Katherine Cross

Dr. Katherine Cross is a Lecturer in History and Liberal Arts at York St John University, serving as Course Lead for the Liberal Arts Foundation Year. She holds a BA and MSt from Balliol College, Oxford, and a PhD from University College London (2014), focusing on Viking identities in England and Normandy. Her research explores historical narratives' relationship with identity, particularly cultural and biological inheritance in post-Roman Europe. She co-curated the Ashmolean Museum's 'Imagining the Divine' exhibition (2017-18) and contributes to museum collaborations. Professional affiliations include Fellowships with the Royal Historical Society and Higher Education Academy.

Research interests span early medieval northern Europe (5th-11th centuries), Viking Age dynamics, and modern receptions of medieval history. Current projects examine infant feeding practices' sociocultural significance and the strategic use of Scandinavian identity in medieval political contexts. She teaches modules on Viking Age gender roles, interdisciplinary liberal arts, and early medieval history.

Publications include the monograph Heirs of the Vikings (2018/2021) and peer-reviewed articles on textual analysis, material culture, and origin legends. She actively engages in public scholarship through TV consultations and interdisciplinary exhibitions.