The 47th Battle Conference took place in Durham between 19 and 22 July 2024. Proceedings began with short visits to look at some of the manuscripts from the cathedral library, now housed on Palace Green. I am very grateful to Professor Richard Gameson both for selecting the manuscripts and for talking around them so enthusiastically, entertainingly, and informatively to each of the four groups in turn. I would also like formally to thank Judy Burg and Richard Higgins for allowing us into the library, with the associated disruption to the normal Friday afternoon schedule – with additional thanks to the latter for joining in with the visits, too. The Allen Brown Memorial Lecture, delivered by Professor Graham Loud, took place in the Pemberton Building, just across Palace Green from the library. The lecture was followed by drinks and dinner in the castle – which also allowed some of the delegates to seize the opportunity to look around the Norman chapel and at the Le Puiset doorway outside the usual castle opening hours.

The remainder of the conference took place at Collingwood College. Thanks are due to Jessica Stott and Elaine Halliday of Event Durham for their help with the booking. I am even more grateful to the staff who looked after us while we were there, with particular thanks to Kate (surname, alas, unknown) and her colleagues who opened the bar for us before dinner – and for some hours afterwards – on the Saturday and Sunday. The terrace outside the bar was the setting for an intense Jenga competition (one of the conference traditions), which provided entertainment for all concerned on the two nights we spent at Collingwood – and which really helped to bring the conference (including the Collingwood bar staff) together.