Kate Giles

Professor Kate Giles is a buildings archaeologist specializing in historic communal structures at the University of York's Department of Archaeology. She holds roles as Co-Director of the MA Archaeology of Buildings and Director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture. A Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, she has held leadership positions including Acting Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Her research focuses on medieval guildhalls, church wall paintings, and public engagement with heritage.

Education: BA, MA, PhD from the University of York. Her work integrates archival research, conservation, and community collaboration on projects like Pickering Church's wall paintings and Stratford-upon-Avon's Guild Chapel. She has secured grants from AHRC, Wolfson Foundation, and Heritage Lottery Fund.

Research interests include late medieval sociability, heritage interpretation, and interdisciplinary approaches to historic buildings. Awards include the 2024 Historians of British Art Monograph Prize and 2018 SPAB John Betjeman Award. Supervises PhDs on topics like Chatsworth House Theatre and digital storytelling in heritage.