Where are you from? Carmarthenshire.
What is the subject of your doctoral research project? Llanarthne: The Characterization of a Rural Welsh Parish 1609-1920.
What are your main research interests? Landscape, land use changes over time, people’s perceptions of land, sense of place.
Tell us about your career so far and what led you to ISWE and your doctoral research project? My first degree was in Biological Sciences and I moved into a research career in medical molecular biology. I worked on projects looking at the genetic basis for lung fluid reabsorption at birth and at then the genetics of the cell cycle and cell division. After a number of years I decided to retrained as a librarian and worked across the UK in both Academic and NHS libraries, training staff and students in literature search skills and conducting research on behalf of others. I was also involved in a clinical librarian service which involved participating in ward rounds and following up any evidence based queries that staff may have had.
Following my return to Carmarthenshire, I started volunteering at the National Botanical Garden for Wales in the library. Quickly though I became very interested in the history of the site and moved to join the Regency Restoration Project as a volunteer researcher. From there my interest in landscape, land use and specifically Llanarthne grew. I joined ISWE aa a PhD student October 2024, but I was an associate member for a number of years before that.
What is your favourite thing about ISWE? The friendly and helpful nature of all involved with ISWE both staff and students.
What is your proudest achievement since joining ISWE? I’m only 4 months in and I’m still so thrilled and proud to be undertaking a PhD!
What is your favourite historical period and why? OK so this might be a bit of a surprise but it’s the between the wars period of the 20th century. I’ve always been fascinated by this time of upheaval and social change, the art and literature, the sense of possibility that people seemed to carry with them.
Your favourite place in Wales and why? Cleddau Estuary – it’s stunning, the wildlife is amazing as is the history along its shores.
Can you recommend any books, TV shows, podcasts, blogs that you have enjoyed recently? I would really recommend anything by Alexandra Harris. She brings her subject to life and has a special talent for integrating history, literature and art. I particularly loved “Romantic Moderns”. I’m currently reading “The Rising Down” which is fast becoming my new favourite focusing as it does on a local area and a sense of place and history.
What are your hobbies or favourite extracurricular activities? Have you got any other interesting projects on the go? My dogs keep me busy and I love hill walking, I spend a lot of time in the Carmarthenshire hills with friends and family looking for evidence of boundaries and photographing boundary stones! I am currently mapping the townships of the commote of Iscennen in detail with Heather James and we hope to create a detailed map both of the commote and its townships. Our hope is to then to try and identify the boundaries of the Maenors depicted in William Rees’s Map of South Wales and the Border in the 14th Century.
Contact Hannah:
hnj24kvp@bangor.ac.uk
