Tim Ayers

Professor Tim Ayers is a leading scholar in the History of Art at the University of York, specializing in medieval British art and architecture. His roles include Director of the Stained Glass Studies Research Cluster and Director of Research Programmes. He holds a BA from Oxford and MA/PhD from the University of London, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (FSA).

His research focuses on medieval stained glass, sculpture, and architecture, particularly in England from the 13th to 16th centuries. Key projects include studies on Merton College Oxford’s stained glass (2013), Wells Cathedral (2004), and ongoing work on St Stephen’s Chapel in the Palace of Westminster. He co-leads major grants from the Leverhulme Trust and AHRC, totaling over £1 million.

Professor Ayers supervises PhD students exploring topics like aristocratic identities, medieval chapels, and stained glass conservation. He contributes to the International Corpus Vitrearum and co-edits the Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi. His teaching spans medieval art history, stained glass traditions, and monastic patronage.

Publications include The Medieval Stained Glass of Merton College, Oxford (2013) and The History of British Art, 600-1600 (2008). He actively engages in public lectures and media discussions on medieval art and Fluxus art movements.