Leonie V. Hicks

@lvhicks

Professor of medieval studies. Leverhulme major research fellow. Norman history and landscapes. Occasional gardening, knitting, cricket and Anglicanism 🗃⚱️📜

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Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· 24d

Normans at #IMC2027! Call for papers sponsored by the Battle Conference. Full details in the alt text and pasted in successive posts. Deadline for abstracts 15 Sept. #medievalsky #archaeology #skystorians @imc-leeds.bsky.social

Communities, Change and Collaboration in Norman History
Organised by Dr Mark Hagger (Lincoln) and Prof. Leonie Hicks (Canterbury Christ Church University)
Sponsored by the Battle Conference on Anglo-Norman Studies

2027 marks two significant anniversaries: the 50th anniversary of the Battle Conference on Anglo-Norman Studies and the millennial anniversary of William the Conqueror’s birth in 2027. It also marks the European Year of the Normans. We hope to organise sessions reflecting communities, change and collaboration in Norman history and welcome proposals that draw on historical, literary, archaeological, and art-historical approaches and sources. Potential contributors might like to think about the following themes although these are not exclusive:

- communities of practice: writing, researching and teaching the Norman past in the middle ages and now
- comparative approaches across different areas conquered and settled by the Normans to communities and change
- communities of different sorts, e.g. financial, administrative, religious, ecological, social and cultural etc.
- landscapes
- tools and theories for understanding change, communities and collaboration as applied to the Normans e.g. digital humanities, knowledge exchange, mapping, etc.
- modelling collaborative approaches to Norman history
- how Norman historiography has change/is changing the way we understand the Normans

Please send abstracts for 20 minute papers (in person or virtual) to Prof. Leonie Hicks (leonie.hicks@canterbury.ac.uk) by no later than 15 September 2026.

Proposals should include
• Title
• Abstract (max 200 words)
• Your name, institution, and role
• Full contact details (these will be used by Leeds IMC to contact you)

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· 25d

On my way home from the Battle Conference after a great few days of papers, 2 castles and a lot of friendship. We had a great day out at Manorbier and Pembroke, fantastic discussions and wonderful posters from the postgrads.

Manorbier Castle with the sea in the background. A summer blue sky.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· 27d

#BattleConference Chibnall Prize winner @areforbes.bsky.social taking questions after his paper ably assisted by knitted Orderic (next to the water bottle). A really good paper on monastic soundscapes!

Alastair standing next to a slide taking questions. There is a knitted monk on the lectern.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Jul 9

I'm afraid you've caught that habit from me. If you chopped my hands off, I would not be able to talk. Exhibit A

Leonie waving her arms around while talking.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Jul 2

Day 1 of the Millennium: 2027 European Year of the Normans. You can now browse all the events on www.millenium.fr #medievalsky #normans

The opening slide for this morning's plenary. It's red with white text announcing g the second European meeting fur the Millenium.

Delegates stand around tables in a tent networking and discussing events.

Me standing by a display screen showing the Canterbury Castle digital model.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Jun 20

Maths Half and I played T20 world cup Guess Who before Netherlands vs Aus. He forgot the rules. Apparently we were the most entertaining pair so far...

Guess who world cup style. A man stands on the concourse at Southampton. There are cricket guess who cards set up for a game.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Jun 16

Cricket!

Sri Lanka bowling, NZ batting at the Hampshire bowl

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· May 29

Because sometimes fine darjeeling in bone china is the only way to go.

Fine tea in a fine China cup and saucer decorated with daffodils. Laptop with work in progress in the background.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· May 26

I do not know why so many of my compatriots don't wear sun hats. I cannot leave the house without one past April.

A large dark blue sunhat with a floral ribbon. Leonie is somewhere underneath.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Apr 22

And being me, I was very excited about the remaining bit of William Rufus's wall of Westminster Hall. I mean Richard II's hammerbeam roof is cool, but look at this wall! Lots to be excited about over the next 18 months and a hell of a lot of work to do. 3/3

A very fine example of eleventh-century dressed stone wall.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Apr 22

I am not sure I have ever been in a room quite so full of soft power, but the British Museum curators had brought a long some of the Lewis chessmen which was very exciting as I've only ever seen them behind glass. They'll be off on a trip to Rouen next year!

Six of the Lewis chessmen carved from walrus ivory sitting on a black cloth. From left to right: beserker biting his shield, a seated bishop, one enthrned queen, one enthroned king and a knight on horseback.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Apr 21

Mannheim 2022. Massive exhibition on the Normans that I was involved in. To this day I have no idea why Mannheim hoste dan exhibition on the Normans.

Leonie is wearing a dark blue dress with a white bird print and, more importantly, a replica Norman helmet. She is standing in front of an exhibition board that reads 'Die Normannen'.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Mar 26

I had a chat with them. They were very keen people took pictures of their placard. Fabulous women!

Woman on the right holds a purple umbrella that says 'Ordain women' and the woman on the left holds a placard that reads: 'Catholics let's do this!'

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Mar 14

OK, here is my sermon for tomorrow. I might have ginally lost it. Can anyone guess what I'm preaching on? I've two instructions: experiment and be short.

A blue rucksack containing a pair of walking poles in front of which there are a plushy Cornish pasty, a bottle of Hicks strong Cornish ale and an OS map covering St Austell to Liskeard.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Feb 17

Spring is coming in Cambridge.

Modern half of Queens' College on the left with spring bulbs coming through, the river Cam in the middle and the late medieval/early modern part of Queens' on the other side of the Mathematical bridge. Blue sky!

Early crocuses on muddy grass under trees

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Feb 6

Today is Canterbury West Station's 180th birthday, apparently! @serailway.bsky.social

Golden birthday 180 balloons and a happy birthday banner around train station notice boards.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Jan 26

It's a bit gloomy at the train station, so here's a hellebore to cheer you up.

A pinky white hellebore with bright green leaves against a wooden fence

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Jan 24

Last week, snowdrops featured in my sermon. Here they are in my garden. #tinyjoys

Three snowdrops against a background of green foliage.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Jan 14

I've been signed off these past two weeks, but dragged Maths Half and self out this morning because it was glorious. Lots of bird life, lots of dogs.

The river Itchen on a cold winter morning. The sky is blue, the trees are bare and perfectly reflected in the water. There is mist on the river further upstream.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Dec 7

See top edge of this imperfect shawl.

A blue kintted scarf with lace edges on blocking mats.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Dec 7

Proof of knitted jewellry (Mahliqa pattern). #GameOfWool

A knitted spiral necklace in autumnal colours with beading sitting on a black and white patchwork background. There is a leaflet saying 'Mahliqa Yarn spiral necklas knitting kit'.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Oct 13

Someone has tried to rip up one of the vinyls on the pilgrim steps. Someone else has graffiti the graffiti with references to sympathetic Bible verses. We also looked for older graffiti - the installation is nothing new. 2/

Incised graffiti of a church spire dated 1702.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Oct 13

Forvtheircweek on heritage and place, I took the MA Heritage students to 'Hear Us', the graffiti-style installation at Canterbury Cathedral. They were both receptive and critical. We had a great discussion of intention, inclusion/exclusion, theology of questions etc. 1/

Green Street art-style vinyl on the wall of Canterbury cathedral's ambulatory that reads 'What is the architecture of heaven?'

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Sep 14

A weekend of contrasts. A lovely day at Usk Show on Saturday (with a win in the knitting class) and seeing family. Today, seeing the reporting of yesterday's far right march in England and wishing the media and politicians would call it what it is. 1/

A teal and white colour-work knitted scarf with a start motif. It has a red first place prize card placed on top of it.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Sep 9

Travelling to Canterbury after @cathamclarke.bsky.social's wonderful 'In conversation' with Hannah Lowe to launch Catherine's new book. Lovely to catch up with lots of medievalists!

A picture of Catherine's boom 'A History of England in 25 Poems'

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Sep 4

Pleased to see @cathamclarke.bsky.social's latest book, 'A History of England in 25 Poems' in Canterbury Waterstones! #skystorians #medievalsky

Picture of piles of Catherine's book displayed on a table with a sign 'A History of England in 25 Poems'

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Aug 29

Well, final day of my @leverhulme.ac.uk MRF and here is the draft. Ideally the book would be a bit more finished, but it wouldn't be at this stage at all with out the Leverhulme's generous funding. Grateful thanks to the trust. #normans #medievalsky

A book typescript with handwriting in blue ink that says 'Draft. Landscapes of the Normans . Leonie V. Hicks'. An enthroned William the Conqueror keyring sits on top of it.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Aug 27

But they exist! Here is proof.

An embroidery of a blue armed elephant carrying a small tower and ridden by a monkey.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Aug 13

At that stage of chapter writing. I can just about see over the books.

Two screens in the background and a desk covered in text editions and a large tea mug.

Leonie V. Hicks@lvhicks· Aug 6

@mthrjo.bsky.social St Mary's Todmorden for you.