All posts by Dean A. Irwin

About Dean A. Irwin

I completed my PhD (2017-20) at Canterbury Christ Church University where I studied the records generated by Jewish moneylending activities in England between 1194 and 1276. I am now an independent scholar, interested in the records (especially charters and financial documents) produced by, and in relation to, medieval Anglo-Jewry. I am also developing a project on the Jews and the baronial reform movement (1258-65) in England.

Conference: ‘Trust in the Premodern World: An Interdisciplinary Conference’, Oxford (13-14 January)

The programme for this hybrid conference on ‘Trust in the Premodern World’ includes two talks on the Jews. Aviya Doron will speak on ‘Quick to borrow, slow to pay: default as a function of trust across social groups in Jewish-Christian exchange’, while Dean Irwin will speak to the question of ‘Trust and medieval Anglo-Jewish moneylending activities’.

MSJN! is going to Leeds!

The theme of the Leeds International Medieval Congress (July 2023) will be Entanglements. Board members, Andreas Lehnertz, Teddy Schacter, Birgit Wiedl, and Dean Irwin, thought that this was the perfect strand for a series of panels of the Jews. Organised around the concept of ‘Jewish/Non-Jewish Entanglements and Networks’, there will be three panels and a round table on Monday 3 July. Sponsored by MedievalJewishStudiesNow! these panels will cover a broad geographical and chronological span. The full details will be published in the programme in early 2023!

Online Course: “The Jews of Medieval England: Murder, Money, and Expulsion”

In an effort to expand knowledge of the Jews of medieval England beyond the academy, Professor Miri Rubin and Dr Dean Irwin will be running a short course (in conjunction with the Historical Association). It will target life long learners generally, and in particular teachers. Dates to be finalised but registration is now open and is free to all.

Sessions:

  • Session 1: Introduction – Medieval England and the Jews
  • Session 2: Money
  • Session 3: Murder
  • Session 4: Expulsion
  • Session 5: Conclusion: Jewish Daily Life in the Middle Ages

New Podcast: ‘What can one woman reveal about Jewish life in medieval England?’, BBC History Extra

In February 2022, a statue of Licoricia of Winchester was unveiled. To mark the event, Professor Miri Rubin, Dr Toni Griffiths and Dr Dean Irwin recorded an episode of the BBC History Extra podcast earlier in summer. This provided an opportunity to discuss Licoricia and to situate her in her historical context. After providing an overview of Licoricia’s life, the speakers go on to consider how typical (or not) her experience was for that of Anglo-Jewry more generally. Inherently, this discussion touches on the good, the bad, and the ugly of Anglo-Jewish life, emphasising the importance of context. Dr Griffiths, who has done really important work on remembering the Jews of medieval England, brought a different dimension to the discussion by highlighting the importance of memory.

The podcast is available from the History Extra website, as well as the Apple Store and Spotify.