This educational outreach event has developed out of collaborative work between Professor Louise Wilkinson (History and the Centre for Kent History & Heritage), and Cressida Williams (Canterbury Cathedral’s Archivist) and is one of a series of high-profile events within the Becket 2020 year-long programme. This programme has been compiled to mark the anniversaries in 2020 of the murder and ‘translation’ of St Thomas Becket, and of the canonisation of St Hugh of Lincoln.

By combining presentations at CCCU by specialists in the field of ecclesiastical seals with a visit to the Cathedral Archives and the Conservation Studio to see examples from its fine collection and to discuss the conservation treatment of medieval seals, students, staff, early career academics and members of the public will gain insights into such topics as the iconography of seals, their importance as material culture and to medieval sealing practices. These topics draw on the findings of the Imprint project (led by academics at the universities of Aberystwyth and Lincoln). For material culture is seen as an exciting development among archaeologists and historians, allowing attendees to explore the latest academic thinking in this and associated fields.