About

Academic

Master of Arts – Medieval Studies, University of York (2009)

Modules...
  • Monastic Patronage of the Arts AD1080-1280
  • Dissertation “Patterns of Patronage – The Reconstruction of Two Norfolk Parish Churches During the Fifteenth Century” – Supervised by Dr. Jonathan Finch, Department of Archaeology
  • Medieval Settlements & Communities – Department of Archaeology
  • Latin
  • Early Medieval Palaeography

First-class BA (Hons) in History and Archaeological Studies, University of Kent at Canterbury (2006)

Modules...
Year 1
  • Archaeology of the Medieval Town (Centre for Lifelong Learning/Dept. of Classics & Archaeology)
  • The Age of Stonehenge: An Introduction to Prehistoric Studies (Archaeology)
  • Introduction to Archaeology (Archaeology)
  • Archaeology and Archaeologists (Archaeology)
  • Medieval Monasticism (History/Multidisciplinary)
  • Medieval Pilgrimage (History)
  • Monarchy and Aristocracy in England 1460-1640 (History)
Year 2
  • The Formation of a Nation: The Archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England (Archaeology)
  • Archaeological Fieldwork Methods and Techniques (Archaeology)
  • Plague, Community and Conflict in Late Medieval England (History)
  • Dissertation “The Impact on the Topography of the Medieval Town with the Arrival of Friars in England AD 1230-1300” (Supervised by Andrew Butcher, School of History)
    This dissertation was graded as outstanding with an original thesis which argued that the friars, although initially adhering to their mendicant ideals, soon sought to obtain prime sites within the medieval townscape, making a huge impact on urban topography as a result of the pursuit of ever more spacious and elaborate priory buildings.
Year 3
  • Specialist Subject: The Medieval Book; Illuminated Manuscripts AD450-1220 (History)
  • Anglo-Saxon England (History)
  • Barbarians in the West and the Late Antique Transition AD 400-700 (Classical & Archaeological Studies)
Academic Awards...
  • History Faculty Prize for best second-year performance in History (2005)
  • Rotary Prize for performance in final degree examinations in History (2006)


Online Short Course

Antiquities Trafficking & Art Crime, University of Glasgow (2020)

Academic Teaching
Researcher, developer and tutor of ‘The English Medieval Parish Church from Early Foundations to the Reformation’ at the University of York Centre for Lifelong Learning between 2009 and 2016

Experience

The Ecclesiological Society

Trustee and Honorary Membership Secretary of The Ecclesiological Society, formerly Cambridge Camden Society – www.ecclsoc.org
(March 2019 to present)

Website manager from August 2020

The Churches Conservation Trust

 Volunteer Coordinator for The Churches Conservation Trust
(January 2009 to December 2016)

Achievements:

Churches...
Between 2009 and 2016 I was the Volunteering Officer for Yorkshire, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, responsible for volunteers, visitors and events at 31 redundant churches of outstanding historical, archaeological and architectural interest.
Holy Trinity Goodramgate...
Under my direction, the CCT’s church of Holy Trinity in Goodramgate, York, became the charity’s most successful site in terms of visitor numbers and income, with annual visitor numbers increasing 700% to 65,000; donations and retail income by 430% to £43,000 by 2013. The site became a model for historic-church tourism and visitor-welcome both within the CCT and externally.
Heritage Information Technology...
I designed, developed and maintained several information systems for the daily management of historic churches, visitor & income data (retail and donations) and visitor-access & signage  – more information.

I also developed a web-based volunteer-rostering system adopted nationally www.cctvolunteers.org.uk

Visitor Engagement...
I delivered the CCT’s visitor-access and local-community engagement strategy across Yorkshire & the North East of England, achieving a success rate of 93% of churches open daily to visitors 365 days per year. I engaged volunteers to successfully design and produce new interpretation materials including walk-round-guides for the CCT’s historic churches across the north of England.
Partnerships...
I nurtured successful partnerships between the CCT and several universities in the north of England; supervising MA Heritage Management student placements with the University of York’s MA in Cultural Heritage Management – read more. and delivering an annual talk at the International Centre for Cultural Heritage Studies at Newcastle University read more.
Heritage Crime...
In addition to my usual work, I successfully investigated a number of incidents of theft and damage to historic churches in the CCT’s care, recovering stolen historically-significant artefacts to their original locations – read my article here.

Research Assistant

Research Assistant (reading & transcription), for PhD research on the Archaeology of the Workhouse following the Poor Law (Amendment) Act 1834 – University of York (2008) 

Photographer
Historic buildings, architecture and landscapes – www.gwimages.co.uk / Flickr.com

Photographer for The Churches Conservation Trust’s printed literature and online publicity (2009-2016).

Developer of The Ledgerstone Survey of England & Wales website – www.lsew.org.uk

Information Technology

  • Currently developing heritage-crime information systems in partnership with The Churches Conservation Trust
  • Advanced Microsoft Office skills
  • Microsoft Certified Professional – Network Infrastructure/Workstation/Server Installation & Support (2001) 
  • Microsoft Access – database design and development with Visual Basic for Applications
  • Network installation, TCP/IP, Novell Netware 3.12, MS-DOS scripting
  • PC, Apple Mac, IOS, Android operating systems.
  • Web design – Drupal 8, WordPress (source code), hand-coded HTML/CSS and PHP/MySQL, Artisteer Themes
  • Adobe Photoshop/Light Room/Bridge and Netobjects Fusion HTML generator
  • Prize-winner in local computer-programming competition, 1985

Exemplary customer service skills with an interest in quality service at British hotels, restaurants and retail – see my reviews on TripAdvisor

I am looking to continue supporting heritage organisations and would be particularly interested in employment opportunities or commissions in the fields of heritage management, volunteer management, heritage crime co-ordination and protecting and promoting heritage sites. Please contact me via this website…

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