Ian Atherton

Dr. Ian Atherton is a Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History at Keele University's School of Humanities, specializing in British cathedrals, religious conflict, and the memory of war. He has held roles including Postgraduate Director, Director of Education (2017–21), and Secretary for the Humanities Faculty (2000–01). His research explores early modern cathedral adaptation, battlefield commemoration from the 14th century to present, and religious-political dynamics in 17th-century Britain. He has supervised postgraduate research on topics like the English Civil War logistics, cathedral charities, and regional conflict memory.

Teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate modules including 'The English Civil War,' 'History & Memory in Contemporary Culture,' and 'Death and Society in Medieval Europe.' He served as External Examiner at Birmingham and Bangor Universities and contributes to the board of Midland History. His publications include co-editing Norwich Cathedral: Church, City and Diocese (1996) and recent works on parish registers, battlefield commemoration, and interregnum church dynamics.

Current research focuses on a book project tracing British battlefield memory over seven centuries, analyzing burial practices, memorial traditions, and post-conflict landscape transformations. His work bridges historical methodology with cultural studies, emphasizing how conflict legacies shape collective identity.