Medieval Britain and the Wider World, c.400-1500

We explore the archaeological and textual evidence for connections and interactions between medieval Britain and the wider world, c.AD 400–1500. Challenging common assumptions about the insularity of medieval Britain, we start by examining the early medieval links between Britain and the Byzantine Empire, before looking at: trade and connections with the Islamic world; the Crusades; Viking and Scandinavian links; a 9th-century Anglo-Saxon embassy to India; long-distance migration and movement to medieval Britain, including by people of African, Muslim and Asian heritage; and, finally, the Anglo-Saxon emigrants who fled to Constantinople and the Black Sea after the Norman Conquest.

Course Dates

Course information

Who is this course for?

Our weekend courses are open to all adult learners with an interest in the subject and are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level.

Please complete any required reading before the course starts. This will allow you to fully participate and get the maximum enjoyment out of your course.

Course content

The seven sessions of this course challenge common assumptions about medieval Britain’s insularity by exploring evidence for its changing connections with the wider world from c. AD 400 to 1500. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the course brings takes you through archaeological finds, scientific analyses of burial sites and artefacts, textual references and medieval artworks to enable you to explore these interactions and start to analyse them.

You will examine a range of material in this course, including imported goods and artefacts from early medieval Britain, such as the garnets decorating the Sutton Hoo ship burial finds, Byzantine pottery and coins found across Britain and Wales, and Islamic dirhams discovered across eastern and northern Britain. These objects testify to Britain’s place in long-distance trading networks, and we will consider how the recording of metal-detected finds has greatly increased our understanding of the past. You will consider how these finds shape our understanding of such connections and their potential limitations.

Burial and textual evidence also suggests that people with African, Muslim and possibly East Asian heritage and connections visited, lived and were buried in medieval Britain. We will reflect on this evidence critically, including how it can be used and the limits of what it may show.

Finally, evidence indicates that people from medieval Britain and Ireland travelled to the eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea, India and beyond, both in the Crusades and for other reasons. You will explore this evidence, the debates over what it shows, and how it challenges assumptions about Britain’s medieval insularity.

Aims

This course aims to:

is course aims to:

introduce you to the increasing archaeological and historical evidence for long-distance trade, contacts and migration between Britain and the wider world from Late Antiquity through to the later Middle Ages
enable you to think critically about the sources from various disciplines that relate to these connections and how they can be interpreted and used
challenge old assumptions about the degree of inter-connectivity and cross-cultural links that existed prior to the age of European colonisation and imperialism

What to expect on this course

Teaching and learning will be delivered in person through lectures (formal presentations with slides) and tutor-led discussion, during which you are encouraged to be interactive and participative.

Learning outcomes

As a result of the course, you will gain a greater understanding of the subject and you should be able to:

develop an understanding of how new evidence and perspectives have modified previous views about the nature and degree of long-distance trade, contacts and migration between Britain and the wider world in the medieval period
start to evaluate the evidence for interconnectivity between Britain and the wider medieval world critically and familiarise yourself with how this material can be used and also some of the potential problems with elements of it
analyse and discuss how people from Britain interacted with other cultures and communities in the medieval period and how Britain was viewed by those outside these islands

Each weekend course features 7 sessions (1.5 hours each) running from Friday evening to Sunday lunchtime, plus regular breaks for meals and refreshments. On Saturday there’s also a longer break after lunch to relax, read or enjoy the gardens of Madingley Hall.

Course schedule and sessions

Please arrive between 4.30pm and 6.30pm. You can meet other course members in the Bar, which opens at 5.00pm. Tea and coffee-making facilities are available in the bedrooms.

Friday

Time	Activity
7:00pm	Dinner
8:30pm to 10:00pm	Britain and the Byzantine Empire in the early medieval period
10:00pm	Terrace Bar open for informal discussion

Saturday

Time	Activity
7:30am	Breakfast (for residents only)
9:00am to 10:30am	Trade and influences from the Vikings to the Late Middle Ages
10:30am	Coffee
11:00am to 12:30pm	The archaeological and textual evidence for cultural diversity in medieval Britain
1:00pm	Lunch
2:00pm to 4:00pm	Free time
4:00pm	Tea
4:30pm to 6:00pm	Tin, Wool and al-Majūs: Britain and the medieval Islamic World
6:30pm	Dinner
8:00pm to 9:30pm	The Anglo-Saxons abroad: evidence for Anglo-Saxon travel and activity beyond Britain
9:30pm	Terrace Bar open for informal discussion

Sunday

Time	Activity
7:30am	Breakfast (for residents only)
9:00am to 10:30am	Britain and the Crusades
10:30am	Coffee
11:00am to 12:30pm	Emigrants, travellers and conquerors after the Norman Conquest
12:45pm	Lunch

The course ends after lunch.

Madingley Hall: an immersive experience 

Teaching and included meals take place at Madingley Hall, just 4 miles from the centre of Cambridge. A beautiful 16th-century Tudor hall, set in 8 acres of landscaped gardens designed by Capability Brown, it's a wonderful place to soak up the atmosphere, or spend free time reading and relaxing.

Stay at Madingley Hall

For the full experience, book to stay at Madingley Hall. Rooms are comfortable, with views over the woods, gardens and courtyard. Each en-suite room has Wi-Fi, TV, phone, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Breakfast is included in the accommodation rate. 

A lift gives access to two bedrooms adapted for wheelchair users. All ground floor areas can be reached once inside the building. A lift also gives access to first floor teaching rooms for those unable to use stairs. Let us know any additional requirements when booking.

Check-in is from 4.30pm and check-out is by 11.00am. Please remember to check out before your Sunday morning class starts, luggage storage facilities are available at Reception.

For more information on accommodation fees and booking options see ‘Fees and financial support’ below.

Stay nearby

If you choose to stay nearby, no problem. You’ll still be able to enjoy the grounds during the day and enjoy the award-winning cuisine in our elegant dining hall.

Meals

As a student, you'll enjoy award-winning cuisine in our elegant dining hall. Lunch and dinner are included in the course price. Lunches and Friday evening dinner are served buffet-style, while on Saturday evening, you’ll enjoy a served dinner.

Dietary requirements

If you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies, please let us know when booking.  

Getting to Madingley Hall 

Madingley Hall is in the village of Madingley (CB23 8AQ), 4 miles west of Cambridge. It's 60 minutes from London, with excellent links to London airports.  And It's easily accessible from the M11, A14 and A428.

If you're arriving in Cambridge by train you can take a taxi to Madingley Hall. Please contact Reception (by Saturday evening) to book a taxi for your return journey.  

Parking 

Free on-site car parking is available and we have a small number of spaces close to the Hall entrance for Blue Badge holders.

Fees

Weekend course	Fee
Including tuition, lunches, evening meals, tea and coffee	£475

Accommodation, including bed and breakfast	Fee for Friday and Saturday night
Single room (£85 per night)	£170
Double or twin room: shared with another course attendee (£65 per night, per person)	£130
Double or twin room: for single occupancy (£110 per night)	£220

Financial support

We offer a range of concessions for our weekend courses including:

Benefits concession: 25% reduction of weekend tuition fee, applicable to recipients of a UK state benefit.
School concession: 25% reduction of weekend tuition fee, applicable to staff who hold a contract of employment in any school or further education institution.
Cambridge Alumni (CAMCard) concession: 10% reduction of weekend tuition fee for Cambridge University alumni, applicable to learners with confirmed alumni status of the University of Cambridge and who are CAMCard holders.
University of Cambridge staff concession: 25% reduction of weekend tuition fee, applicable to employees who hold a contract of employment with the University or one of its Colleges.

To apply for a concession, place your booking and supply the required proof when prompted.

A concession cannot be used in conjunction with any other concessions or bursaries, apart from the PACE Open Access Bursary or the Early Bird Concession.

Please see our concessions page for further details.

Booking a weekend course

We recommend that you book early and well before the booking deadline to avoid disappointment.

To book a weekend course and accommodation click the 'Book now' button in the course details section on this page. You'll go through to our secure bookings portal where you can create an account with us, select your booking options and make payment.

Please let us know about any dietary or support requirements when booking.

Waitlist

If the course is full, the ‘Book now’ button will be replaced with ‘Add to waitlist’. Please add yourself to the waiting list and we'll send you an email if a place becomes available.

Paying for your weekend course

You can pay for your course by credit/debit card using our secure online booking system, unless otherwise arranged.

Payment options

You can pay:

in full at the time of booking
in 2 instalments (the first is 15% of the full fee, and the 85% balance is due 14 working days before the course starts, which will be taken automatically if your payment card is stored in our system)

All bookings made after the booking deadline must be paid in full.

Booking deadlines

Bookings close 14 working days before the start of the course. 

Late bookings

If places are available, we can accept late bookings, after the booking deadline but before the course start date.

We cannot always accommodate complex dietary/allergen or other additional support requirements for any bookings received or any requirements added after the booking deadline. Please consider this if you're asking to book after the deadline and have special requirements.

Visa requirements

It's important to be aware that entering the UK as a visitor for study purposes comes with certain expectations and restrictions.

To make sure you understand the requirements, we advise you to read the in-depth information on the University’s International Students website.

If you already have immigration permission in the UK, please inform us so we are able to confirm whether this allows you to study on the Weekend Courses.