About
I am a doctoral researcher specialising in Medieval Monasticism and a post compulsory teacher of Medieval and Ancient History, with experience of teaching, marking, and course development, at F.E, H.E, and in Adult Education.
Research
Current research
My doctoral research investigates the long-term survival, adaptation, and success of New Minster, Winchester (later Hyde Abbey) from its Anglo-Saxon origins in the 10th century through its post-Conquest evolution to the 13th century.
Founded in 901 AD as a royal dynastic mausoleum, the Benedictine community faced an extraordinary gauntlet of structural shocks: the Norman Conquest, devastating fires, a forced physical relocation outside the city walls in c.1110, the decline of Winchester as a national capital, and direct political hostility from powerful local bishops. Despite these challenges, the abbey continuously thrived, remaining one of the wealthiest monastic houses in the region until the Dissolution in 1538.
My thesis explores a central question: How did this institution successfully navigate profound political, cultural, and spatial disruptions to maintain its wealth, status, and authority?
While previous scholarship has heavily focused on the abbey's pre-Conquest history, my project bridges the 1066 divide to analyze its post-Conquest transition as a continuous narrative. My research makes three distinct contributions to medieval monastic studies:
- Interdisciplinary Synthesis: I integrate historical primary texts, contemporary historiographical debates, and material evidence, including recent, unpublished structural excavations by the local heritage group Hyde 900.
- Unpublished Archival Materials: My work utilizes newly accessible primary source data, including a crucial medieval monastic cartulary recently acquired by the British Library that was previously held in private hands and left largely untranslated.
- Historiographical Interventions: By assessing the abbey’s shifting landscape of patronage, my work challenges traditional "great man" theories of 10th-century monastic reform and provides a nuanced, balanced perspective on the economic and social realities of the Norman Conquest.
My thesis evaluates institutional success across economic, spiritual, spatial, and social dimensions:
- Royal Memory: Dynastic commemoration, burial politics, and early Anglo-Saxon patronage.
- Economic Continuity: Mapping pre- and post-Conquest landholding, endowments, and property management.
- Topography & Community: The spatial relationship between the abbey precinct, the declining city of Winchester, and the rise of local parish churches.
- Ideology & Identity: The survival of native Anglo-Saxon saint cults (e.g., St. Grimbald) and the shifting networks of elite, non-royal patronage recorded in the Liber Vitae.
- Institutional Politics: Navigating volatile relationships and jurisdiction battles with the powerful episcopacy of Winchester.
Teaching
H.E Teacher
I am a fully trained and classroom-ready educator within the Higher Education sector, having successfully completed the comprehensive SoTeach 1, 2, and 3 professional development pathway at the University of Southampton.
This advanced pedagogical training equips me with the theory and practical skills required to design, deliver, and assess high-impact undergraduate education:
- SoTeach 1 & 2 (Foundations & Application): Certified in foundational higher education teaching methodologies, inclusive classroom practices, student engagement strategies, and the design of interactive, student-centered seminars.
- SoTeach 3 (Professional Recognition): Completed the advanced reflective tier of the pathway, formalizing my teaching philosophy and aligning my instructional practice with the professional standards required for national recognition as an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA).
- CHEP Professional Mentoring & Coaching: Trained in supporting the development of fellow researchers and students.
University of Southampton | Teacher, Seminar Leader, Marker, Module Prep (2021–Present)
- Course Leader (Lifelong Learning): I designed and led The Historical Narratives of Winchester, a specialised course exploring eight centuries of local history through historical narratives and primary sources to adult learners. I am looking to offer a new course on Hyde Abbey for the upcoming academic year with Southampton LL.
- Seminar Leader & Marker: Extensive experience delivering undergraduate seminars and assessing work across diverse modules, including:
- The Apocalyptic Fourteenth Century (HIST1191)
- Castles (HIST1175)
- Voices of the Past (HIST1205)
- History Matters (HIST1207)
- The Apocalyptic Fourteenth Century (HIST1191)
- Module Development: Collaborated on research and preparation for new undergraduate curriculum offerings within the History department.
F.E. Teacher
Queen Mary’s College, Basingstoke | Teacher of History (2008–Present)
- Lead practitioner for A-Level Ancient and Medieval History.
- 17+ years of experience in delivering high-quality post-compulsory education, fostering academic transition for students entering university-level study.
Since 2008, I have been dedicated to delivering research-led ancient and medieval history education to post-compulsory learners, developing robust instructional frameworks designed to bridge the gap between secondary and higher education. Alongside my classroom practice, I have consistently contributed to the wider educational community through roles on influential teaching and learning panels, including the Joint Association of Classical Teachers (JACT). Currently, I actively shape educational policy and resource development as a member of the Teaching and Learning Subcommittee for the British School at Athens (BSA). As a champion of professional development, I have both participated in and led high-impact INSET events, including organising and hosting a dedicated training day for teachers of Ancient History at my own college in collaboration with JACT. At these events, I frequently present papers and lead workshops, sharing my innovative pedagogical approaches, digital methodologies, and strategies for making complex pre-modern histories accessible and engaging for the next generation of scholars.
From F.E to H.E
My career transition from F.E. to H.E. teaching provides me with a rare, valuable vantage point on student retention and academic adaptation. I specialise in identifying and mitigating the 'pedagogical gap' that transitioning learners encounter. This expertise was recently showcased at the South East Teaching and Learning Symposium, where I presented 'From Guided to Independent: Observations and Strategies for Supporting the Transition of Learners from F.E. to H.E.' This presentation focused on actionable practices to support independent research and evolve student feedback literacy. Engaging with teaching staff and doctoral researchers from Southampton and Portsmouth further validated my approach, reinforcing my ability to offer a unique, dual-lens perspective that directly enhances the first-year H.E. student experience.
Biography
I am an A-Level Lecturer in Medieval and Ancient History at Queen Mary’s College (QMC), Basingstoke, and a PhD researcher at the University of Southampton. Specialising in a broad chronological sweep from antiquity to the early modern era, my teaching expertise encompasses Ancient Rome, the Crusades, the Iberian Empires, and the Tudor period. My doctoral research explores medieval monasticism, focusing specifically on institutional identity, strategic patronage, and rebranding at New Minster and Hyde Abbey from the tenth to the thirteenth centuries. My broader research and palaeographical interests lie in medieval manuscript culture, Western palaeography, and the long-term evolution of Christian institutions.