Project Lead: Dr Karl Kinsella
Funded By: Leverhulme Research Fellowship (2025-2027)
The Latin language was developed in ancient Rome and used by literate men and women throughout the following centuries when describing architectural monuments. The ancient words, however, did not change and so medieval authors were forced to adapt the language to the very different buildings and forms surrounding them. This results in confusion when medieval authors write about architecture: the chapels, churches and chapterhouses that frame their lives. This project will develop a database of medieval architectural terms during the Gothic period to determine how authors adapted the classical language of Latin to describe their world. It will draw on a diverse range of sources, including theological texts, letters, commentaries and many others to uncover a more certain sense of how a changing material world was reflected in the language of the literate Middle Ages.