Welcome to SoundsMedieval.org

This site is set up to explore the sound-world of the later medieval period. Why? Because it seems that the potential of the many surviving documents has not been fully exploited.

We have archives in English from the early part of the 15th century which show us how English was spoken regionally. They also describe in English and Latin the huge community effort that went into making churches resound with music: choir-books, singers, bells and organs of all sizes.

Thousands of churches can still tell us so much about a musical culture that was among the best in Christendom, if we know how to interpret what we see. So, this site is the start of an exploration.

It is also the site of as much documentation as we can assemble. From thousands of details a whole picture can be built up.

Investigating the archaeology of the late medieval organ

You can download from the About us page Martin Renshaw's paper on 'Investigating the archaeology of the late medieval organ' that he gave at the British Institute of Organ Studies Research Conference, Barber Institute, Birmingham, on 25 February 2012.

What you will find here

What churches were built for

Dialect and accent in old documents

Dance and drama in churches

From plainsong to prick-song

Lots of keyboards

All kinds of bells

Reformation period and after

Links

PLEASE NOTE. This website is under construction. More information to follow soon.

Return to TOP

How you can join in

Finding churchwardens' accounts

Discovering traces of medieval organs

What did medieval English sound like?

Where is the oldest English organ?

Not an island then?

Moderation conditions and contact

© All material on this site is copyright Martin Renshaw or others where indicated.

Website built by Phil Harding of philharding.net to W3C website and CSS standards.