Peter Clemoes was Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon (1969-82). He was an enthusiastic reader and ‘performer’ of Old English poetry, and often participated in readings from ‘The Battle of Maldon’ on the site of the battle itself (the mainland opposite Northey Island in the Blackwater estuary, Essex).

The Clemoes Reading Prize was established in his memory. This annual competition is open to all junior members of the University. Competitors select a short passage – in any of the languages taught by the Department (Old English, Old Norse, Insular Latin, Medieval Irish, Medieval Welsh, Medieval Cornish, and Medieval Breton) – they submit a written translation into modern English, and on the day of the competition they read or in some way perform it. Each year there is a prize of £100.

The 2013 Clemoes Reading Prize Competition
The deadline for submission of entries will be 15th March 2013
The competition will take place 1st May 2013, 5.00pm in GR06/07 Faculty of English Building

Previous Winners of the Prize:

• 2012 George Potts (Old English)
• 2011 Moa Höijer (Medieval Welsh)
• 2010 Moa Höijer (Old Norse) and James Lloyd (Old English)
• 2009 Moa Höijer (Old Norse)
• 2008 Shem Jarrold (Medieval Irish)
• 2007 Aidan Russell (Medieval Irish)
• 2007 James Lloyd (Old English)
• 2006 Bryn Jones (Middle Breton)
• 2005 Edmund Hunt and Kate Sutcliffe (Medieval Cornish)
• 2004 Bryn Jones (Medieval Welsh)
• 2003 Helen Forbes (Old English)
• 2002 James Tout (Medieval Irish)
• 2001 Peter Buchan (Old Norse)
• 2000 Rebecca Watkinson (Old Norse)
• 1999 Dan Starkey (Old Norse)
• 1998 Dan Starkey (Medieval Irish)