Our Location

Lancaster boasts a spectacular Castle, medieval Priory, 18th century streets, neo-Gothic Cathedral, Georgian quayside, the Victorian Storey Institute, four museums, several music festivals, and two historic theatres, The Dukes and The Grand. We make extensive use of such venues, occasionally with Lancaster LitFest. We also partner with the Wordsworth Museum at Grasmere, and on Campus with the Peter Scott Gallery, and the University Library.

Castle Quarter

Lancaster’s historic Castle Quarter includes not only a spectacular mediaeval Castle but also an ancient Priory, the Victorian Storey Institute - now an Arts Centre, and the Georgian Judges’ Lodgings, the City Museum, the Cottage Museum, and the Maritime Museum.

The Castle Quarter is both a wonderful place to enjoy, with many excellent places to eat and drink, and a wonderful resource for literary studies here at Lancaster.

There are several free opportunities available at the Castle, which currently include:

• involvement in our annual summer Shakespeare production at the Castle
• student seminars at the Castle showcasing their work
• visiting seminars at the Castle given by leading critics and scholars
• enjoying Dungeons and Dragons events at the Castle
• a series of open lectures and readings at the Storey, given by eminent authors
• annual showcase student reading at the Storey
• our October Lecture at the Priory, given by celebrated writers and critics
• our May Gathering in the Priory, a social event

Wordsworth, Romanticism and the Lakes

Being so close to the spectacular Lake District, home of the Romantic poets, we have world-class strengths in Romanticism. We have several colleagues who are leaders in the field, including Professor Simon Bainbridge, Professor Sally Bushell, and Professor Sharon Ruston.

We also have a partnership with the Wordsworth Trust at Grasmere, in the Lakes, which incorporates not only Dove Cottage, once the home of William Wordsworth, but also the Wordsworth Museum, its Gardens, and the Jerwood Centre which holds 90% of William Wordsworth’s manuscripts, plus Dorothy Wordsworth’s journals, and many other treasures such as the first edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and a major collection of Romantic-period water-colours.

Our partnership with the Wordsworth Trust is long-established, and has a number of new benefits for all our students, whether BA, MA, or PhD. Each year these normally include:

• a Study Day, open to all our students, and including tours of Dove Cottage, Wordsworth Museum, and Gardens, plus bespoke seminars and workshops in the Jerwood Centres
• one 3-month Traineeship (paid)
• three 1-month Volunteer Placements (unpaid but with free accommodation on site)
• free entry at any time of the year

plus

These roles are based in Grasmere. Start dates are flexible and negotiable and the roles are open to students studying at any stage (BA, MA, PhD). The roles are exclusive to students of English Literature and Creative Writing, and offer an excellent opportunity to gain training and experience in the literary heritage, museum and archive sectors.

Writing for comics and graphic novels

Lancaster has a vibrant and exciting graphic novel and comics scene. The university was the first in the UK to appoint a Professor in Graphic Fiction and Comic Art. This post was held first by Tintin expert Benoît Peeters and later by award-winning graphic novel writer Mary Talbot. We have close connections with the Lakes International Comics Art Festival and a dedicated comics and graphic novel collection in our university library.

Our Creative Writing and English Literature students also have the chance to study writing for graphic novels and comics at all stages of their career, from BA, to MA to PhD, through modules and masterclasses led by staff members with expertise in this area. This means our students can not only study graphic novels and comics but also produce their own original work in this form. Lancaster is also home to the first ever Young Comics Laureate in the UK, author and illustrator Mollie Ray.