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THE CHRONICLE
Step into the library…
For this blog, we’ve captured the feeling of stepping into a beautiful, tranquil library, looking out onto the rolling English countryside as you browse through our posts.
We’ve created a labyrinthine collection for everyone, whether you are an interested adult learner, dreaming of donning a velvet smoking jacket and immersing yourself in a fireside expedition through canonical scholarship or a budding researcher, eager to equip yourself for exciting fieldwork. For university and A level students, your studies should not be just a matter of cramming knowledge into your head: here, you can relax, immerse yourself in your specialism and enjoy it!
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Native British Trees and Anglo-Saxon Paganism
Introducing our new series, in which we explore the links between our native British trees and Anglo-Saxon paganism!* This post serves as a caveat for the historical claims in the following posts, as well as the use of certain terminology, before we get to the investigation of different trees in the main series! This series is more academically dense than some of our other posts. For a quicker, more accessible read, take a look at our posts about our native woodland or anima
6 days ago
The Pagan Festival of Yule
In our last post, we dived into the debate about the pagan origins of Christmas . But it’s also illuminating—and fairer to both Christians and pagans—to think about the festivals separately, so this week, we are taking a look at the pagan festival of Yule! For Northern European pagans, the season of Yule was a time for feasting and merrymaking, vows, ghosts and witches. The power of the spirits was at its height on Yule’s eve. Not only was it a season of darkness in the wi
Dec 15, 2025
Is Christmas Pagan?
In our last post, we looked at how the Christmas story has inspired philosophers, artists, dramatists and theologians throughout the ages. It seems like every year, there are debates about the origin of the Christmas festival in Europe—most notably whether the early Christians appropriated a pagan festival for their own religion. But things are not so straightforward, as Dr. Orton discovers! A Level students will find this a useful summary of some of the background topics
Dec 8, 2025
The Christmas Story: The Annunciation and Nativity
The Christmas story is one of the most important and influential narratives in world history. It has inspired philosophers, artists, dramatists and theologians throughout the ages and has enormous significance for Christians today. Dr. Orton investigates… A Level students will find this useful background for some of the topics you will need for your exams. For university-level scholars or independent researchers , we’ve included clickable links to useful literature and can
Dec 5, 2025
The Snake and the Sensei: Reflections on the History of Karate
Dr. Orton explores the martial art of Karate and reflects on the lessons we can learn from its history. Sacred Fountain at Castle Peak from Eight Views of the Ryūkyū Islands by Hokusai (1832) In his autobiography, Gichin Funakoshi (sometimes called “the father of modern Karate”) re-tells the story of how the great Okinawan Karate master Sokon Matsumura* defeated another master without striking a single blow. Matsumura had initially told a strong, well-built engraver tha
Nov 30, 2025
The Sacred Forest Shrines of Japan
Dr. Orton explores the history of Shinto and Buddhism in Japan, the academic debate about Japanese religion, Inari (the fox deity) and the country’s beautiful forest shrines. For university-level scholars or independent researchers , we’ve included clickable links to useful literature and canonical scholarship you need to be acquainted with to get started. For everyone else , enjoy this introduction to Japan’s sacred forest shrines! Takinoo Inari Shrine in Nikko Religion in
Nov 25, 2025
The Black Madonna, Our Lady of Czestochowa
The Black Madonna of Częstochowa, an icon of the Virgin Mary and child, is a national symbol of Poland and motherhood. It is also a miracle-working icon and protector of the Polish people. Dr. Orton investigates the folklore and history of Poland’s most important painting. Copy of the Black Madonna at Jasna Gora I recently had the good fortune to visit the famous Jasna Góra monastery of Częstochowa, Poland’s spiritual capital and home to one of the world’s most important
Oct 6, 2025
Richard’s Legacy: The Relics of Richard III
In 2012, the bones of a long-lost King of England were discovered buried under a car park in Leicester. In 2015, they were reburied in a...
May 19, 2025
Re-evaluating Richard III: How Historians are Re-assessing Shakespeare’s Greatest Villain
In our last post, we met Richard III , Shakespeare’s greatest villain, anti-hero of the legendary Wars of the Roses, possible murderer...
May 12, 2025
Introducing Richard III: England’s Most Controversial King
Meet Richard III, Shakespeare’s greatest villain, anti-hero of the legendary Wars of the Roses, possible murderer, miracle-working corpse...
May 6, 2025
Hazel: A Native British Tree
Hazel trees are a feature of European folklore, a haven for wildlife, and a food source for humans. Dr. Orton introduces one of Britain’s...
Mar 31, 2025
Joris Hoefnagel’s Monumental Illuminations: Manuscript and Magic in the Court of Rudolf II
Fantastical miniature creatures, visual illusion and virtuoso calligraphy combine in the sixteenth century Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta!...
Feb 24, 2025
Woden, Leader of the Wild Hunt
Woden is one of the most important characters in Anglo-Saxon tradition, associated with the Norse god Odin, but adopted into English...
Feb 6, 2025
Plato and the Dialogue Form
Plato is one of the most important philosophers in the history of the world. It’s almost impossible to study Western philosophy, history...
Jan 16, 2025
Secrets of St. Cuthbert, Durham’s Patron Saint
Dr. Orton lived and studied in the beautiful city of Durham for four and a half years. Here, she explores the secrets of its patron...
Dec 16, 2024
Is Life a Game? How Wittgenstein’s Language Games Challenged Everything
Ludwig Wittgenstein’s theory of language games has been enormously influential in Philosophy and Religious Studies, but its implications...
Dec 9, 2024
Rights and Personhood in the Western Canon
I n her last post, Dr. Orton looked at the distinction between personhood and the self , and challenged the way these ideas are used in...
Dec 2, 2024
Cogito, Ergo Sum: René Descartes’ Grand Idea
René Descartes’ cogito, ergo sum is one of the most famous pronouncements in the history of philosophy. It has also been blamed for...
Nov 15, 2024
Wildlife of a Victorian Woodland
Meet the animals that live in our Victorian woodland in our latest post! Dr. Orton explores the history of Leicestershire’s landscape,...
Nov 4, 2024
Planting a Native Woodland
Dr. Orton explores the history of woodland in Britain and explains how we started our own native wood! Woods are a huge part of the...
Sep 30, 2024
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