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Latest College News
Stay up to date with the latest from Magdalene, including College announcements, academic achievements, alumni updates, feature articles, and highlights from recent events.
A Shakespeare Signature? Part 1
An intriguing signature in the Old Library’s copy of Thucydides’ Hystory writtone by Thucidides raises questions about its authenticity as Shakespeare's, leading to an analysis of the evidence.
Eric Crudgington Fernihough
Eric Fernihough, a Magdalene College alumnus, was a passionate motorcyclist who almost claimed the world speed record before his tragic death in 1938. His story remains commemorated each year in Hungary.
Magdalene Giving Day
Magdalene's first Giving Day, held on 11-12 March, brought together the College community to raise funds for student support. With 335 donors, over £100,000 was raised. Thank you to everyone involved!
Lady Damaris Masham
This International Women’s Day, we highlight Lady Damaris Masham, philosopher and theologian, who advocated for women’s education and critiqued moral theories alongside thinkers like John Locke.
IWD Feminist Books
Happy International Women’s Day! Celebrate with inspiring feminist reads now available at Magdalene College Library, covering topics like gender, sexuality, and intersectionality.
Professor James Raven: interview by The British Academy
James Raven reflects on his journey from rural Essex to leading scholarship in book history, exploring global publishing, lost mansions, and mythical sea monsters in Enlightenment science.
Christine de Pisan
Dr M E J Hughes explores Samuel Pepys's binding of Christine de Pisan’s Feats of Arms and Vegetius’s De re militari, showcasing Pepys's thoughtful approach to bookbinding and text arrangement.
The Quincentenary of Magdalene College Hall
The Hall at Magdalene College has evolved over 500 years, from its construction in 1519 to its modern form, with changes to its structure, decoration, and brewing practices. The Hall remains a vibrant gathering place.
Chaucerian Incunabula
This week's blog post discusses the significance of the Caxton volume of the Canterbury Tales in the Pepys library, its historical context, and updates from recent scholarly work on its second edition.
Human Adaptation and Changing Climates: Digging up lessons from Pacific prehistory
Magdalene Bye-Fellow Dylan Gaffney shares insights from his archaeological project in Raja Ampat, exploring how ancient humans adapted to sea level rise and shifting ecosystems.
Giving the past a sustainable future: upholstery and upcycling at Magdalene College
Ruth Eckstein, Magdalene’s College Seamstress, began her role eight years ago. From emergency ball repairs to crafting cushions from old curtains, she transforms and restores with skill and care.
An (almost) unbroken history
The Old Library’s copy of Lucubratiunculae by Peter Schott holds a fascinating history of ownership, tracing back to Hildebrand Brandenburg’s donation to Buxheim Charterhouse in 1498.