G. W. S. Barrow
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Wallis Steuart Barrow (born 1924) DLitt FBA FRSE
is a British historian and academic. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Edinburgh
, and arguably the most prominent Scottish medievalist of the last century.
The son of Charles Embleton Barrow and Marjorie née Stuart, he was born on 28 November 1924, at Headingley
near Leeds
. Barrow attended St Edward’s School, Oxford
, and Inverness Royal Academy
, moving onto the University of St Andrews
and Pembroke College, Oxford
.
He became Lecturer in History at University College, London in 1950, remaining there until 1961 when he became Professor of Medieval History at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne
, and then in 1974 Professor of Scottish History at the University of St Andrews
. He was Sir William Fraser Professor of Scottish History and Palaeography at the University of Edinburgh
from 1979 to 1992.
He married, in 1951, Heather Elizabeth née Lownie, with whom he had one son and one daughter.
He began his work by studying the nature of feudalism
in Anglo-Norman Britain
, but moved on to specialize more thoroughly on Scottish feudalism. His work has tended to focus on Normanisation in High Medieval Scotland
, especially in reference to governmental institutions.
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
is a British historian and academic. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, and arguably the most prominent Scottish medievalist of the last century.
The son of Charles Embleton Barrow and Marjorie née Stuart, he was born on 28 November 1924, at Headingley
Headingley
Headingley is a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road...
near Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. Barrow attended St Edward’s School, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, and Inverness Royal Academy
Inverness Royal Academy
Inverness Royal Academy is a secondary school located in the Culduthel area of Inverness, Highland, Scotland.- Catchment area :...
, moving onto the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
and Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
.
He became Lecturer in History at University College, London in 1950, remaining there until 1961 when he became Professor of Medieval History at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle University is a major research-intensive university located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England. It was established as a School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834 and became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne by an Act of Parliament in August 1963. Newcastle University is...
, and then in 1974 Professor of Scottish History at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
. He was Sir William Fraser Professor of Scottish History and Palaeography at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
from 1979 to 1992.
He married, in 1951, Heather Elizabeth née Lownie, with whom he had one son and one daughter.
He began his work by studying the nature of feudalism
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
in Anglo-Norman Britain
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
, but moved on to specialize more thoroughly on Scottish feudalism. His work has tended to focus on Normanisation in High Medieval Scotland
Scotland in the High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages of Scotland encompass Scotland in the era between the death of Domnall II in 900 AD and the death of king Alexander III in 1286...
, especially in reference to governmental institutions.
Books
- Feudal Britain, (London, 1956).
- Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, (Edinburgh, 1965; 4th edn., 2005).
- The Kingdom of the Scots, (London, 1973), a collection of his scholarly articles.
- Editor of The Scottish Tradition, (Edinburgh, 1974).
- The Anglo-Norman Era in Scottish History, (Oxford, 1980).
- Kingship and Unity: Scotland, 1000–1306, (London, 1981).
- Scotland and its Neighbours in the Middle Ages, (London, 1992) - another collection of his scholarly articles.
Editions of texts
- Editor of Acts of Malcolm IV, 1153–1165, (Edinburgh, 1960) - Regesta Regum Scottorum, vol. i.
- Co-editor (with W.W. Scott) of Acts of William I, 1165–1214 (Edinburgh, 1971) Regesta Regum Scottorum, vol. ii.
- Editor of The Charters of King David I, (Woodbridge, 1999).
Papers
- Barrow, G.W.S. Earl's of Fife in the 12th Century, (Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 1952–53), pp. 51–61.