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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Pillar of Eliseg, brilliant talk about the landscape context by Nancy Edwards #medievalsky #wales

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Ever wanted to sleep in a library? This is Gladstone’s Library in Hawarden. I don’t have time to look at books this morning though. The view from my room feels like being in a Brontë novel. Feels like a good place for a writing retreat someday #booksky

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Wat’s Dyke - early medieval earthworks visible in the woods around Erddig National trust property near the border of Wales and England. Superb tour by Prof Howard Williams (University of Chester) the relationship of this dyke with Offa’s dyke further south is still debated #medievalsky

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Friend got us tickets to the Bayeux Tapestry. It felt harder to get into than a sold out rock concert! If everyone who goes to see it takes one action help save Humanities in Higher Ed (letter/petition etc) I feel we would be okay for the next while #medievalsky

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Iced Vimto matcha feels a very Manc/Scouse fusion or are these taking the globe by storm just now? #matcha #tea #cafe #liverpool #vimto

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Great review of the latest book of Irish Studies colleague Prof Frank Shovlin #irish #booksky #literature #biography

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Been to Ashmolean Oxford a few times but never the roof top cafe before. Gorgeous day

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

In London today filming for a short stint on a documentary. Another lovely drawing by J. Robert Travis of the runestone from St Paul’s Cathedral #London commemorating Ginna and Toki, early 11th Century. Museum of London #medievalsky Imagine how different London looked when this stone was raised!

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Reading book proofs and enjoying this grumpy queen from the Lewis Chessmen. She’s just spent a day at war surrounded by less competent courtiers, no other woman to bitch to & a husband with no sense of urgency to move anywhere fast. Strong drink in hand, she’s so done with this week #medievalsky

Image of Queen chess piece drawn by J. Robert Travis

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Nice to see Táin bó Cuailnge among the images in the ’St Brigit’s Arms’ exhibition in the Victoria Gallery and Museums #Liverpool #Irish #migration #herstory

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

PhD funding at Liverpool, happy to mentor medievalist with Irish Sea/ North Sea/ Atlantic interest in this theme #phds #academia #medievalsky

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Irish chronicles are a window into Scottish church & politics. e.g. Annals of Ulster 865: ‘Cellach son of Ailill, abbot of Kildare & Iona died in Pictland...Tuathal son of Artgus, chief bishop of Foirtriu and abbot of Dunkeld died‘. Latter record favours location of Fortriu in Perthshire #medieval

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I like ‘telly tubby SS‘ (whoever coined that) Shaped like telly tubbies, dressed like telly tubbies (without the aerials), probably believe any sh*t they see on a screen, just clad in black & far right.

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Unbound facsimiles. Can anyone identify? Love the picture of the ship! #manuscripts #medievalsky

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Trivia of the day (checking a reference in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle) Cwicelmeshlæwe: Cuckhamsley Hill, Scutchamer Knob, Scotsman’s Knob [snigger] or Beacon Hill is an Iron Age barrow in Oxfordshire, where viking raiding armies paused in 1006 #medievalsky #archaeology #ironage

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Friend just sent me this - a notice board at Clontarf, #Dublin regarding the famous battle that was fought there in AD1014 #medievalsky

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Book launch this evening on the photography of John Minihan written by colleague Gerry Diver and doctoral researcher Declan Houten #photography #ireland #booksky part of the University of Liverpool Beckett festival

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Heritage Open Day led by Prof Steve Harding to Cross Hill, Thingwall, possible site of a Viking Age assembly. The site is on private land so it was nice to have the chance to see it. Great turnout too! #medievalsky #merseyside #wirral #history #archaeology

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

New copy of Northern Studies arrived through the post, excited to have two Liverpool PhDs, Betty and Ian, in the contents list & as guest editors of this volume #medievalsky Journal of the Scottish Society for Northern Studies @irishinstitute.bsky.social #vikingsky

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Remembering my former partner Prof Dumville today who died at home with me two years today after suffering with Alzheimer’s. I was very lucky that he remained kind and polite to me throughout his illness. These pics are from his last couple of years.

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

The fairy flag of Dunvegan Castle: How did a length of silk woven in Syria or Greece in the 4th century makes its way to the Isle of Skye? #medievalsky #textiles #fairies #folklore #byzantine #archaeology www.dunvegancastle.com/castle/fairy...

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

#Scots in #Liverpool: Hugh McCubbin from Ayrshire settled in his Liverpool and he and his wife set up drinking fountains in Liverpool (the Cubbin Fountain and Bowden Fountain) and in his native Girvan (McCubbin Fountain). (Also one of my ancestors).

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

A further comment on the Kirkby Stephen stone is comparison with the Snaptun stone thought to show Loki with his lips sewn together. It dates to c. AD 1000 Now on display in Denmark, the stone originates from Norway or western Sweden. #medievalsky #archaeology www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x...

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

@imc-leeds.bsky.social Leeds IMC Call for Papers for a session co-ordinated by Liverpool PhDs Hannah Evans and Nik Frenzel #medievalsky #celtic #norse #academic #skystorians

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Any other academics feeling a slight sense of dread as the new academic year heaves into view? #iwanttobreakfree and write the books I have fallen in love with in my head over the summer

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Snapped page from my Viking Kings book. Most likely one of the Insular Viking kings rather than direct attack from Norway. Good luck with your talk!

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Borre, Norway - Viking Age burial mounds - magical place #medievalsky #archaeology

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Enjoyed Rebanks ‘Shepherd’s Life’ (found in Oxfam) so I splashed out on this for my trip to Norway. The first book reminded me of great grandad & Nan whose family farmed the same Lakeland valley for at least four centuries. Nan’s stories encouraged me to love history. This one is set in Norway

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic, #Cambridge wall decor (reproduction 11th century map) #medievalsky

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

#music #events #liverpool Friday 7th August 2026 Quarry in Liverpool 9:00pm til 3:00am (Last entry 1:00am) Minimum Age 18+

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Visiting friends in Toxteth today (Happy Birthday Becky! x) passing this lovely mural #nelsonmandela #education

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

My semi-rural train station is packed with people waiting for the train to Liverpool, many of whom obviously heading for Pride weekend. So many straight allies heading for a lovely day to celebrate, it’s so contrary to all the division being sown in media #lgbt #pride #liverpool

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Great communication by Labour on what will feel like an uphill struggle - hope this works out

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Some things I really like about Hockney’s art 1. really evocative at painting rain (being born in Yorkshire might help) 2. vibrant colours - e.g. bright pink/ purple trees shouldn’t work but they do & makes them seem more alive 3. Close up work can look like a bad school project, stand back: amazing

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Hockney exhibition at the Serpentine. Uplifting and free to all #art #london

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

New blog post on St Constantine’s Caves near #carlisle #cumbria #medievalsky #walks #welsh www.liverpool.ac.uk/irish-studie...

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

slight misquote in that 'Baltic' should read 'Baltic Triangle' the pocket of the city where Scandinavians might gather (and from the 1880s worship, at Gustav Adolfs Kyrka)

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Oh my, anyone fancy buying me an island for Xmas? This is where the famous 'Inchmarnock Hostage Stone' was found which features in my next book #medievalsky #scotland www.knightfrank.co.uk/properties/r...

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Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

The University of Liverpool will be hosting Beckett: Lieben this September #booksky #literature #irish

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