Cushman Writes

“As a warning to the Young of both Sexes This Stone is erected by public Subscription.” These words greet passersby in Godmanchester’s St. Mary the Virgin Church.  The gargantuan headstone above Mary Ann Weems’ grave serves not only as a memorial of her 1819 murder, but also invites a troubling tarnish of her identity. Her story has stood in this cemetery for centuries, visible to onlookers. Unlike other headstones, her role as the victim, murdered, perhaps even blamed, is attributed to her memory. Mary Ann arguably cannot rest in peace. The events of her life and death are brought up each time her final resting place is passed. Unlike other headstones in this cemetery, her life is memorialised, made permanent, in this stone. A community decision to immortalise this event is crucial for examining the involvement of gendered expectations being perpetuated even in death. Murder is brutal. It is the action of intentionally taking away the life of another human. Thomas Weems, her h...

Let’s face it, not all of us enjoyed school, but regardless of what grade you achieved in GCSE History, we are all united by our enjoyment of the funky Horrible Histories songs. The programme first aired in the UK on the 16 th of April 2009 and has continued to be a cult classic to this day. From singing ‘We sell any monk’ to the iconic Charles the Second, what’s not to love? This blog post analyses the role of Horrible Histories through the medium of their historical songs, exploring how history is made accessible whilst not detracting too far from the actual events as they happened.   Tonight, We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 1066 In this section, I shall introduce three songs from the programme. After establishing the context of the song, the historical agents present in it, and the message behind it, I will analyse the relationship between these elements in how the medium presents history. First up it’s good ol’ Charles the Second. [1] The song features a rather interest...

I blinked, and the second year of university happened. Whilst Oxford remains a strange microcosm, a lot has happened since October, and, like last year, I think it would be a good idea to write down how I feel it has gone. Now, anyone who knows me knows I am exceptionally critical of myself. This can be a slight problem when it comes to doing work at my university. With quite a few deadlines in short succession, there is often not the time to obsess over every detail. However, this year I think some of my decision-making skills have sharpened, albeit only slightly in some cases. This is mainly in part to me finally, yes, finally, joining some societies. Participating in societies has given me a sense of confidence and a new sense of community. I am a member of the Oxford Labour Club and have served on the committee since Hilary this year. Having spent time as Women's Officer and the Secretary, I found that I developed new skills and was given amazing opportunities to network an...

  So often is the case that I see a news headline and go ‘hmm, that reminds me of something.’ I have written about history on many occasions, emphasising how it can teach us valuable lessons. Many of the rituals and observances that we keep are centuries old; diplomacy is no different. This week, I take a comparative approach to diplomacy in both late medieval society and today, highlighting how its position has remained largely unchanged for most of history.   -- Diplomacy is an age-old interaction between leaders and their representatives and another polity. As part of my degree, I recently studied late medieval diplomacy, and in light of recent interactions between Germany’s Chancellor and the United States President, an abundance of posturing can be observed.  Posturing, in this post, can be defined as an event by one party to provoke a response from another party to give the original party a position of superiority. This article highlights the importance of ...

Often, medieval history is overshadowed by modern history in both education and public interest. After reading Ian Mortimer’s ‘Medieval Horizons’ I found myself wondering, do we really value Medieval history as much as we should? This blog post is an extended essay exploring the challenges medieval history faces within history education, particularly in UK universities. It discusses how uneven access to medieval and earlier historical periods across different institutions limits students’ historical awareness and curiosity. Drawing on my own experience at Oxford and comparisons with other universities, I argue for greater standardisation in history curricula and increased collaboration to ensure all students gain a well-rounded understanding of history—not just modern periods. Medieval history matters deeply for understanding today, and this essay outlines why it should be made more accessible and valued in education. -- As a history student, I often find myself being interrogated ab...