iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I’m pleased to share that records for parish churches and chapels are now available on Medieval Libraries of Great Britain - mlgb.bodleian.ox.ac.uk #provenance #manuscripts @bodleian.ox.ac.uk

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Dr Eleanor Baker @eleanormaybaker.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

I had not posted about it but as I am now earnestly grappling with it: I am writing another book for @bodleian.ox.ac.uk Bodleian Publishing, 'Tales of Horror from Medieval England'. Expect translated narratives of violence, sorcery, fearsome creatures, the undead, and the end times.

A medieval manuscript illustration of a skeleton representing death holds a spear aloft, ready to strike an emaciated man who lies in bed, an attendant at his side. From Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Selden Supra 53 F. 118r.

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Stewart J. Brookes @stewartbrookes.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Andrew Honey gives a shout-out to the superb work in MLGB3 being done by @sianwitherden.bsky.social

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Dr Eleanor Baker @eleanormaybaker.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Next Sunday I'll be giving an online lecture for The Last Tuesday Society on my @bodleian.ox.ac.uk book ✨Book Curses✨. I'll be talking about curses like that of John Wryghtson, which sits opposite some rather threatening illustrations of surgical instruments (Ox, St John's, MS 76, f. 5v).

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Really enjoyed teaching about the Zodiac man yesterday as part of the ”Exploring the medieval sky” spring school!

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Dr Eleanor Baker @eleanormaybaker.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Lady grey tea and vanilla cakes with violets on top for someone special (the someone special is @sianwitherden.bsky.social)

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Dr Eleanor Baker @eleanormaybaker.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Outside the Level 2 Reading Room in @bodleian.ox.ac.uk there is a wellbeing display. Here are some it's little zines that genuinely made me smile.

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Bodleian Libraries @bodleian.ox.ac.uk · 28/01/2026

Today we rang the Bodley Bell in Duke Humfrey’s Library to mark the anniversary of Sir Thomas Bodley’s death in 1613 🔔 Nine rings for the man, and 67 for every year of his life. Rung by Ant Brewerton and Andrew Honey. #ThomasBodley #OnThisDay

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

I’m really pleased that this blog post series is proving useful!

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

It was so exciting to be at the book launch for “Elizabeth Boleyn” tonight, and share in the joy with @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social — and there was a book cake too!

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

It’s fantastic to finally see the beautiful East Window fully restored in @yorkminster.bsky.social !

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

Having a lovely time today learning about the Molyneux Globes @middletemple.bsky.social as part of their study day on “Middle Temple and the World”

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Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Today was my last day as Special Collections Photographer at @stjohnsox.bsky.social. I am proud to say that I am responsible for most of the 100+ individual items now available on Digital Bodleian from SJC's special collections. You can view them all here: digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/partners/st-...

Photograph of the Canterbury Quad in St John's College

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

MLGB is such a valuable resource, and I'm thrilled to see it back online. I'm also excited that I will be contributing to the next phase. Starting in December, I will take on a new role as MLGB Project Researcher at the Bodleian, alongside my ongoing work at Exeter. Keep an eye out for updates!

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Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Here is the final cover, with an endorsement from the wonderful Claire Martin, a dear friend and author of "Heirs of Ambition: The Making of the Boleyns". Claire's quote sums up how I hope people feel after reading the book: "Elizabeth Boleyn, so nice to finally meet you!"

Cover of "Elizabeth Boleyn: The Life of the Queen's Mother"

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

I’ve really enjoyed settling in to my new role as Early Printed Books Cataloguer this week @exeter.ox.ac.uk, there are exciting projects ahead!

The Radcliffe camera in Oxford as seen from Exeter College

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Suzanne Karr Schmidt @drkarrschmidt.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Now You See It...Now You DON'T! Master magician Ricky Jay was a big fan of the Museum of Jurassic Technology, which recently (and briefly) caught on fire! In honor of Ricky and the ephemerality of all good things, here I am showing off the Newberry's 18th c. Blow Book like Ricky once taught me. 1/2

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

I’m so proud of Sophie for all of her hard work on this amazing project. It has been an absolute pleasure to see this book come into existence, and it was a privilege to read early drafts. The cover reveal is stunning!

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Rhiannon Garth Jones @rhigarthjones.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

This seems to have resonated on here too (I cannot tell you how happy this makes me) so I'll add some of the reasoning: I asked a lot of friends & family who are not academics (often not readers of non-fiction what they would do if they wanted to know more about a topic they were interested in). 🧵

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BOO! k HistoriAAAH 🎃 @book-historia.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

This is really neat! And here’s a better link: pacscl.org/what-we-do/f...

pacscl.org

The Noel Prize – PACSCL

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Julia Walworth @juliawalworth.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

In 17c Netherlands you could enjoy drinking your cool beer from a ‘book’. Very nice blindstamped boards, raised bands, fore-edge ties. #Rijksmuseum #Bookart

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Mary Boyle @maryrboyle.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

We've brought Teaching the Codex over to Bluesky to celebrate our fantastic new series by @sianwitherden.bsky.social, 'How to collate an early printed book' (yes, we're adopting the new technology of moveable type).

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Teaching the Codex @teachingcodex.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Hello Bluesky! We're an interdisciplinary project on the teaching of palaeography and codicology, and we're now branching out to include early printed books. Check out our website for lots of learning resources: teachingthecodex.com

teachingthecodex.com

Teaching the Codex

Pedagogical Approaches to Palaeography and Codicology

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

This was always one of my favourites when I was working at St John’s, it’s great to see it online!

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Oxford Bibliographical Society @obs1922.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Our next talk! Come along to hear Paul Nash on some of printing's earliest riddling questions.

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

What connects Pisces to the feet? 🐟👣 My new blog post for @lampallib.bsky.social explores Zodiac Men diagrams, focusing on a 16th century printed book of hours currently on display in 'Unfolding Time'. This wonderful exhibition is free and open until May! monumentoffame.org/2025/04/04/u...

The Zodiac Man page in a book of hours printed by Wynkyn de
Worde (London, 1526). Lambeth Palace Library, [ZZ]1526.2, sig. B1v.

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

A thread about William Caxton, the quincentenary commemoration (1976), and a nice surprise in the post.

A copy of George D. Painter's biography of William Caxton (1976) with the bookplate of Rosamund and Elliott Viney and a letter from the author.

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Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Doing some fascinating research into an early Boleyn family member this week! More on this soon, but suffice to say that there is still so much to learn about the medieval Boleyns 👀

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Something I really enjoy is exploring printing errors in early printed books: how they happened, what they can tell us about book production, etc. Today, though, I remembered this delightfully bewildering example in a much more modern book sitting on my shelf...

A partially torn page that has been printed on twice in a copy of LOEB's 'Minor Latin poets'

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Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

On International Women's Day, it seems appropriate to remind everyone that there's so much more to learn about Elizabeth Boleyn. I've been overwhelmed by the response to my forthcoming biography on Elizabeth, and I can't wait until I can share my discoveries with everyone! (Image: TNA SP 1/19)

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Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

It's wonderful to see Bodleian Library 4° Rawl. 245 available on Digital Bodleian! This 1537 copy of "Institution of a Christian Man" (also referred to as the Bishop's Book) includes annotations by Henry VIII and Thomas Cranmer. You can view it here: digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/3e55...

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Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

I finally saw the BL exhibition today ☺️ It definitely lived up to the hype! An excellent overview of women from the period, with a nice mix of the voices of prestigious and ordinary women. Highlights were Elizabeth Woodville in the Worshipful Company of Skinners' MS and Joan of Arc's signature 💕

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Dr Sian Witherden @sianwitherden.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

I had a great time last night viewing 'Unfolding Time', the impressive new exhibition at @lampallib.bsky.social curated by Sarah Griffin. I loved the exhibition leaflet, which matches the form of concertina fold almanacs!

A vertical exhibition sign for the 'Unfolding Time' exhibition at Lambeth Palace Library

An exhibition case at Lambeth Palace Library containing items for the production of medieval books

An exhibition leaflet for 'Unfolding Time' at Lambeth Palace Library, formatted to resemble a concertina-fold almanac

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Leo Cadogan @leocadogan.com · 09/02/2025

Yay! Last autumn’s ‘Treasures’ catalogue hits OCLC. Thank you University of Heidelberg. We still have copies for anyone who would like it sent. You will also find it on our website.

Screenshot of an OCLC entry for our Treasures catalogue.

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Julia Walworth @juliawalworth.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Artist and page in dialogue. In Merton MS 177 the artist breaks the sequence of straight edges to echo uneven parchment. #manuscripts #illumination

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Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Just had a great meeting with Maria from the Oxford Conservation Consortium about SJC MS 293, a 15thc devotional MS owned by a Fellow of SJC in the 16thc. Thanks to OCC for helping us to preserve this item! You can read its catalogue entry here: medieval.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/catalog/manu...

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Leo Cadogan @leocadogan.com · 26/01/2025

The first initial in a manuscript that I have just bought.

Capital C in gold set in a tiled corridor in grisaille with gold, a fence and hillocks at end. The date 1751 written at a later time in centre.

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Leo Cadogan @leocadogan.com · 22/01/2025

First list (and first postcard) of the new year. leocadogan.com/blogs/newsle...

Postcard, detail from a logical diagram in an incunable featuring text banners, two of which have had text erased with overwriting in burgundy “LEO CADOGAN RARE BOOKS” and “STUTTGART 2025”.

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Leo Cadogan @leocadogan.com · 23/01/2025

A tour of our stand at the Stuttgart book fair.

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Leo Cadogan @leocadogan.com · 01/01/2025

Happy New Year! These are the covers of the six lists that we produced in 2024. (The catalogues themselves are browsable via leocadogan.com/pages/catalogues).

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Leo Cadogan @leocadogan.com · 15/01/2025

The classic medieval and early modern logical and scientific diagram the Porphyrian tree. This small printed example has been labelled in red by a reader, P-O-R-P-H-Y-R-Y. (Basel, c.1495).

Small woodcut tree diagram in a column of text, a reader has added lines in red ink to the branches, has added red colour to the roots, has added some red foliage to the central banners and has labelled the top, the central banners and the roots with letters sequentially spelling Porphyry.

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Leo Cadogan @leocadogan.com · 18/01/2025

Gearing up for the Stuttgart book fair, which is running from Friday to Sunday next week. Our list should be published on Wednesday. We have tickets should you want one. Please ask!

Detail from logical diagram (Basel c1495), woodcut and letterpress, banner of text, two lines of text replaced with LEO CADOGAN RARE BOOKS and STUTTGART 2025 in burgundy.

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Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I'm so pleased to announce that my first peer-reviewed paper, "‘Mrs Marshall’: The Identity of the Mother of the Maidens in Anne Boleyn’s Household", has been published online in Volume 29 Issue 3 of The Court Historian. You can read it here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

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Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

I'm currently working with SJC MS 374, St John's College Library's Benefactor's Book, which lists donations made to the library in the 17th and 18th centuries. It includes beautiful initials which feature the college crest, such as these two on folio 44r.

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Dr Owen Emmerson @drowenemmerson.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

One of the beautiful creations I consulted on in #WolfHall is this gorgeous reproduction of the Book of Hours in which #AnneBoleyn & Henry VIII wrote messages to each other, recreated by the gifted Chris Rosser. It is a small detail, but one which makes my geeky heart sing 💜

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