MA Medieval Studies Alumna, Carol Lamble discusses her experience of completing the MA in Medieval Studies at the University of Bristol and recent placement with Gloucester Cathedral Library and Archives.
I was attracted to study for a Master’s in Medieval Studies at the University of Bristol because I really liked the interdisciplinary approach of the taught course and the existence of the Centre for Medieval Studies, which offered a wide programme of lectures and research seminars. I was also pleased to have the option to study part-time over two years.
I thought the chance of a placement with one of the University of Bristol’s external partners was too good to miss and was fortunate to be matched with the library at Gloucester Cathedral, under the supervision of the Cathedral Librarian and Archivist Rebecca Phillips and with weekly support from the university. As this opportunity took place during the second year of my course, my medieval Latin and research skills had been refreshed by completing the mandatory units of the MA, so I felt able to participate with some confidence in the placement project. This was to help create a parallel image and translation of the 14th-century chronicle of the history of St Peter’s Abbey (the Benedictine abbey that became Gloucester Cathedral after the Dissolution). This tells the story of the abbey through the buildings and achievements of the early abbesses and abbots: Historia Monasterii Gloucestriae and can be viewed here.
I loved that little book. Rebecca and I had worked together on images of the text over Zoom during my virtual lockdown placement so when I first saw it ‘in the flesh’ I was moved to see how small, portable and apparently well used it is. So many of the skills I learnt on the MA had come into play, from palaeography, transcription and medieval Latin translation to legal and monastic history.
I also enjoyed taking part in a project to help produce Tweets for the cathedral, in the voice of Kyneburga the first abbess of St Peter’s and a very important figure in the cathedral’s history. Rebecca has written more about this here : Kyneburga, Gloucester Cathedral’s First Abbess – Visit Gloucester
After graduating, I have carried on volunteering regularly at the Cathedral Library and am now working with Rebecca on transcribing and translating the book of donations to the abbey, also written in the late 14th century. I also help with tours of the library and act as a steward in the cathedral for public events. My volunteering has been made so much more rewarding because of my MA, which has given me a unique raft of skills across history, material culture, language and literature.