Arabella Milbank Robinson
BA (Oxon), MSt (Oxon), PhD (Cantab), MPhil (Cantab)
College roles
Chaplain at Newnham
University roles
Dean & Chaplain of Selwyn College
Biography
The Rev’d Dr Arabella Milbank Robinson is Chaplain at Newnham and Selwyn Colleges.
The child of academics, Arabella grew up in Cambridge, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Southwell in Nottinghamshire. She studied English and French at New College, Oxford, followed by a Masters in Medieval Studies. After this she came to Cambridge to study for a PhD in Medieval Literature at Emmanuel College. Arabella trained for the priesthood in Lincoln Diocese and at Westcott House, including an MPhil in Theology from Cambridge. Arabella is married to another priest, James Robinson, and they completed seven years in parish ministry in Grantham and Louth before returning to Cambridge in 2022. They have two children, Aubrey and Ivor.
Research Interests
Arabella’s research interests lie across the fields of literature and theology, with a particular emphasis on late medieval and early modern contexts. Her PhD sought out an account of the role of fear in faith from Middle English prose, poetry and drama. Most recently, she has been thinking, writing and speaking about angels, with a thesis on Thomas Traherne’s angelology.
Arabella would like every member of college, regardless of their spiritual viewpoint, to know how delighted she would be to hear from them. She is a listening ear in college for those of all faiths and none, and can always make time for a coffee.