Everyday Life and Belief in Late Medieval England

Throughout the lockdown Claire has been providing free online Continuing Professional Development sessions for teachers across the country. Some of her most recent sessions have been for the University of Reading’s PGCE in History, the University of Cambridge’s PGCE in History and the Bolder Academy Continuing Professional Development network.

Focusing on important aspects of daily life and belief in the age of the Black Death, Claire has delivered sessions on using primary sources from the period to help students understand the impact of the pandemic on English towns. In particular she focused on how religion played an important part in everyday life and in understanding and responding to the disease; she also looked at how workers and women faired in the decades afterwards. A filmed version of the talk she gave on 17th July 2020 can be viewed below.

(Image credit: Drawing of St. Patrick's Purgatory in Legenda Aurea, University Library Heidelberg, folio 338r, 1419. Available under the Creative Commons Licence).