“SALVE! NOS REQUIRERE VOBIS!” – TRANSLATE GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL’S MEDIEVAL CARTULARIES

 

Gloucester Cathedral has a collection of unstudied Medieval cartularies (a manuscript book containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the founding, privileges and legal rights of ecclesiastical establishments, municipal corporations, places of learning, trade guilds and even families) and deeds all relating to St Peter’s Abbey – the institution that finally became the Cathedral. These documents are a major source of information for researchers and historians, but by getting them translated even more people will be able to study and use them.

You’d be working off high quality digital images, so you can take this challenge up from anywhere in the world. We’ll be cross referencing each translation to get the best and most accurate and understandable versions possible, so we need lots of people to work on the documents. We’d especially like to encourage groups to work on these documents, so if you are a school / university group or Latin club this is a challenge for you.

 

WHAT'S INVOLVED?

We will email you a link to the copies of the pages for you to work on at your leisure and you would email your translations back. Some of the cartularies are 300 – 400 pages, but you really don’t have to take on that much work. We can split the images up into manageable bundles for you. We will cross reference the translations to get the best and most accessible versions possible, so you won’t be the only one working on your pages.

 

We’d especially like to encourage Latin clubs and school / college / university groups to take up this challenge. We’d be happy to make introductions to get you paired up with another group working on the document, which might be useful for further study and support opportunities – Latin pen pals anyone!

 

If you'd like more information please email [log in to unmask]

 

WHY GET INVOLVED?

There are only about 2,000 cartularies in the United Kingdom and ours are pretty much unstudied. The work that you’ll be doing will mean we will gain a much better understanding of Medieval Gloucester (who knows what we will discover!) and you’ll be providing an invaluable resource for researchers and historians. You’ll be the first people to find out those new facts and stories as well.

 

We also see this as a great opportunity to practice your Latin skills and make connections and hopefully start some friendships with other Latin groups. We are especially keen to buddy up Latin classes and groups and will make the introductions so you can do this.

 

This is a long term project, but one that you can make shorter specific contributions to depending on what time you have to offer. It can be done from anywhere in the world, at any time of the day, as you’ll be working off digital copies, so it’s perfect if you can’t commit to a regular volunteering slot, or don’t want to travel.