Selected Papers and Presentations

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• The Rise of The Terror of London: Spring Heeled Jack’s First Appearances. “Monsters”: online Halloween Symposium. AHSN Australasian Horror Studies Network. 29 October 2021.

• Spring-Heeled Jack: The Changing Monster 1863-1913. “Monsters” symposium. University of Northampton. 29 November 2019.*

• Dr Who: The Final Game. “Fantasy Apocalypse” symposium. Richmond University. 1 December 2017.*

• The Fears of a Clown. “The Dark Fantastic” symposium. University of Northampton. 20 December 2016.*

• The Legend of Spring-heeled Jack. “Myth-Weavers” symposium. Richmond University. 20 November 2015.*

• A Reflection on Vampires in the Classic Series of Doctor Who. Popular Culture Association/ American Culture Association International conference. Reykjavik, Iceland. 22-24 July 2015.

• Whadda U Tolkien about?: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Appropriation of Mythology. Rumour Quill Society. University of Northampton. 18 February 2015.

• Origins of Christmas. Lecture for the Medieval Society. University of Northampton. 17 December 2014.

• “It’s coming through”: Leakage in Portal Fantasy. “The Dark Fantastic” Symposium. Richmond University. 21 November 2014.*

• St George, Patron Saint of England? Invited Speaker. Probus Society. Skegness, 13 August 2014; Warwick 2 September 2015.

• “Creating Myths: How Does Mythology Develop?” (King Arthur). Jendouba University, Tunisia. 10-12 March 2014.

• "English Foundation Myths as Political Empowerment". Keynote speaker. Creating Myths as Narratives of Empowerment and Disempowerment Conference. Jendouba University, Tunisia.    10–12 March 2014.

• “Who’s the Murderer?”; the mystery of Eleanor Sleath. “Fantastic Worlds” symposium. University of Northampton. 22 November 2013.

• “This stinckyng Idoll”: the origins of some English Mayday traditions. “The Rural Experience” conference. University of Loughborough. 26 March 2013.

• The Necromancer of the Black Forest: a truly ‘Horrid Novel’. “Fantasy Thresholds” symposium. Richmond University. 16 November 2012.

• Nicole Oresme’s treatises on cosmography and divination: a discussion of the Treatise of the Sphere. Starcræft: watching the heavens in the early Middle Ages. UCL. 30 June 2012.

• The sacred space of Wayland’s Smithy. “Supernatural Places”. Nordic-Baltic Folklore Symposium. University of Tartu.  4 June 2012.

• Who do you think we were (4) The Anglo-Saxons and their gods (still) with us. University of Northampton.  12 March 2012.

• Sympathy for the Devil. “The Fantastic Imagination” symposium. Richmond University. 25 November 2011.

• Pearl and the Medieval Dream Vision. Dreams in Legend and Tradition. The Folklore Society. 3 September 2011.

• The Pagan Heritage of St George. IMC Leeds. 13 July 2011.*

• Who Do You Think We Were? (3) St George: England’s Patron Saint? University of Northampton. 28 April 2011.

• A Forgotten God Remembered: the Wayland Smith Legend in Kenilworth and Puck of Pook’s Hill. English & Welsh Diaspora. Regional Cultures, Remembered Lives. University of Loughborough. 13 April 2011.

• Chivalry in Gawain and the Green Knight. Medieval Siege Society, Welwyn Garden City. 19 February 2011.

• Some Celtic Otherworld Motifs in Brendan’s Voyage to Paradise. IMC Leeds. 12 July 2010.*

• “We are Spared Hell”: Neutral Angels in the Middle Dutch Voyage of Brendan. ICMS Kalamazoo. 14 May 2010.

• Who Do You Think We Were? (2) Wayland: Smith of the Gods. University of Northampton. 6 May 2010.

• The Judas Episode in the Voyage of Brendan. Norwich Cathedral one-day conference. 24 April 2010.

• The Heresies of the Anglo-Norman Voyage of Brendan. IMC Leeds. 13 July 2009.*

• Who Do You Think We Were? England’s Foundation Mythology. University of Northampton. 4 June 2009.

• The Symbolic path to the names in Gawain and the Green Knight, University of Northampton. 6 November 2008.

• Disguising Natural Exotica: St Brendan’s Travels to ‘Iceland’. IMC Leeds. 8 July 2008.*

• Vision in the Anglo-Norman Voyage of Brendan. IMC Leeds. 9 July 2007.*

• The Medieval Legend of Judas Iscariot: The Vita of Judas and the Gospel of Barnabas. York Medieval Religion Research Group. 1 February 2006.

• Gawain’s Shield: Symbolism and Interpretations of the Pentangle in Religion and Literature. York Medieval Religion Research Group. 18 October 2004.

• Any Need for Miracles? The Portrayal of Brendan in the Vita Brendani and the Navigatio sancti Brendani. IMC Leeds. 12 July 2004.

• The Voice of Authority: The Role of the Host in the Anglo-Norman Voyage of Brendan. IMC Leeds. 16 July 2003.*

• The Respite of Judas Iscariot in the Voyage of Brendan. York/Canterbury Conference. York. 13 June 2003.

• Between Heaven and Hell: Neutral Angels in Medieval Literature. IMC Leeds. 10 July 2002.

• The Exorcism Ritual in Gawain and the Green Knight. York/Canterbury Conference. Canterbury. 15 June 2002.

• The Genre and Audience of the Voyage of Brendan. Identity and Cultural Exchange 600–1600. University of Birmingham. 6 April 2002.

• Piety, Banishment and Obedience in the Voyage of Brendan. International Medieval Congress Leeds. 10 July 2001.

• Kissing Heaven’s Door: Judas Iscariot and the Voyage of Brendan. York Medieval Religion Research Group. 29 June 2000.

• Frozen In Stone: the Megalith at Airthree. York Medieval Art History Society. 27 May 1999.

• Specters of Gawain. Stirling Phantom FX seminar. 10 April 1997.

 

*Session organiser