Written by Gregor Smith.
Medieval medicine, religious texts, and a unique account of King Arthur’s death were all included in a manuscript gifted to the University of Lincoln recently.
The Thornton manuscript is named after the fifteenth century Yorkshire landowner who created it. It was given to the university by Lincoln Cathedral and is part of their joint ambition to support historical study in the city.
The texts were presented to a group of postgraduate students in the cathedral’s expansive Medieval Library, by Dr Mark Hocknull, Canon Chancellor at the Cathedral and a Visiting Senior Fellow at the University of Lincoln.
He said: “The Thornton Manuscript is a hugely significant collection of texts that is used by academics from all over the world.”
“It is one of the most popular manuscripts housed in our library at Lincoln Cathedral.”
It is expected to be useful for current doctoral research, as well as in the university’s BA History and MA Medieval Studies programmes.
Dr Hocknull said that staff at Lincoln Cathedral “are eager to encourage this kind of scholarship and to support access to some of the world’s most important medieval documents.”
The two institutions are also looking for a joint librarian to develop access to the medieval collections at the cathedral and the university, as well as helping with research projects.
Dr Joanna Huntington, one of the University’s specialists in medieval history, said:
“We are keen to develop teaching, learning and research links with Lincoln Cathedral, which is home to a magnificent wealth of medieval history.”
“We are lucky enough to have it here on our doorstep. Lincoln has a fascinating tradition of historiographical and literary culture in the Middle Ages, and we relish the opportunity to build on that in the twenty-first century.
“As our partnership with the Cathedral evolves, we are delighted to be able to embed these links within our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.”