Rachel Hart

Rachel Hart is the Senior Tutor in Palaeography at the School of History, University of St Andrews. With 40 years of archival experience, she previously served as Head of Rare Books and Archives (2007–2023) and Senior Archivist (Keeper of Manuscripts, 2015–2023). She holds a BA in History from Durham University and a Master of Archive Administration from Liverpool University. Her research focuses on medieval Scottish manuscripts, university records, and the Scottish notarial profession.

Education:

• BA History, University of Durham
• Master of Archive Administration, University of Liverpool

Research interests include palaeography, codicology, and manuscript studies, with specialization in 16th-century Scots manuscripts and medieval university records. She teaches using original manuscripts from St Andrews’ collections, collaborating with academic colleagues to bridge curatorial and scholarly expertise.

Recent activities include co-authoring studies on legal manuscripts and notaries in Scotland. She remains an Honorary Curator in University Collections and has held roles such as Trustee of the Scottish Council on Archives (2005–2022) and member of the UK Archives Accreditation Panel (2013–2019).