Gawain's Mum
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gawainsmum.bsky.social
Gawain's Mum
@gawainsmum.bsky.social
370 followers 330 following 360 posts
I'm Helen J. Nicholson, and I really do have a son named Gawain. I'm also a medieval historian, best known for publications on Templars and Hospitallers; and emerita professor at a UK University.
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gawainsmum.bsky.social
The loss of the British Library's manuscript catalogue has reached the UK national press (along with the assurance that "an interim online catalogue and manuscript archive is expected by the end of the year" -- I certainly hope so!) www.telegraph.co.uk/books/news/b...
Why nothing is being done about the scandalous state of the British Library
The institution is still reeling from the devastating 2023 cyberattack, leaving staff and researchers deeply frustrated
www.telegraph.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 9:08 PM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
My son muses on his life-long relationship with a computer that is older than he is. The Atari 520ST (on which I wrote my PhD, and which Gawain has used since he was old enough to manipulate a mouse) is now 40: thegawain.wordpress.com/2025/11/19/a...
An Atari at 40
Ten years ago I posted an article about a 30-year-old Atari 520ST computer and the background to Atari computers generally. The computer is now 40 (naturally enough) leaving a certain question of a…
thegawain.wordpress.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
pseudo-isidore.bsky.social
In case you'd like to try before you buy, the good folk @academic.oup.com have made Chapter 1 of my book free to view for a few weeks :) academic.oup.com/book/61370/c...
November 20, 2025 at 9:23 AM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
From the top of the cliffs south of Tintern (south of and higher than the famous Devil's pulpit), Tintern Abbey can be seen sitting amidst green fields. The Wye is running very high after the recent rain, but at present the fields aren't flooded.
Bare-branched trees frame this photograph, looking down into a sunny, wide, deep, green-bottomed valley surrounded by rolling green-and-brown hills. A grey-brown river runs down from right of centre; left of centre, set among green fields, are the grey buildings of Tintern Abbey. Above, the cloudy sky offers glimpses of blue.
November 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
Despite the lateness of the season and yesterday's heavy rain, Beechwood Park in Newport (south Wales) was looking lovely this afternoon:
Trees (some dark green, some with colourful autumn leaves, and some leafless) stand either side and behind a dell where a stream flows down a hillside through banks of plants; the 'elephants' ears' in the foreground has stalks of pink flowers. A humped-back stone footbridge crosses the stream in the centre of the photo.
November 15, 2025 at 8:49 PM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
The Usk looked very peaceful flowing through Newport south Wales this afternoon: the waters were high after yesterday's heavy rain, but not excessively so. However, the quantities of grass and wood in the water suggested that upstream it hasn't been so gentle:
The grey water of a river covers most the lower half of the photo, with colourful houses to the left facing on to the river, the white block of a modern theatre building and the red curve of a river-side sculpture on the other, and a lighted footbridge crossing the river in the centre of the photo. Cloudy sky above. The same river as in the other photo, but now the focus is on the muddy river water flowing under the bridge where the camerawoman stands, and the quantities of grass-and-twig flotsam coming down the river.
November 15, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
drdavidrundle.bsky.social
Are you a scholar of the fifteenth century and have an interest in the British Isles and its wider connections? If so, then you will want to know that @memsunikent.bsky.social will be hosting the 2026 Fifteenth Century Conference in Canterbury and the CfP is now open: www.kent.ac.uk/medieval-ear...
MEMS to Host the Fifteenth Century Conference 2026
www.kent.ac.uk
November 13, 2025 at 9:39 AM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
The news is as gloomy as ever and so is the weather (it's November), but although it's v. wet it's also still warm here and there are flowers in the front garden -- and the hazel trees are producing catkins.
Agapanthus flower. Christmas rose in November. Fuschia flowers, pink and purple. Bare-branched hazel bush with young pale green catkins.
November 12, 2025 at 7:17 PM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
Coming up on 11 December online from the Hospitaller Research Forum:
A poster advertising an online lecture and presentation by Daniel K. Gullo (Director of the Malta Study Centre at the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library at St. John's University, Minnesota) on 11 December 2025 at 18:00 hrs Central European Time.
November 11, 2025 at 6:39 PM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
My 2nd collection of previously-published articles is now out! Further book details (and ordering) here: www.routledge.com/Myth-and-Reality-Studies-on-the-Templars-and-Hospitallers-Medieval-Narratives-and-the-Trial-of-the-Templars/Nicholson/p/book/9781032565712 . See the image for contents!
Three books laid on a wooden surface. The two across the top of the image are open and show the contents list. The third is closed at bottom centre of the image and shows the book's title and author (for which see the main post).
November 11, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
histudentcon.bsky.social
Exciting announcement! 2026 theme and call for papers is out!
#medievalsky #cfp @downham.bsky.social @imc-leeds.bsky.social @medievalists.bsky.social
November 3, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
pseudo-isidore.bsky.social
Anyone got a spare £million? Asking for.... Well, asking for me news.artnet.com/art-world/me...
Rare Gospel Written by Medieval Women Could Fetch More Than $1 Million at Auction
A recently discovered gospel likely written by women at the abbey of Essen in the 10th century could sell for more than $1 million.
news.artnet.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
latineast.bsky.social
🔔 CFP | SSCLE 2026
Crossing Seas, Crossing Cultures
📍 Univ. of Porto
🗓️ 29 June–3 July 2026
Send proposals (papers, sessions, roundtables) 📩 SSCLEconference@gmail.com
🗓️ 15 Sept–15 Nov 2025
🔗 11th-sscle-conference-porto-2026.mozellosite.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
emp1.bsky.social
This 👇
gershbrain.bsky.social Sam Gershman @gershbrain.bsky.social · 16d
My reviewing style has changed over time. Rather than litigate every little thing, and pushing my own ideas, I focus only on 2 things:
(1) Are the claims interesting/important?
(2) Does the evidence support the claims?

Most of my reviews these days are short and focused.
November 8, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
marshslibrary.bsky.social
We are advertising for an Assistant Director to join us in Marsh's Library. Full details about this exciting post here: marshlibrary.ie/vacancy-for-...
October 13, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
sims-mss.bsky.social
This little manuscript contains a treatise on cosmography that describes and illustrates the Ptolemaic model of a spherical earth at the center of the concentric spheres of the universe, and includes diagrams of eclipses and an astrolabe (UPenn LJS 26) #medievalsky

🔗: https://bit.ly/41EAKFa
November 3, 2025 at 6:50 PM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
Pound and lock in the upper section of the flight of Fourteen Locks on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, Crumlin Branch. (I think the gates visible beneath the trees belong to lock 18 -- but I may be wrong: see the plan here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourtee... ). Spot the two ducks on the pound!
An area of water at the front and centre of the photo (the pound) lies below two tall, narrow, open lock gates at the centre back of the photo. A beech tree, golden in the afternoon light, stands to the side of the lock to the right of the lock gates and is reflected in the water below. The former canal towpath, now a foot & cycle path, runs across the centre left of the picture. Tall trees frame the scene. There are two mallards -- a duck and a drake -- on the water in the centre of the picture, and green plants across the foreground.
November 2, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
williamcarruthers.bsky.social
We're offering our MA in Heritage and Museum Studies as a two-year degree with placement from next autumn. I'm very happy to talk to anyone interested in taking it: www.essex.ac.uk/courses/PG01...
MA Heritage and Museum Studies with Professional Placement - Heritage and Museum Studies Degree | University of Essex
MA Heritage and Museum Studies with Professional Placement offers a unique opportunity for you to gain relevant work experience within an external business.
www.essex.ac.uk
October 30, 2025 at 4:58 PM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
Autumn light on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal at Risca this morning.
The green and yellow leaves of a sycamore tree cascade across the upper part of the picture, mirrored green in the still waters of the canal across the lower part of the picture. Orange and green water lily leaves are scattered across the surface of the water like flowers in a pre-Raphaelite painting. At the bottom right the canal bank is a mass of greenery including dried umbelliferae flower stalks.
November 1, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
handhyorkshire.bsky.social
Today is All Saints’ Day. The redundant All Saints’ Church at Harewood dates from the fifteenth century, it is best known for its six pairs of alabaster effigies (1419–1510) commemorating the occupiers of Harewood Castle and nearby Gawthorpe. These
All Saints Church Harewood Tim Green CC BY 2.0
November 1, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
friendlesschurches.bsky.social
Today, November 1st, is All Saints’ Day. All Saints is the second most common church dedication in England, after St Mary. In rural Derbyshire, we care for a church with this very common dedication: All Saints', Ballidon.

📷© CB Newham
November 1, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
lbflyawayhome.bsky.social
Happy 1st of November.
Here’s a biscuit tin, designed in 1958 by CF Tunnicliffe
Red squirrel perches in classic squirrel fashion on an old, moss covered log surrounded by autumn leaves
November 1, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
uniwalespress.bsky.social
*VACANCY*

University of Wales Press seeks a Finance and Business Manager!

For more information, visit: www.uwp.co.uk/vacancies/

Closing date: 10 November
VACANCY Finance and Business Manager
October 27, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Reposted by Gawain's Mum
enniusredloeb.bsky.social
November in this calendar is the time to put flax in a ring and to break it with implements, and to scutch flax with a scutching knife.
#MedievalCalendar
MS M.399; Da Costa hours, illuminated by Simon Bening; ca. 1515 CE; Belgium; f.12v
October 27, 2025 at 10:37 AM
gawainsmum.bsky.social
Good news! And about time too
tessmachling.bsky.social Dr Tess Machling @tessmachling.bsky.social · 28d
This is REALLY good to see. Too many colleagues were utterly misrepresented in this awful film, & in narrative surrounding it

They deserve to have their names cleared.

BBC News - Substantial damages awarded to academic over Steve Coogan Richard III film - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Substantial damages awarded to academic over Steve Coogan Richard III film
Richard Taylor sued Steve Coogan and two production companies over his portrayal in the movie.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 27, 2025 at 3:04 PM