Fragments of medieval records held in Brotherton Library reveal secrets of Ripon Cathedral
A Brotherton Fellow has used fragments of medieval records held at the University of Leeds’ Brotherton Library to shed new light on the history of Ripon Cathedral
A Brotherton Fellow has used fragments of medieval records held at the University of Leeds’ Brotherton Library to shed new light on the history of Ripon Cathedral.
After graduating from the University of Lancaster in 2023 with a PhD in Medieval History, Dr Christopher Tinmouth received a Brotherton Fellowship in 2024 to pursue his project, 'Fragments of Memory: A Critical Comparison of the Cartularies of Ripon Cathedral Priory and Furness Abbey as Instruments for Institutional Memory'.
Building on his doctoral research, Christopher explored how ecclesiastical organisations used cartularies – collections of documents detailing the foundation, privileges, and legal rights of institutions or individuals – to construct institutional memory, and how these methods compared with those used by monastic institutions. Specifically, Christopher focused on the mid-14th century cartulary of Ripon Cathedral, preserved in fragmentary form in the Brotherton Library. His research reveals how the cartulary manipulated recollections of past people and events to better suit the interests of Ripon Minster in the present.
By 1325, Christopher explains in a blog for Leeds University Library, the neighbouring Fountains Abbey had grown to dominate the Yorkshire Dales to the west of Ripon and the Archbishop of York had started to impose his authority upon the community, whose behaviour was under greater scrutiny after reports of gross negligence and misconduct.
“The community of Ripon Minster therefore felt under siege,” Christopher says, “and to justify themselves in the present, they connected with their past. Their means of doing so was the Ripon Minster Cartulary.”
Ripon Cathedral Cartulary. Image credit: Leeds University Library
An example is the community’s representation of St Wilfrid. As Christopher says, the Minster’s chapter carefully managed the cult of St Wilfrid to bolster their spiritual authority over the local area and to assert their independence. This included using forged charters to uphold their jurisdiction and perpetuating the memory of local benefactors who supported the saint's cult. In doing so, the Ripon Minster Cartulary “empowered the Minster Chapter to relate to St Wilfrid on their own terms, with minimal interference from external religious parties.”
Rachel Eckersley, Rare Book Specialist at Special Collections and Galleries, Leeds University Library, said the team were delighted to host Christopher. “His innovative approach to researching such a complex item has enriched our understanding of the Ripon Cathedral archive and library. And there are many more superb collections here that will captivate potential fellows.”
Christopher will deliver a public lecture about his research at Ripon Cathedral on 15 October.
Administered by the Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute (LAHRI) and the Special Collections team, Brotherton Fellowships are designed exclusively for early-career researchers to make use of the Special Collections held within the University of Leeds’ Brotherton Library. The window for applications to the Brotherton Fellowships scheme will open in autumn 2024.
