happy #IMC2026 acceptance day. I'll be sharing details of the two strands of Arms, Armour, and the Arts of Combat (that's right, twenty-four papers!) very soon.

Call for papers! This year's sessions on Arms, Armour, and the Arts of Combat at the @imc-leeds.bsky.social demonstrated some excellent research and produced much brilliant discussion. Please do circulate to any interested parties. #imc2025 #imc2026

The 2019 edition of Freydal is a pleasure to work with. Partially because it's so heavy that just taking it off the shelf counts as a workout.

'Masters of Defence: Fencers and Fencing in England, c. 1400-1600'

Next Friday evening, at 7pm UK time, I’ll be talking about my research for the German Federation for Historical Fencing.
You can join the talk here:
(uni-trier.zoom-x.de/j/6650319538...)
Meeting-ID: 665 0319 5383
Password: 4w2v9GN6

Yesterday I celebrated the greatest professional accomplishment of my career yet; I managed to find a tie that paired with a green, orange, black, and gold outfit. I also graduated with my PhD.

It's my graduation ceremony on Tuesday. When I graduated with my MA from Cardiff, I decided to be photographed holding a pollaxe instead of the cheap plastic roll everyone was given to hold for a few minutes. Not only did this mean I skipped the queues, but had a security escort while on campus.

Call for papers! This year's sessions on Arms, Armour, and the Arts of Combat at the @imc-leeds.bsky.social demonstrated some excellent research and produced much brilliant discussion. Please do circulate to any interested parties. #imc2025 #imc2026

I summon the medievalists of @imc-leeds.bsky.social to the dance! #imc2025

If you're staring into your morning cornflakes deciding what to do at @imc-leeds.bsky.social today, why not come to the first session of Arms, Armour, and the Arts of Combat? We have an excellent session on tournaments to kick off. #imc2025 #s532

Happy birthday to Albrecht Dürer, seen here in these two completely identical self-portraits.

Love a good woodland walk me.

I'm down in Devon taking a well-earned break. Yesterday I went up to Crockern Tor. Some say it's the home of Old Crockern, a spirit of the moors who looks out from a face in the rock on the right in this picture and rides out on a skeletal steed at night.

One aspect of my research into historical fencing practices which really interests me is what did the schools where people learned how to fight look like? Many fight books, such as these two examples, often show grand classrooms, sometimes with references to antiquity.

Very happy to announce that I passed my PhD defence on Monday with only editorial corrections. Thanks to my examiners, Professor Steven Gunn and @earlymodernjohn.bsky.social, for an enjoyable and thought-provoking viva.
#medieval #phd

Get yourself a partner who knows exactly how to decorate the flat.

On the way to my final, pre-viva supervision. I believe this is what they call a good hair day.

It seems like a good a time as any to finally join BlueSky! I'll be posting about research soon enough, but for now here's a photo from a walk in Devon earlier this week.