David Rundle

Dr David Rundle is a Senior Lecturer in Latin and Palaeography at the University of Kent’s Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies (MEMS), where he also served as Acting Co-Director during 2022/23. Based at Rutherford College, his research focuses on manuscript studies, the history of the book, and Renaissance intellectual culture, particularly the circulation of ideas across Europe. He teaches palaeography and Latin to MA students and supports PhD researchers in these areas, while also contributing to undergraduate history teaching.

Education: All degrees from Christ Church, Oxford, including a DPhil. Notable projects include co-authoring the Descriptive Catalogue of the Western Manuscripts at Christ Church, Oxford (2017) and work on Magdalen College manuscripts with Prof. Ralph Hanna. His 2019 monograph The Renaissance Reform of the Book and Britain explores English Quattrocento cultural dynamics.

Research interests emphasize manuscripts as evidence for early European intellectual networks, the political impact of ideas, and the role of books in pre-modern societies. Awards include grants from the British Academy and Paul Mellon Centre, plus a 2018 Houghton Library fellowship. Professional roles include Managing Editor of Medium Ævum and co-convenor of London Manuscript Studies seminars.

Key contributions include studies on manuscript ownership (e.g., Andrew Holes), humanist textual practices, and the interplay between civic identity and religious reform in late medieval England. Upcoming projects include a monograph on Italian Renaissance humanism’s English engagements.