Contributing Editors

Applications are invited for two contracts as contributing editor(s) to work on a VCH Red Book covering Ledbury and the Herefordshire Malvern Hills parishes. This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with a lively team of contributors and volunteers to research and complete a Red Book for the VCH. The neighbouring parishes have all been completed. Ledbury was partly covered in two books in the England’s Past for Everyone (EPE) series, The work required is to convert the two EPE books into a standard VCH account including writing accounts of topics and institutions which were not covered in those books.

The total value of the work is £55,000 split into two contracts. The two contracts could be covered by one person or by two individuals depending on the skills and abilities of the candidates. How the contracts will be split will depend on the skills and experience of the candidates. The first contract will cover the medieval period where expertise in Latin and medieval palaeography is required with the second covering the post-medieval period.

The successful candidate or candidates will be engaged on a consultancy basis. It is likely that the successful candidate(s) will have a higher degree in history, or a related discipline and will have extensive experience of writing text to tight deadlines. Experience of working closely with volunteers is desirable.

The research and written work should be to the standards required by the VCH and will need to comply with the current template, see https://www.history.ac.uk/research/victoria-county-history/writing-vch.  The successful candidate(s) will meet regularly with VCH committee members to discuss their progress.

The work will be started by 1 Jan 2026 and that the complete Red Book will be delivered to VCH Central office by the end of September 2027.

A text of about 80,000 words plus illustrations is required split between 65,000 on Ledbury itself with the remainder covering the introduction to the volume. The successful candidate(s) will undertake the relevant research, working with a few volunteers who are collecting material. The contributing editor(s) will be the named lead author(s) of the relevant sections of the Red Book.

The successful candidate(s) shall act as independent contractor(s) and not as the servant or employee of the Trust. The candidate(s) will bear exclusive responsibility for the payment of national insurance contributions as a self-employed person and for discharge of any income tax and VAT liability arising out of fees paid for the work performed.

It is anticipated that the successful candidate will work from home. Office space is available at Herefordshire Archives (HARC). Much of the research will be carried out at HARC, but other archive repositories and libraries, notably the TNA at Kew, will also be used.

Letters of application together with a CV should be sent to Professor Charles Watkins by email via the 'Apply' button (e: charles.watkins@nottingham.ac.uk).

The closing date for applications is 10th October 2025. It is expected that interviews will be held in Hereford on 24^th October 2025.

A job description can be provided by e-mailing Charles Watkins.

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