The Material Culture of Wills Project

📢AUTUMN NEWSLETTER OUT TODAY📢 This edition includes an important update on some changes to the team that impact the project's future. Those on our mailing list should have a copy in their inbox, for others see below, or DM your address to receive a pdf. #EarlyModern 🗃️ #DigitalHumanities #HTR

sites.exeter.ac.ukWhat to do with 30,000 wills? Three ApproachesJane Whittle, Wills Project Principal Investigator The wills project has now successfully transcribed more than 30,000 early modern wills from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, with at least 5000 f...

For more on the approach that researchers in the team are taking to analysing the objects found in 30,000 English wills from 1540-1790, see this blog post by Professor Jane Whittle, the project leader: sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult... #EarlyModern 🗃️ #MaterialCulture

youtu.beWills as Windows onto Past Lives: Creative Fellowship 2025YouTube video by The Material Culture of Wills Project

Finally, the short film on the collaboration between historian Dr Laura Sangha and musician Chris Hoban: youtu.be/rWf0qo6IDB8?... #EarlyModern 🗃️

sites.exeter.ac.ukWills as Songs***NEWSFLASH: Chris Hoban is planning an album titled A TIME OF MINDING*** We are thrilled to bring you the news that Chris is seeking funding to record an album of songs written and composed by

Here are the links mentioned in the newsletter: For more on the cultural, creative and public outcomes of Chris Hoban and Laura Sangha's [@lsangha.bsky.social] collaboration, see the project website: sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult... #EarlyModern 🗃️

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

Justin Colson

@justincolson.bsky.social

12 Aug

The Exeter Material Culture of Wills team have done an AMAZING job with their Transkribus transcriptions of 25,000 wills. I've been playing with the marked-up raw files kindly provided by @bhamhistory.bsky.social

Thank you Sam! We always strive to treat our contributors as research associates, since our project just wouldn't be possible if they were not a part of it. So it's very affirming that you say this 🙏😊

This post is unavailable.

📢PROJECT UPDATE📢 You may have seen the news that the University of Exeter, home of the wills project, has placed 500 academics at risk of redundancy. The project leader Prof. Jane Whittle & project co-investigator Dr Laura Sangha are both at risk, alongside almost all of the History department. 1/

Whatever happens, we will share the autogenerated transcriptions and our database next year as planned, and they will be available in an open access in a repository in the longer term. While we focus on publications we will be quieter on here and will pause the will of the month blog series. 5/

Thank you so much to everyone who has shown an interest in, supported, and volunteered for the project to date. We are very proud of everything that we have achieved so far. 6/6

While that planned research is ongoing, it has of course been severely disrupted as the processes of redundancy consultation, voluntary redundancy process, and selection for compulsory redundancy are happening across July-September. 3/

Though things are therefore very uncertain for the project at this moment, all of the team are committed to doing everything they can to bring our research to publication so the fruits of the project can be shared with volunteers and academics in future. 4/

This summer the project researchers, including Jane and Laura, were meant to be focusing on analysing and publishing findings relating to the 30,000 historic wills that we have transcribed with the help of thousands of volunteers. 2/

3 July

📢 In Case You Missed It 📢 📜 There's a new 'Will of the Month' post up on our blog! ⛪ Read all about a Tudor clergyman from Cumberland who had a tumultuous life, but regained considerable material wealth at his death 🪙🪙🪙 #history #SkyStorians #EarlyModern sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult...

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

sites.exeter.ac.ukWill of the Month: A curate of Cumberland who lost all his goodsEmily Vine This month’s post explores the will of John Adeson, a curate of Caldbeck in Cumbria, who died in 1540. Adeson was directly involved in the turmoil of the Henrician Reformation, and known pr...

1 July

📢NEW WILL OF THE MONTH📢 The will of a curate mixed up in the case of Elizabeth Barton, the ‘Holy Maid of Kent’. #EarlyModern 🗃️ @leverhulme.ac.uk sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult...

1 July

📢 NEW WILL OF THE MONTH POST 📢 June's post explores the will of a Tudor clergyman who forfeited much of his property in the turmoil of the Henrician Reformation📜 His fortunes improved: his will reveals material comfort & ownership of many fine & decorative items sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult...

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

14 June

'my swanne marke with vj nyckes'. 🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢 Alice Skipwithe's 16th-century will shows how she claimed ownership of these birds - with 6 notches carved into their beaks. Another bequest of swans is discussed in @emilymayvine.bsky.social's post here: #EarlyModern 🗃️

The Material Culture of Wills Project@materialwills.bsky.social

📢 NEW Will of the Month Post! 📢 This is for everyone who followed our 'Eyrie of Swans' discussion last week, and with particular thanks to @hnewsome-chandler.bsky.social , @lostplayhouse.bsky.social and @tracelarkhall.bsky.social who helped us identify it! 🦢 1/3🧵 sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult...

2 June

📢 In Case You Missed It! 📢 📜 Our latest 'Will of the Month' post is live on our blog: sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult... It explores the will of an C18th widow of Greenwich who bequeathed land, property, and bonds in the East India Company, but left only 1 shilling to her 'undutifull son' 🪙

@emilymayvine.bsky.social

27 May

📢 NEW WILL OF THE MONTH POST 📢 May's post explores a Greenwich widow's will which exhibits some clear favouritism📜 One son received the bulk of her estate, the other 'one Shilling and no more because of his undutifull behaviour' 🪙 sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult... #skystorians #EarlyModern

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

Emily Vine

18 May

📜 A recent blog post from the @materialwills.bsky.social blog, reflecting on the project team's recent 'Landmark Trust Futures' research retreat at Elton House in Bath 👇 @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social @uoearchhist.bsky.social @cemsexeter.bsky.social #history #skystorians #EarlyModern #Georgians

The Material Culture of Wills Project@materialwills.bsky.social

📢 In Case You Missed It 📢 📜There's a new post over on our project blog! Our Principal Investigator, Jane Whittle, discusses different ways of approaching 30,000 will transcriptions, and reflects on our recent research retreat, funded by the wonderful Landmark Trust Futures scheme 👇#skystorians

@churchmonuments.bsky.social

18 May

The Material Culture of Wills Project@materialwills.bsky.social

📢 NEW PROJECT BLOG POST 📢 Something a bit different from our 'Will of the Month' posts... 📜 Our Principal Investigator, Jane Whittle, explains the different ways we can approach and work with 30,000 will transcriptions 🧵1/3 #EarlyModern @uoearchhist.bsky.social sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult...

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

Church Monuments Society

15 May

Fascinating account of burial choices and removal

The Material Culture of Wills Project@materialwills.bsky.social

📢 APRIL WILL OF THE MONTH 📢 📜 Our new 'Will of the Month' post is now live on our blog! It explores the will of Sir Francis Cottington, who died & was initially buried in Valladolid in 1652. 26 years later, his body was removed & reburied in Westminster Abbey. sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult...

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

Emily Vine

@emilymayvine.bsky.social

30 Apr

📜 In Case You Missed It 📜 April's 'Will of the Month' post is now live over on the @materialwills.bsky.social blog! 👇 #history #EarlyModern #Skystorians

The Material Culture of Wills Project@materialwills.bsky.social

12 May

12 May

Jane considers 3 main approaches to large numbers of early modern sources: 1. Quantitative Surveys 📈 2. Searching for how the meaning of words changes over time ✏️ 3. Finding needles in haystacks! 🪡 🧵2/3 @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social #DigitalHumanities @uniofexeternews.bsky.social #History

12 May

Jane also reflects on our recent team research retreat to Elton House in Bath - generously funded by the wonderful Landmark Trust Futures scheme - which has allowed the team to discuss and refine ideas, and share some of our different approaches to this large number of will transcriptions. 🧵3/3

6 May

Co-investigator @lsangha.bsky.social is speaking about the project at the @ihrscb.bsky.social seminar tomorrow! In person at the @ihr.bsky.social and online on Zoom 🌐 Sign up here: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/... @leverhulme.ac.uk @transkribus.bsky.social @zooniverse.bsky.social #History

Dr Laura Sangha@lsangha.bsky.social

📢TOMORROW!📢 I'm speaking at the @ihrscb.bsky.social seminar on people's changing relationship with their possessions in the 150 years before the Industrial Revolution. Join us in person @ihr.bsky.social or on Zoom, register: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/... #EarlyModern 🗃️@uoearchhist.bsky.social

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history.ac.ukThe Material Culture of Wills, England 1540-1790Society, Culture & Belief 1500-1800 Seminar

6 May

Replying to @lsangha.bsky.social

In tomorrow's paper I explain how we transcribed 30,000 wills and share some preliminary findings: on bequests in wills as a measure of economic change & how wills can be used to trace the interiority of people in the past. www.history.ac.uk/news-events/... @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

6 May

30 Apr

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

Many thanks to the organisers, SHS and the IHR for hosting me, @emilymayvine.bsky.social and @bhamhistory.bsky.social at the Festival last Friday. A really excellent day showcasing so much exciting work.

The Material Culture of Wills Project@materialwills.bsky.social

Last week we participated in the 'Festival of Social History' - an event organised by @socialhistsoc.bsky.social & @ihr.bsky.social In the morning, co-investigator @lsangha.bsky.social spoke about the project's use of AI transcription and working with volunteers 🧵1/3 bsky.app/profile/dave...

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

Interdiscplinary action! Combining the wills project, UCL makerspace and the Uni of Essex's project on The Gay Switchboard! 💀

The Material Culture of Wills Project@materialwills.bsky.social

This led to an even more surprising output - following conversations over lunch & a collaboration with two fantastic nearby stalls, one of our ballad 'woodcut' images from our earlier linocut workshop was transformed into a sparkly badge! 🧵3/3 @uoearchhist.bsky.social @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social

Dr Dave Hitchcock@davehitchcock.bsky.social

Our first panel kicks off with Laura Sangha and the material culture of wills, combining new automatic transcription and citizen history. Volunteer and citizen historians make social history. #SHSfest

Later in the day @lsangha.bsky.social, @bhamhistory.bsky.social & @emilymayvine.bsky.social also ran an interactive stall showcasing the project - featuring photos, videos, and posters with details about what we've been up to over the last couple of years 🧵2/3 #SHSFest #Skystorians #History

media.leverhulme.ac.ukWills as Windows onto Past LivesMusician and lyricist, Chris Hoban, collaborates with Dr Laura Sangha, one the researchers currently working on the Leverhulme-funded project ‘The Material Culture of Wills, England 1540-1790’

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

Leverhulme Trust

@leverhulme.ac.uk

28 Apr

Featuring @lsangha.bsky.social and musician Chris Hoban, this video showcases the @materialwills.bsky.social project @uoearchhist.bsky.social that uses cutting edge digital technology to transcribe 25,000 manuscript wills. 🎬 media.leverhulme.ac.uk/video/wills-...

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

28 Apr

📢NEW POST: APRIL WILL OF THE MONTH📢 It's the 1652 (proved 1666) will of Sir Francis Cottingham, ambassador to Spain and a Catholic convert who asked to be buried in the English College. sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult... #EarlyModern 🗃️

28 Apr

📢 NEW Will of the Month Post! 📢 📜 April's post explores the will of Sir Francis Cottington (c.1579-1652), ‘Ambassador extraordinary' to the King of Spain. A Catholic convert, he died in Valladolid, leaving a 'Jewell of Diamonds' to a famous statue of Our Lady 💎 sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult...

history.ac.ukFestival of Social History

21 Apr

📅 Upcoming wills project talks 👇 - Social History Festival this Friday - Laura Sangha at the Institute of Historical Research (hybrid) on 7 May #EarlyModern 🗃️

Dr Laura Sangha@lsangha.bsky.social

And the presentations are: ~ Emily, Harry & I at the Festival of Social History, IHR 24 April ~ Me at @ihrscb.bsky.social seminar IHR, 7 May Plus I am looking forward to talking wills at the #Reformation Studies Colloquium next week. www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

8 Apr

ICYMI - the Wills project spring 2026 newsletter is out now. Find out what we've been up to over the past 6 months 👇 #EarlyModern 🗃️

Dr Laura Sangha@lsangha.bsky.social

📢 Wills Project Spring 2026 Newsletter📢 Winging its way to many an inbox this week! 📜👇🌱 #EarlyModern 🗃️ @uoearchhist.bsky.social @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social @leverhulme.ac.uk @uniofexeternews.bsky.social

📢 DOODLES IN THE PREROGATIVE COURT OF CANTERBURY ARCHIVES 📢 📜 Some fabulous examples of 'faces' and other scribbles in early modern wills being shared by this account, run by one of our project volunteers 👇 1/5🧵 bsky.app/profile/scri...

bsky.appbsky.app

How about the moon? 🌜 4/5🧵 bsky.app/profile/scri...

Skribbler 52@scribble52.bsky.social

Opening of the probate paragraph of the PCC copy of the will of John Hermer, Freemason, proved on 9th May 1509 #PCC #marginalia

Although this one, we think is our favourite. We call this face 'That feeling on the Tuesday after the long bank holiday weekend' 5/5🧵 #history #SkyStorians #EarlyModern #Palaeography #archives #Tudors bsky.app/profile/scri...

Skribbler 52@scribble52.bsky.social

Opening of the probate paragraph of the PCC copy of the will of Thomas Morley of Croft, Lincolnshire, proved on 25th June 1507. #PCC #inhabited_initial

bsky.appbsky.app

See for example, a man smoking a pipe? Or blowing bubbles? 🚬🫧 2/5🧵 bsky.app/profile/scri...

Skribbler 52@scribble52.bsky.social

Opening of the probate paragraph of the PCC copy of the will of Thomas Beel or Beal of Ware, Hertfordshire, proved on 6th October 1506. How frustrating to have had a pipe at least 50 years before the introduction of tobacco! #PCC #inhabited_initial

And this wonderful fish! 🐟🐟🐟 3/5🧵 bsky.app/profile/scri...

Skribbler 52@scribble52.bsky.social

Early in the C15th, and into the C16th, a common motif was to portray a capital 'I' as a fish. Here is a typical example, from the will of Thomas Pance, proved on January 22nd 1419. #PCC

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

history.ac.ukFestival of Social History

Replying to @lsangha.bsky.social

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

Replying to @lsangha.bsky.social

The newsletter links are: Project progress blog: sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult... Will of the Month Series: sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult... Chris Hoban: chrishoban.com Singing the wills blog: sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult...

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

2 Apr

📢 In Case You Missed It! 📢 Our latest 'Will of the Month' post is now live 📜 David de Crasto, the hazzan of Bevis Marks synagogue, left in his will 'all my Hebrew Books in my Desk at the Synagogue', as well as charitable bequests to the congregation 📖 sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult...

The Material Culture of Wills Project reposted

2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.comEmily's Fundraising pageI'm running the London Marathon this year, and raising money for St Wilfrid's Hospice Eastbourne. Nearly every family in East Sussex will know someone who St Wilfrid's Hospice has helped - they do suc

31 Mar

Btw our excellent lead blogger Emily [@emilymayvine.bsky.social] is running the London marathon this year! The poor dear had to get up early every day in Bath to get in her training runs. Why not make her feel better about this by sponsoring her?👇 2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/emily-vin...

The Material Culture of Wills Project@materialwills.bsky.social

📢 NEW WILL OF THE MONTH POST 📢 📜 March's post explores the will of David de Crasto, the hazzan of the Bevis Marks synagogue. De Crasto left a bequest of 'all my Hebrew Books in my Desk at the Synagogue', as well as charitable bequests to the congregation 📖 sites.exeter.ac.uk/materialcult... 🧵1/2