Canterbury Cathedral May Close

Lack of funding for needed repair work threatens to close Canterbury Cathedral. Allegedly, duct tape has been used on pillars to hold them together.

Brat and brew in Old Town Nuremberg

A walk through old town Nuremberg, Germany takes visitors back in time to the Middle Ages. An 11th century castle, toy museum, the home of Albrecht Dürer and over six acres of brewing tradition make for a memorial travel location. Russ Juskalian of the New York Times Travel section has the story.

Research article compares historical and mythical versions of Saint Patrick

According to an article by Laurel A. Rockefeller, "Saint" Bishop Patrick as we think of him is far more myth than history.

Quivers & Quarrels debuts as archery newsletter for the SCA

A new archery newsletter has recently become available for the SCA. The newsletter, called Quivers & Quarrels, is free and will be going out to all kingdoms via each kingdom's online newsletter.

Archaeologists hope to find tunnels under Nottinghamshire marketplace

Attention Don Wildman of Cities of the Underworld: Archaeologists plan to investigate if the legendary tunnels beneath a Newark, England marketplace really exist. The two-month study, using ground-penetrating radar, will be funded by the town council.

Plague burial discovered in London construction project

In the 14th century, Charterhouse Square in London was no-man's land, making it an excellent place to bury victims of the Black Plague. Now the site is the focus of archaeological investigations after being unearthed during construction of the city's Crossrail project. (video)

Medieval textile sources online

Manchester University in England has created a searchable website of sources for medieval textiles and clothing. The lexis of cloth and clothing in Britain c. 700-1450: origins, identification, contexts and change collects documentation from "diverse academic disciplines: archaeology, archaeological textiles, art history, economic history, literature, languages."

Niall inn Orkneyskii wins Lochac Fall 2013 Crown Tourney

Medb reports that Niall inn Orkneyskii was the winner of the May 4, 2013 Crown Tournament in the Kingdom of Lochac. His Highness was inspired in His endeavor by Liadan ingen Fheradaig.

Secrets revealed at Warwick Castle

Centuries-old Warwick Castle has revealed some new secrets. Time Team presenter Tony Robinson was among the first to see four new rooms  opened to visitors as part of Warwick Castle Unlocked. (video)

Roman baths found in Bulgaria

The Bulgarian resort town of Sozopol, on the Black Sea, has long attracted visitors wanting to relax. Now the discovery of a large stone thermae building shows that the attraction may stretch back to Roman times. (photo)

Face of "headless king" revealed

Four hundred years after his death, facial reconstructionists have revealed the face of France's 'Good King Henri IV' whose mummifed head is believed to have been discovered in an attic in 2008.

Higgins Armory lives on in auction catalog

Sadly, the Higgins Armory will close its doors in December, 2013, but a catalog from an auction of some of its collection, which took place March 20, 2013, is available to view online.

The science of discovery

Historians have long been fascinated by the creation of maps during the Age of Exploration. Of special interest are maps such as Waldseemüller and Ringmann's first map mentioning "America." The New York Times Science page looks at A Renaissance Globemaker’s Toolbox, a new book on the subject by John W. Hessler.

Toyoka Katsuo knighted in Northshield

Maol Mhichil mac Giolla Pheadair, Polaris Principal Herald, reports that in the last Court of Their Reign, Yngvar and Luce, King and Queen of Northshield offered admittance to the Order of Chivalry to Toyoka Katsuo.

"Lizzy" may have belonged to Sir Walter Raleigh

Shipwreck diver Todd Stevens hopes he has found a gem at the bottom of the ocean near the Isles of Scilly in the form of the Lizzy, a shipwreck which may have belonged to Sir Walter Raleigh. Raleigh lost a ship, the Flying Joan, in the area in 1617.

"Execution site archaeology" subject of German studies

Marita Genesis of Potsdam, Germany has an interesting area of study: execution site archaeology. Genesis is just one of a number of scientists and scholars interested in finding out how those executed died and how executioners, particularly in the Middle Ages, lived. Matthias Schulz of Der Spiegel has the story.

Pondering Ponce de León

The State of Florida is celebrating its 500th birthday, including debates about the exploration of Juan Ponce de León, who landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. St. Augustine is the traditional site of the landing, but historian Douglas Peck believes otherwise.

LIDAR may reveal camp of Hadrian's Wall builders

The study of a series of old LIDAR (light detection and ranging) aerial photos has led to the discovery of what may be a camp of the men who constructed Hadrian's Wall. The find could change the way historians view civilian life in Roman Britain.

Delights from Richard's table

Popular British chef, and "self-confessed medieval foodie," Clarissa Dickson Wright takes on the cooking of the 14th century when she prepares dishes from Britain's oldest known cookbook, The Forme of Cury, written during the reign of King Richard II.

Cottage wall plate "discovery of a lifetime"

Dorset auctioneer Richard Bromell had an Antiques Roadshow moment recently when he was told that a plate, "found hanging on a makeshift wire frame in a Somerset cottage" was a 16th century original maiolica, bringing over £500,000 at auction. (photo)

Mathematics solves mystery of Viking craftsmanship

Historians and craftsmen have long pondered the absolute regularity of Viking jewelry made from twisted rods of gold and silver, but a new theory by Kasper Olsen and Jakob Bohr at the Technical University of Denmark may have solved the puzzle: mathematics.

King Edmund under the tennis court?

King Edmund of England, later St. Edmund after being shot by Viking raiders in the 9th century, might be buried under the tennis courts at Bury St Edmunds, once the Abbey graveyard. After Richard III, some historians would like to know.

Richard III letter auctioned for UK£35,000

A rare document bearing the signature of Richard III before he was king was auctioned recently, bringing nearly UK£35,000. The document signed "R. Gloucestre" was written when the duke was in his twenties and involves a "land dispute between Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland, and some of his tenants."

Treasure shoe found in Rotterdam

Dutch archaeologists were surprised by the recent discovery of a shoe, dating to the 15th or 16th century, during excavation of a wall in Rotterdam's town hall. More interesting still was that the shoe was stuffed with 477 silver coins. (photo)

Roman fare at Vindolanda

British chef John Crouch is an expert on Roman cookery. Recently he shared his knowledge with visitors to the Roman Army Museum at Vindolanda, along Hadrian's Wall, through a series of events that allowed participants to "sample a taste for themselves of the Roman diet."

Hadrian's Wall to get new visitor center

Northumberland National Park Authority and Youth Hostel Association have teamed up to back a new visitor center and youth hostel for Hadrian's Wall. More than UK£10m will be spent on the project.

The intriguing history of the English home

In a BBC 4 series If Walls Could Talk, Dr Lucy Worsley, the chief curator of the Historic Royal Palaces in England, looks at the history of the home, its rooms, and their intriguing history. Video episodes are also available on YouTube.

"The Sons of Calontir" at The CalonSound Project

Mathurin reports that Ld. Johann Steinarsson's song "The Sons of Calontir" is now available at The CalonSound Project website.

Drink like a Nord!

Those interested in Nordic culture, especially when it comes to brewing, may want to take a look at a scholarly article by Christie L. Ward entitled Norse Drinking Traditions, delivered to the Alexandrian Company Symposium on Food and Festival in the Middle Ages. The paper is available to read or download on Scribd, the digital book and document website.

Scoliosis and its medieval cure

The discovery of the remains of King Richard III of England has led to the discussion of the king's scoliosis, "a lateral or side-to-side curvature of the spine," easily seen in the skeleton, and the techniques that would have been available to "cure" it.