Dr. Shannon Mcsheffrey

Biography

Professor McSheffrey's research over thirty years has centered on the social, legal, and cultural history of England from the time of the Black Death to the mid-sixteenth century. She has written extensively on immigration, popular revolt, law, gender roles, civic culture, marriage, literacy, heresy, and popular religion, publishing numerous scholarly articles and six books on these topics. Her recent works include "Seeking Sanctuary: Law, Mitigation, and Politics in the English Courts, 1400-1550" (Oxford University Press, 2017) and "The Dutch Hatmakers of Late Medieval and Tudor London" (Boydell & Brewer, 2023). McSheffrey has also developed significant online projects, including databases documenting testimonies from the Late Medieval London Consistory Court. She has received awards for her research and teaching and was elected a fellow of the Royal Historical Society in the UK in 2002. Her ongoing projects include explorations into anti-immigrant riots in London and the circumstances surrounding the Evil Day in 1517, reflecting her commitment to both academic research and public engagement. McSheffrey teaches courses covering English history during the reign of Henry VIII and popular revolts in early modern Europe. Moreover, she contributes to blogs and podcasts aimed at broadening the understanding of her research themes in popular contexts.

Research Interests

Courses