Department Member, Centre for Medieval Studies
Research Associate
Thesis Title: The Meaning, Practice and Context of Private Prayer in Late Anglo-Saxon England
About
I have recently completed a PhD on private prayer texts in late Anglo-Saxon monasticism. I consider sources in both Latin and Old English, looking at the Carolingian roots of many Anglo-Saxon prayers, at private adaptations of liturgies, at devotion to the cross, and at confession.
A particular feature of my work is the contention that private prayer should be defined not by its textual origins (these prayers are often derived from communal liturgies) but by their usage in private devotion. For this reason, I pay especially close attention to how, when, where and why Anglo-Saxon monks and nuns prayed, giving evidence from the prayer guides found in eleventh-century manuscripts.
More generally, my interests include:
Lived religion
Medieval Latin and English literature
Anglo-Saxon studies
The Old English language (which I taught in 2008-9)
Medieval medicine and science
Charms and prognostics
