Talk: What did English sound like? An overview of the Mercian dialect of Old English using texts at the time, including Beowulf and others

Shining a light on: English in early medieval Southwell

Tuesday 27th October 2026, 2:30pm

in the State Chamber, Southwell Minster

Join us to shine a light on medieval language and answer the question:

What did English sound like in early medieval Southwell?

People spoke and wrote Old English in early medieval Southwell. How much do we know about their language? What did it sound like? What other languages were there in the area? This talk will give an overview of the Mercian dialect of Old English using text examples written at the time, including Beowulf, The Peterborough Chronicle, The Lord’s Prayer and place-names from the Southwell area. It will be fascinating to see how close our own modern form of English is to the earliest East Midlands dialect. All welcome — no prior experience with medieval language required.

Speaker: Dr Christine Rauer is an academic based at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. She works on medieval English literature.

Tickets cost £7 (plus booking fee)

TALK SERIES:

Shine a Light on…: we are shining a light on aspects of the Minster’s life, history & heritage.

Whether you’re a heritage enthusiast or simply curious, join us for fascinating insights from academics, experts, and our own passionate guides. Tickets may be bought in advance through the Minster website, or the Cathedral shop, or on the door. This series of talks complements Luke Jerram’s magnificent ‘Helios’ (sun) installation which will be in the Minster in July / August 2026.

FIND OUT MORE: Talks Programme | Southwell Minster

Description supplied by the event organiser.