Flower of the Month: Leeds’ John Harrison – good Christian benefactor or ‘the very knave of knaves’?

A standard search of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography for “John Harrison” produces twelve results. Among scientists, artists, a horologist, a naval officer, clergymen, conspirators, one man is identified simply as “benefactor”—John Harrison (1579-1656) of Leeds. The only son and namesake of a successful clothier of the borough, Harrison inherited his father’s business in […]

Flower of the Month: Celebrating Corpus Christi in Medieval Durham

Today, 15 June, is the Feast of Corpus Christi. This feast, traditionally celebrating the ‘Body of Christ’ represented by the bread and wine of the sacrament of Communion, has been a highlight of the Christian calendar for nearly 700 years, and is still the premier feast day following the celebration of Easter. Special services will […]

Photos from ‘Theatrum Mundi’

The 2016 SITM/REED North-East Colloquium and ‘Theatrum Mundi’ play festival took place in Durham last week and proved a great success. We at REED N-E would like to thank all participants, performers, producers, directors and well-wishers for a wonderful experience with some truly memorable early drama on display. Here are some images of some of […]

Harrowing of Hell rehearsals

Rehearsals are gearing up for tomorrow night’s opening of “the oldest play in Britain”:  Lindisfarne’s Anglo-Saxon Harrowing of Hell! Come join us in St. Oswald’s for the world premier, and an exciting double-bill with Prior Lawrence of Durham’s medieval play of the Peregrini (‘Pilgrims’). Here are a few early (rather grainy) photos:

Knights of the Bath Behaving Badly

[This month’s ‘Flower’ is provided by the editor of the Percy Papers volume, Bob Alexander]: In November 1616, newly created Knights of the Bath may have engaged in very unceremonious activities, in spite of high-minded exhortations they had heard during their KB inauguration. So says John Chamberlain in letters to Dudley Carleton available at the […]

Flower of the Month: Harpsichords in Hull

The East Yorkshire port of Kingston upon Hull – though now gearing up to be UK City of Culture for 2017 – is probably not thought of as an avant-garde cultural centre in the medieval and early modern periods. It was bought from Meaux Abbey by Edward I for the specific purpose of establishing a […]

Flower of the Month: The ‘Lusty Dancing Priest’ of Rufforth

The “lusty dauncinge prest” of Rufforth In July 1581, Sir Tristram Tildsley, vicar of Rufforth and Marston, faced allegations in a diocesan court of the Archbishop that his behaviour on many occasions during the preceding four years had been “most contrarie to his vocation.”* According to those who complained, he had comported himself in ways […]