One week intensive English Palaeography course - 24-28 March 2025
Course Overview
This is an introductory course which does not require any prior knowledge of palaeography. We shall examine the main styles of English handwriting over the period 1500 to 1800. The seminars will be interactive, and equip you with plenty of experience in reading a wide range of early modern English documents in a supportive group setting. There will be the opportunity to share your own particular historiographical interests and palaeographical needs. The classes will be led by Dr Anastasia Stylianou, a historian with expertise in early modern English cultural and social history.Contact email: anastasia.stylianou@lincoln.oxon.org
Course takes place Monday-Friday, 24-28 March 2025, 5.30-7.30pm (UK time), and as all places are allocated, no more applications can be taken (sorry).
Getting Started, and Italic Hand
Class 1 will begin with a general introduction to early modern palaeography, in which I’ll give some useful context and general advice, and will then help you to begin to recognize some of the letter forms and contractions. In the second half of the class, we will then focus upon a particular type of early modern English handwriting, called italic hand. This style of handwriting was first developed in Italy during the Renaissance. We will work together as a group to translate a document written by Elizabeth I in italic hand.
Cursive Style
In Class 2 we’ll look at cursive handwriting. The name originates from the Latin ‘currere’ meaning ‘to run’, and this type of hand was used for writing at speed. We’ll first work together through an early eighteenth-century shipwright’s will, and then explore a slightly trickier example of this style of handwriting as seen in an early seventeenth-century recipe for mince pies!
Secretary Hand
In Class 3, we’ll look at a type of cursive called secretary hand. This was mostly used for business purposes. We’ll first examine the testimony of an Irishman who was press-ganged into service with the Spanish Armada! We’ll then have a look at an early seventeenth century administrative document from a manor in Cumberland.
Chancery Hand and Mixed Hand
In Class 4, we’ll look at two different types of handwriting. Chancery hand was a very distinctive hand used in the royal chancery at Westminster. We’ll explore this style of handwriting by looking at a mid-eighteenth-century Act of Parliament. Mixed hand refers to early modern handwriting that mixes letter forms from different hands. We’ll analyse together an example in a legal document from a case brought before the Court of the Star Chamber during the reign of Henry VIII.
Choice of Topic
In the fifth and final class, you can follow your interests! There will be a chance to discuss any documents which you have come across in your research and have found particularly interesting or tricky. You can also choose whether to spend more time looking at some of the hands we’ve studied previously, or whether to look at one or two examples more unusual early modern hands.
