The capital’s stories spring to life with IHR London Summer School in July

Tuesday 26 April 2022

The Institute of Historical Research’s exciting new London Summer School will take participants behind the scenes of the city’s rich histories.

The Institute of Historical Research (IHR), the UK’s national academic centre for history at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study (SAS), is delighted to announce the launch of its new London Summer School which will take place from 11 to 14 July with the theme of ‘renewal’ focusing on stories of resilience and transformation in London from the Great Fire to the Blitz, and on into the city’s future.

The IHR London Summer School will offer a unique opportunity to explore London’s stories and historic places from the institute’s home at Senate House in the heart of Bloomsbury. Guest lectures from world-renowned experts and interactive workshops will focus on topics from London’s earliest history to the present day – as well as visions and policy debates concerning its future.

Special access tours and visits include a behind the scenes triforium tour at St Paul’s Cathedral to see the Library and Great Model, with access to the nave roof space to see the internal workings of the dome, followed by the opportunity to climb the dome and visit the cathedral floor and crypt. Other special access visits will include the Museum of London, London Livery Company archives, and the fascinating secrets of Senate House itself – Ministry of Information (and Orwellian inspiration) in World War Two, and now headquarters of the University of London, as well as a frequent location for film and television.

Students will have access to the remarkable London collections in the IHR’s Wohl Library, including maps, rare books and a range of important primary and secondary sources. ‘Fringe’ events will include a workshop with BAFTA award-winning executive producer and maker of history television, Sue Horth – and even a pub quiz. The week will also feature the inaugural Derek Keene London Lecture from Professor Vanessa Harding (Birkbeck, University of London) on ‘The Great Fire and the End of Medieval London’.

Other speakers and tutors will include Professor Lucy Noakes (Rab Butler Chair in Modern History, University of Essex), Dr Hannah Elias (lecturer in Black British History, Goldsmiths, University of London) and Ben Rogers (Professor of Practice, University of London, and founding director of the Centre for London thinktank), as well as IHR staff.

IHR director Professor Claire Langhamer said: ‘We’re excited to welcome visitors from across the world to our new IHR London Summer School. We’re also delighted that, thanks to the generosity of donors, we have several bursaries to offer to support participants.’

The London Summer School builds on the IHR’s outstanding strengths in urban and metropolitan history, and especially London history, formerly concentrated in its Centre for Metropolitan History (founded in 1988 by the IHR and Museum of London) and now based in its Centre for the History of People, Place and Community. It draws on this world-class academic heritage, as well as other high-profile projects and centres based in the IHR: the Victoria County History of England (founded 1899), History & Policy: the UK’s national network for connecting historians and policy-makers, and Layers of London, the major history mapping project which brings together historic maps, material from archives and institutions, and crowdsourced content from communities across the city. The Summer School will also feature cutting-edge new research from other projects both within and beyond the University of London.

Further programme information, and details of bursaries (application deadline 16 May) are available on the IHR website: https://www.history.ac.uk/ihr-london-renewal.

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Notes for editors

For further information please contact Maureen McTaggart (maureen.mctaggart@london.ac.uk), Media Communications Manager, University of London.