Out of the Margins

Every history book, even when it is dispatched to the printers, is a work in progress, ready to be revised.

A young Anglo-Saxon woman with a taste for the finer things in life is the unlikely inspiration for a new pilgrim route. 

The mild anarchy of piles of second-hand books reminds us of the simple, contingent encounters we have all missed during lockdown. 

We should listen to the voices of the past, for they may surprise us with their relevance.

The pandemic has created a dividing line for our time, like many others in the past.

Those immersed in history are never alone, even when the company they keep is invisible.

History is often advanced by chance encounters, a rare luxury in our current condition. 

To imagine the beliefs and desires of our fellow beings is fundamental to the pursuit of history. Such empathy is needed now more than ever.

Will the pandemic see a boom in local history, or will it spur a desire for global perspectives? Perhaps both.

The recent discovery of an Anglo-Saxon saint’s relics reminds us of the fragility of human life and the power of hope.