Harriet Mahood

Career profile:
I have recently finished a PhD in History at the University of Reading under the supervision of Professors
Lindy Grant and Grenville Astill on The Medieval Ecclesiastical Gatehouse Complex: Design, Function and
Context. In the long term I am hoping to continue to work in the secondary and higher education sectors
and continue my own research where possible.

The topic of my PhD was an in-depth study of English, ecclesiastical gatehouses and builds upon work I had
already undertaken as part of my masters and undergraduate degrees. My BA dissertation focused on the
circumstances of foundation at the abbeys of Paisley and Reading while my MA dissertation examined the
nature, and cause, of conflict in English monastic towns in the fourteenth century.

I have a broad range of teaching experience and since 2012, I have worked privately as tutor tutoring a
variety of students in English Language, English Literature, and History from primary school to A-level. In
2013, I created and taught a 1st year undergraduate seminar course at the University of Reading which was
based partly upon my doctoral work and brought my research into the classroom. Finally, I have held a
number of study advice roles (again in the department of history at Reading), acting as an academic mentor
for disabled students, and as a study advisor for all students (1st year undergrads to masters students).

I have excellent organisation skills and have balanced a number of part-time jobs with my doctoral research
(disabilities mentoring, study advice, and private tutoring). Additionally, I am a very active member of
department life both at the research and teaching ends of the spectrum, attending conferences and student
meetings and volunteering to help when I can (see departmental activities). In what free-time I do have, I
volunteer with a local scout troop organising activities for the children on a weekly basis. This includes
occasional weekend and week-long excursions including a two-week long trip to Japan in July 2015 with 36
young people.

Education o PhD in History (2012 2017, Minor corrections), University of Reading

o MA in Medieval Studies (2011-2012, Distinction), University of Reading
o BA (hons) in Archaeology and History (2008-2011, 1st class), University of Reading
o A-level subjects: English Literature, English Language, History.
o iGCSE subjects: Maths, Biology, Chemistry, English Literature, English Language,
History.

Publications Coming and Going: The great gate of Peterborough as a zone of interaction - Under
consideration for publication as part of the conference proceedings from the BAA
Peterborough conference
The Liminality of Care, in The Reading Medievalist, vol. 2 (2015) pp. 50-70
"Cluniac Reading and Paisley", in Berkshire Old and New, No. 30 (2013) pp. 3-13

Conference o FORTHCOMING - Cistercians and their Pilgrims (Leeds IMC, Leeds: July 2017)
Papers o Reading Abbey Gatehouse in Context (GCMS Lecture series, University of Reading:
October 2016)
o Aspects of Monastic Alms in the High Middle Ages (Leeds IMC, Leeds: July 2016)
o Reading Abbey Gatehouse Complex (Friends of Reading Abbey AGM Lecture,
Reading: October 2015)
o Coming and Going: The great gate of Peterborough as a zone of interaction (BAA
Annual Conference, Peterborough: July 2015)
o Guarding the Gate (Leeds IMC, Leeds: July 2015)
o Prayer at the Gate of the Monastery (On the Edge: a Postgraduate and Early-Career
Conference, Reading: March, 2015)

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 Harriet Mahood

o Paradise in the City? The concept of the cloister and the reality of urban life in
England in the high middle ages (Leeds IMC, Leeds: July, 2014)
o Begging for Bread and Asking for Alms: The efficacy of Monastic Charity (A Bouquet
for Margaret Yates, Reading: May, 2014)
o Seeds of Sedition: Relations between medieval townspeople and their English
ecclesiastical lords (Conflict and Rebellion in the North Sea World: Creating,
Managing and Resolving Conflict in the twelfth and thirteenth century, Glasgow:
April, 2014)
o The Liminality of Care: Caring for the sick and needy on the boundaries of
monasteries (The Maladies, Miracles and Medicine of the Middle Ages: a
Postgraduate and Early-Career Conference, Reading: March, 2014)
o At the Gate, At the Shrine: Laity and the Monastery (Postgraduate Colloquium,
Reading: June, 2013)

Funding/Awards October 2015 BAA, OCHs scholarship (shared prize with the other winner, worth
2500)
October 2012 AHRC PhD Studentship (c. 13,800 each year for three years)
2015, 2016, 2017 IMC Conference bursaries (average worth 119)
2012, 2013, 2015 - BAA Conference Scholarships (Conference fees and
accommodation costs, on average worth around 400)
October 2011 GCMS Bursary for MA (Res) Medieval studies (FT Tuition fees,
equivalent to c. 4000)
BA Dissertation (2011) Berkshire Record Office prize (100)

Profession o Medieval Latin and palaeography, University of Reading (2011-2012)

related training o Field excavation, Kierikki Stone Age Centre, Finland (26/06/10 07/08/10)
and experience o Field excavation, Wadi Faynan, Jordon(21/03/10 16/04/10)
o Field excavation, Silchester Archaeological field School (13/07/09 26/07/09)
o Finds processing for the University of Readings Anglo Saxon Excavation at Lyminge
(11/08-01/09)
o Experimental Archaeology (Hut construction, flint knapping and butchery, Roman
plumbata manufacture, 2008-2010)

Academic OCHs Scholarship 2017/2018 committee

activities Reading and ranking applications for the BAA OCHs scholarship, awarding up to
8000.

BAA Council member (2016-present)

Member of the British Archaeological Associations council who meet to organise the
associations activities. These range from organisation of the annual lecture series
and conferences, to publication of conference transactions and the associations
journal. My specific role is responsibility for the organisations presence at the IMC
at Leeds each year, organising normally two panels of speakers.

Conference assistant:

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 Harriet Mahood

Reading, Scholarship and the Art of the Book at Reading Abbey (April, 2015:
University of Reading). Checking attendance, helping participants, receiving and
setting up lunch, and writing a blog on the day.

Conference Organiser:
On the Edge: a Postgraduate and Early-Career Conference (March, 2015: University
of Reading). Organised from the ground up by myself (call for papers, registration,
programme, lunch, room bookings, accommodation, dinner), the conference was
well attended with around 30 participants and speakers from the UK, Switzerland,
California, Ireland, and Spain. I will be editing and publishing the proceedings from
this conference for release in Issue 4. (Spring 2016) of The Reading Medievalist

Conference assistant:
From Jacobitism to the SNP. The Crown, the Union and the Scottish Question
(November 2013: University of Reading). Checking attendance, distributing
paperwork, answering questions from participants, and receiving and setting up
lunch.

Open Day assistant: Autumn 2013

Answering questions from members of the public about department life and life as a
student from my experience as both UG and PG student and then staff member

Blog writing: 2014-present

I run my own blog on a weekly basis (http://nunastic.blogspot.co.uk/) where I
introduce aspects of my research in an accessible way to a non-academic audience
primarily to promote my research and explain what I do. In addition, Ive also written
a couple of blogs for the department on conferences at the university.

ASK Advisor: Academic year 2013-14, 2014-15, (Spring and summer term) 2017
Study advisor for the department running drop-in sessions and one-to-one meetings
with students and attending study related departmental meetings.

Employment
Home tutor (September 2016 present)
Full time (30 hours a week) home tutor to two home-schooled boys teaching the whole primary school
curriculum and preparing them for 11+ exams in Spring 2018.

University of Reading ASK Advisor (October 2013 June 2015, January 2017 - present)
(Academic Skills Know-how) Running a weekly drop-in session for UG and PG students. This involves
producing hand-outs, answering study queries, and providing guidance on citations and essay planning as
well as general study and research skills.

University of Reading - Sessional Lecturer (Academic years, 2013-2014, 2016-present)

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 Harriet Mahood

Producing the module handbook, essay and exam questions, for the module "Approaches to History"
and delivering this 10 week, 1st year UG seminar course, in addition to marking the students essays and
exam scripts. My version of the course was based on the Rule of St Benedict and studied it within its
historical context as well as considering its influence and effect up until the present day.

Delivering seminars for the 1st year UG courses Research Skills and Opportunities, and Journeys
through History 2: Cultures and Concepts. Both of these seminar courses supplement a lecture series
delivered communally by the department. The first series develops the research and studies skills of the
students, introducing them to different forms of historical sources and ways of presenting history. The
second course focuses on objects (from paintings and films to astrolabes), considering why they were
made and how they were used, and how these objects reflect society at the time.

Self-employed via FirstTutors.com Private tutor (October 2012 Present)

Private tutoring for GCSE and A-level English Literature, English Language and History. I also tutor children
ahead of 11+ examinations and SATS, and help students of all ages with critical thinking and analysis.

Randstad Academic mentor for the University of Reading (October 2012 January 2015)
Working with students through the universitys disabilities office on a one-to-one basis, helping them
manage their studies and time management.

Gift Fundraising - Street fundraiser (27/06/2011 - 15/08/2011)

Approaching members of the public and informing them on the represented charity with the aim of inspiring
them to support the charity financially.

Kierikki Stone Age Centre - Field excavation assistant (26/06/10 07/08/10)

General excavation, site tours, planning, drawing, experimental archaeology

Wadi Faynan excavation - Digger (21/03/10 16/04/10)

General excavation, planning, drawing

Atlantic Automation - Data entry of accounts and invoices (06/2007 - 07/2007)

Scanning accounts into a document storage database and constructing a database on Microsoft Excel for the
in-goings and out-goings for the company over the financial year

Jack Brand digital marketing Agency - Copy editing for Gramaphone (04/2008)
Using a copy editing tool, produced by the agency, to tag articles on scanned pages of Gramophone
magazine in order to categorise them as part of a larger project digitising the back issues of the magazine
e.g. article, editorial or review

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 Harriet Mahood

References and other information

Member of the Institute for Archaeologists (2010 present)
Member of the Berkshire Local History Association (2011 present)
Member of the British Archaeological Association (2012 - present)
https://reading.academia.edu/HarrietMahood

Nationality: British Contact: Phone: 07787 153032

Email: hpmahood@gmail.com
Languages: English, basic Latin, basic Address: 12 Dale Close, Addlestone, Surrey,
French KT15 1NS

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