The 2006 Symposium

Signs and Symbols

17th-20th July, 2006

Harlaxton Manor, Grantham

The theme for the 2006 symposium, dedicated to the memory of Janet Backhouse, was Signs and Symbols. Organised by Ann Payne and John Cherry, it explored the use of signs and symbols in the Middle Ages both alone and also alongside and through the medium of the written word.

Speakers included: Adrian Ailes, Mary Carruthers, John Cherry, Elizabeth Danbury, Lucy Freeman Sandler, Christa Grössinger, Phillipa Hardman, Paul Harvey, Derek Keene, Julian Luxford, Richard Marks, Jane Martindale, Stephen Medcalf, Nigel Morgan, Elizabeth New, Richard Plant, Andrew Prescott, Nicholas Rogers, Nigel Saul, Alison Stones, Meg Twycross, Magnus Williamson and Pamela Tudor-Craig Lady Wedgwood

A visit was made to Peterborough Cathedral where Julian Limentani, Cathedral Architect to the Dean and Chapter, discussed the architectural heritage of the Cathedral. The restored ceiling was analysed by Paul Binski ‘ The Painted Nave Ceiling of Peterborough Abbey’ in The Medieval English Cathedral edited by Janet Backhouse, Harlaxton Medieval Studies, vol. X (2003), pp. 41-62.

The 2006 symposium will be published in due course by Shaun Tyas, see Publications.

Programme

Monday 17 July

1.30 Registration

3.00 Welcome, AGM and Introduction: Dr. Gordon Kingsley (Principal, Harlaxton College), John Cherry.

3.45 – 4.30 Mary Carruthers, Thinking with images: the spatial and visual requirements of cognition and recollection in medieval psychology.

4.30 Tea

5.00 – 6.15 Adrian Ailes, Powerful Impressions: Symbols of Office and Authority on Seals.

Jane Martindale, The symbolism of the sword on King John's tomb at Worcester.

6.30 Supper

7.45 – 9.00 Pamela Tudor-Craig (Lady Wedgwood) Effigies with attitude.

Nigel Saul, What’s the name again? Remembrance and commemoration on early church monuments

9.00 Bar

Tuesday 18 July

9.00 – 10.30 Alison Stones, Signs and Symbols in the Estoire del saint Graal, a comparative
examination?

John Cherry, La Chantepleure – a symbol of mourning.

10.30 Coffee

11.00 – 12.30 Paul Harvey, Colour in Medieval Maps.

Stephen Medcalf, The colour blue as symbolic: medieval and modern.

12.30 Lunch

2.00 – 3.45 Nicholas Rogers, Dieu y voye: Some Late Medieval Instances of Divine Vision

Elizabeth New, ‘Christ Before Us': non-Eucharistic images and symbols of Jesus in relation to Christocentric devotion in late medieval England.

Nigel Morgan, The Monograms and Arms of Mary in late medieval England.

3.45 Tea

4.15 – 5.30 Phillipa Hardman, Sign Language: seeing things in Middle English poems.

Meg Twycross, Allegorical theatre: static or dynamic

5.30 – 6.30 Reception hosted by Maney Publications

6.30 Supper

8.00 Magnus Williamson, Illuminations and texts and their musical analogues

9.00 Bar

Wednesday 19 July

9.00 – 10.30 Richard Plant, Symbolism of churches in town planning.

Julian Luxford, The symbolism of East Anglian flushwork.

10.30 Coffee

11.00 – 12.30 Richard Marks, Architecture as symbol: representing Solovki monastery in the 17th century

Derek Keene, Signs and the city: recognition, scenography and the everyday.

12.30 pause

1.00 Outing to Peterborough Cathedral (with packed lunch)

7.00 Bar

7.30 Conference dinner in the Great Hall

Thursday 20 July

9.00 – 10.45 Christa Grössinger, Symbols - their use and misuse in interpretations of medieval art.

Lucy Freeman Sandler. "Gone fishing": Angling in the Fitzwilliam Bohun Psalter.

Michael Michael, The semiology of the Psalter.

10.45 Coffee

11.15 – 12.30 Elizabeth Danbury, Security and safeguard: signs and symbols on boxes and chests.

Andrew Prescott, Symbols and legends of English medieval fraternities.

1.00 Lunch and depart