One Step Beyond: Borderland Spaces of Paranormal Activity in the Lanercost Chronicle

Description

The Lanercost Chronicle, most likely written at Lanercost Priory in Cumbria in the mid fourteenth century provides a glimpse into the medieval Anglo-Scottish border, revealing a nexus of paranormal phenomena. This paper explores the role of the paranormal in the chronicle's narrative shedding new light on the profound intersections of political fear, geography, and the paranormal. Through close reading of the representations of the undead, it uncovers the significance of border regions as liminal spaces, where the veil between worlds is tantalisingly thin. Drawing on wider trends within medieval conceptions of history and the paranormal in the fourteenth century, it elucidates how borderland texts such as Lanercost become fertile ground for discursive encounters with the paranormal. By examining the Lanercost Chronicle's depiction of such phenomena, this study offers insights into the literary and political dimensions of hauntings, pushing boundaries to explore the realms beyond.

Period	25 May 2024
Event title	Exploring the Boundaries HIGS PGR Conference
Event type	Conference
Location	Ormskirk, United KingdomShow on map
Degree of Recognition	Local