G. W. S. Barrow

Geoffrey Wallis Steuart Barrow ( usually abbreviated GWS Barrow, born November 28, 1924 in Headingley, † December 14, 2013 ) was a British historian.

Geoffrey Barrow attended St Edward 's School from 1937 to 1939 and from 1939 to 1941 the Inverness Royal Academy. He then studied at the University of St Andrews and at Pembroke College. At Pembroke College, he wrote his B. Litt. Dissertation on Scottish royal ecclesiastical policy, 1107-1224. In 1950 he was a lecturer at University College London. From 1961 to 1974 he taught as a professor of medieval history at Newcastle University. In 1974 he became the first professor of Scottish history at the University of St Andrews. In 1979 he became the successor to Gordon Donaldson and took over at the University of Edinburgh by Sir William Fraser Professor of Scottish history and palaeography. There he taught until his retirement in 1992 as professor.

Barrow has received numerous honors. The University of St Andrews awarded him the D. Litt 1971. In 1976 he was a member of the British Academy. From the University of Glasgow Barrow received in 1988 the title of D. Litt. honorary. He was president of the Scottish History Society. His research focus was the entire medieval Scottish history, especially from the 11th to the 14th century.

Barrow was married and fathered two children.

Writings

• Kingship and unity: Scotland, 1000-1306. London 1981, ISBN 0-7131-6307-0.
• The Anglo - Norman era in Scottish history. Oxford 1980, ISBN 0-19-822473-7.
• The kingdom of the Scots. Government, church and society from the eleventh to the fourteenth century. London 1973.
• Robert Bruce and the community of the realm of Scotland. Berkeley in 1965.
• Feudal Britain. The completion of the medieval kingdoms, 1066-1314. London 1956.