Leslie Frank Casson (1903–1969) was a mediaevalist and art historian.
Born in England, he was professor of English Language and Medieval Literature at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, from 1952 to 68,[1] where he was also head of the department.
[2] His area of interest extended from Latin manuscripts[3] to the poetry of Edmund Spenser.
[4] He also worked on the manuscripts in the Grey Collection,[5] the library bequeathed by George Grey to the National Library of South Africa; it comprises 5,000 volumes, including 115 manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
[8] Casson was known for his stern approach to his students, which included Jeff Opland (author of Anglo-Saxon Oral Poetry: A Study of the Traditions; Yale UP, 1980)[2] and David Pelteret (author of Slavery in Early Mediaeval England).