Image: Matthew Paris, Map of Britain, c. 1250, London, British Library, Royal MS 14 C VII, fol. 5v
About Us
Strange Geographies: Spatial Imaginaries of Medieval Britain (UKRI project reference UKRI4381) is an AHRC-funded, 3-year research, creative, and Public Engagement collaboration between the University of Southampton, Queen Mary University of London, and the University of Cambridge. The project will go beyond the map to look at the wide variety of manuscript compilations in which geographical writing about the British Isles appears between c.1200 and 1500. The project will open up the unfamiliar and familiar ways the Island was represented: in compilations of descriptions, diagrams, lists, and poetry. It will look at how geography intersected with history for medieval writers, readers and compilers, and at the relationship between the geographical visions presented in these sources and regional and national identies.
A particular focus for the project will be the ‘Marvels of Britain’ (in some manuscripts, the ‘Marvels of England’), a shifting list of place-based phenomena whose properties challenged medieval understanding, but which also provide a precious connection between past and present understanding of space. Many sites described as marvels across the diverse manuscripts are still considered sites of wonder and imagination today: prehistoric sites such as Stonehenge; The Rollright Stones; Uffington White Horse; and sites of biocultural heritage such as Peak Cavern and Wookey Hole. This site will, when complete, host an interactive resource introducing audiences to the text and its sites. But through collaborations with creative organisations and practitioners, the project also aims to draw on medieval notions of wonder to inspire new creative work and engage new audiences. Working collaboratively with site custodians, volunteers and interpretation staff at selected ‘medieval marvel’ sites, we will develop the potential of the project research and creative outputs to deepen visitor understanding and enrich engagement.
We will post regular project updates, details of events the project team will organise or attend, and upload project resources. Want to connect with the project team? Get in touch via our Contact page.