Projects
A number of projects led by members of University staff make substantial use of the collections in Durham. They each represent the research potential of the collections.
Church, State and Nation in Britain: the journals of Hensley Henson, 1900-1939
Herbert Hensley Henson (1863-1947), was a leading English churchman and one of the greatest of English diarists. He was rector of St Margaret’s Westminster (the House of Commons church) from 1900 to 1912, dean of Durham from 1912 to 1918, bishop of Hereford from 1918 to 1920 and bishop of Durham from 1920 to 1939, in which capacity he was a member of the House of Lords. Henson’s unpublished journals preserved in Durham Cathedral Library are masterpieces of commentary and opinion. The project will create a digital scholarly edition of two-thirds of the journals.
Durham Priory Library Recreated
Durham possesses the finest collection of medieval manuscripts of any English cathedral. Durham University, in partnership with Durham Cathedral, is engaged in an ambitious project to digitise Durham Priory Library – the books owned and used by the Benedictine monastery of Durham and its dependent cells.
Monks in Motion
The 'Monks in Motion' project team has been investigating the activities and membership of the English and Welsh Benedictines, 1553-1800, exploring their changing political role in transnational familial and intellectual networks. The project has created an open source, searchable electronic database of all English and Welsh Benedictines from the period, including those who were early leavers or did not pass the selection process.
Ordered Universe
The Ordered Universe Project is an international research project dedicated to the scientific works of the remarkable English thinker Robert Grosseteste (c.1170-1253). The project is working on a seven volume series with Oxford University Press, to present new editions, English translation, and extensive analyses of the scientific works by Grosseteste.
Rome in the World
This project examines the legacy of Nazarene and Purist schools of painting and sculpture in their relation with early-Christian archaeology and literature. Ushaw College holds a highly significant collection of these artworks.