English Palaeography and Diplomatic module (RM50027)

You will cover two essential skills in learning about English documents: how to read them and how to understand them.

You will study the different styles of handwriting to be found in English documents. This will cover from the 16th century up to the 19th Century. You will also consider the form of many different classes of documents.

This module has a strong practical emphasis. It will ensure that you become confident in reading the different styles of handwriting that have been used in England. You will feel equipped to try to read any document you might be faced with. There is an intentional emphasis on practising reading old handwriting as this is the best way to learn how to do it. 

However, alongside the 'doing' of palaeography, you need to have helps and hints about the documents before you even start to read them. Familiarity with the form of documents will make them easier to interpret and thus less daunting to use. The diplomatic element of the module is essential. This will equip you to recognise the standard forms of different documents and to understand their purpose. Knowing what to expect makes the reading of the hands so much easier - the two are really inseparable.

What will you learn

In this module you will:

• examine a range of writing materials, styles, languages and common formats of English record sources
• develop the core skills needed to recognise and interpret documents from the 16th century through to the 19th century

By the end of the module, you will be able to:

• understand how to read and transcribe manuscripts from the late mediaeval period through to the 19th century
• appreciate the system of abbreviations as applied during the mediaeval and early modern periods
• have an understanding of the meaning of texts, their phrases and formulae
• be able to recognise a wide range of documents used in English law and government

Assignments / assessment

Coursework (100%) consisting of: 

• transcription 1 (30%) 
• transcription 2 (30%) 
• assessed tasks (40%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

• independent study (100%)