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YHT Scholars at the 2025 Harlaxton Medieval Symposium
The Yorkist History Trust was delighted to be able to offer five scholarship grants for PGRs and ECRs to attend the 2025 Harlaxton Medieval Symposium, as part of the celebrations marking our Ruby Anniversary year. The theme of the Symposium was The Medieval City, and scholars were chosen based on academic merit and the relevance of the theme to their research. The Trust also sponsored a drinks reception on the first evening of the Symposium, which preceded the PGR/ECR presentation competition, in which all five YHT scholars (and four others researchers) gave a five-minute presentation of their current research in a convivial academic setting. The evening was a great success, and gave the YHT scholars the opportunity to share their work while opening discussions with the Symposium’s attendees.
Here, all five YHT scholars share their thoughts on their experiences at Harlaxton:
Amy Hopkins, PhD candidate, University of St Andrews
Thanks to the generous scholarship awarded by the Yorkist History Trust, I was able to attend the Harlaxton Medieval Symposium for the first time, and it was an exceptional four days, full of stimulating papers and engaging discussions on the theme, The Medieval City. As part of the scholarship, we were asked to present on a new aspect of our research, and I tried to fit some of the research questions of my forthcoming thesis chapter into the 5-minute limit, which I hope I did with some success! It was exhilarating to present even a small part of my research to so many experts in the field of Medieval Studies, and the resulting conversations were dynamic and have already helped with the development of my chapter. The award of the scholarship by the Yorkist History Trust has enabled me to engage with current research, contribute to ongoing and engaging discussions of the medieval city, and meet individuals whose work has informed my own, and I am immensely grateful!
Lucy Beall Lott, PhD candidate, University of St Andrews
I had long heard stories of the Harlaxton Medieval Symposium; but never thought I’d attend, let alone as a Yorkist History Trust Scholar. The symposium, set against the glorious backdrop of Madingley Hall, was the most welcoming academic environment I have ever encountered. The attendees were interested to hear the research being conducted by our cohort of PGRs and ECRs, even providing us with invaluable feedback or insight. Not only were we able to learn from other scholars during the lectures, which were enthralling, but our cohort was also able to present our own ongoing research on the first night. It was incredible to see the authors lining my bookshelves looking back at me from the audience, listening while I described how their research shaped my own. While the academic aspect of the symposium was inspiring, my favourite part of the experience were the times when we could all socialise together, over a meal or perhaps a glass of wine. The hall was often filled with laughter, friendly debates, and words of encouragement. I have left the symposium with new friends and cannot wait to attend in the future. I am so grateful for the Yorkist History Trust for giving me such a wonderful opportunity and an experience that I will always remember.
Dr Sarah McKeagney, postdoctoral research fellow, Humanities Research Centre, University of York
I would like to extend my gratitude to the Yorkist History Trust for the opportunity to present new postdoctoral research to an engaged audience at the Harlaxton Medieval Symposium. The symposium offered fertile ground to share and generate ideas in a supportive and rigorous atmosphere. Although many attendees come annually, they were so welcoming to new PhD students and ECRs, offering us the chance to build both personal and professional connections with world-class researchers. This year’s topic on the Medieval City brought together an amazing range of symbiotic papers which will undoubtedly shape my own research moving forward. I look forward to returning to the beautiful Madingley Hall in the future.
Ana Roda Sanchez, PhD candidate, Queen Mary, University of London
Joining the Harlaxton Medieval Symposium 2025 was an amazing experience. It was a real challenge to present my research in five minutes, but very helpful in prompting me to think about the core ideas of my thesis and how to present them in an attractive yet academically rigorous way. I also thoroughly enjoyed meeting the other postgraduate research students, as well as senior scholars, and getting to know about their work. I couldn’t have joined the conference without the Yorkist History Trust grant – I think they do a great job in giving young scholars the chance to engage with the broader academic community!
Dr Jinming Yi, postdoctoral research fellow, Fudan University
This was my first time attending the Harlaxton Medieval Symposium, and the experience was absolutely wonderful. Over four days, I joined more than seventy scholars in listening to nearly twenty presentations. At Madingley Hall, I also had many opportunities to engage in stimulating conversations with researchers in the field of medieval urban history. Although my own presentation was not long, the feedback I received has convinced me that it made a strong impression on the participants. I am deeply grateful to the Yorkist History Trust for providing financial support. The cost of a return ticket between China and the UK alone would have strained my budget considerably, so the savings on conference expenses brought immense relief.