Vinaver Trust

The Vinaver Trust awards grants “to advance the education of the public in the life and times of King Arthur through historical and archaeological research and to disseminate the results of such research”. It offers grants to aid the publication of scholarly works in the field of Arthurian studies, as well as grants for postgraduate study for research degrees under the terms of the Barron Bequest.

The Trust was established in 1981, when the British branch (bringing together the British and Irish branches) of the International Arthurian Society was founded, at the urging of Eugène Vinaver, formerly professor of medieval French at Manchester University, and Cedric Pickford, professor of Medieval French at the University of Hull. Largely through Vinaver’s initiative, the British Branch had earned an astonishingly large sum in royalties from endorsing Arthurian plates for a Swiss ceramics firm, Atelier Arts.

Since then the Trust has disbursed around £125,000 to subsidise the publication of 90 or so Arthurian books, all impeccably scholarly: books like the multi-volume series, Arthurian Literature in the Middle Ages (published titles now include The Arthur of the English, The Arthur of the Germans, The Arthur of the Iberians, of the North, of Medieval Latin Literature, of the Italians, of the Low Countries…); editions and translations of Arthurian texts which might otherwise have been uneconomic (so for instance a translation of Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival, or an edition and translation of the Anglo-Norman Prophecies of Merlin); illustrations which bring a topic to life (so Natalie Jayne Goodison’s Introducing the Medieval Swan).

A brief blog post about the set of Arthurian plates, the sale of which led to the foundation of the Vinaver Trust, is available from the Centre for Arthurian Studies, Bangor University, UK (where a full set is now preserved, as a result of the direct donation by the family of Roland C. Johnson). The Trust is also keen to discuss charitable donations. If you would be interested in donating to the fund or leaving a gift in your will, please contact the Director, Professor Leah Tether (leah.tether@bristol.ac.uk).

Grants for Publications

Grants extend to scholarly publications on any Arthurian topic, in any of the languages endorsed by the International Arthurian Society—German, French, or English. Previous awards have supported work across a wide range of subjects, including literary, historical, artistic, and cinematic approaches to Arthurian material. Although the Trust’s grants are not always large, they can make a significant contribution to production costs, particularly for illustrated books, and can help reduce recommended retail prices.

To apply, use this proforma, which should be filled in by the publisher, and not by the author. For further information, contact the Director, Professor Leah Tether (leah.tether@bristol.ac.uk).

Barron Bequest Fees Awards for PGRs

Each year the Vinaver Trust offers one or more top-up grants for postgraduate research degrees in the field of Arthurian studies, most typically for the fees due for a PhD or a D.Phil. These grants are made from funds donated for this purpose by Ray Barron. Candidates for the awards will normally be graduates of a university in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, and the awards may be held at any university in this same geographical area. There is a standard form available to be completed by the candidate; the candidate’s supervisor is asked to supply a reference in support at the same time. Payment of the grant is made directly to the Finance Officer (or equivalent) of the relevant institution. The current amount of a grant is £1500. Grants are for a single year, but repeated applications may be made in subsequent years.

The deadline for applications is 1 April every year, and documentation should be submitted to the Director, Professor Leah Tether (leah.tether@bristol.ac.uk).

You can download the application form here.

NB: Despite the similarity in name, the Barron Bequest Fees Award is distinct from the Barron Awards for Research and Travel. If you are a postgraduate, a ECR, or an independent scholar looking for assistance with funding conference or research trips, you can find details of the relevant award here.