This week, we’re joined by senior properties historian Michael Carter to discuss the 1,400 year-long history of Lindisfarne, or Holy Island, in Northumberland, which has been a hub of early Christianity, a monastery, a site of pilgrimage to its former bishop, Saint Cuthbert, and a victim of a devastating Viking raid. It was also the birthplace of the Lindisfarne Gospels, one of the most spectacular manuscripts to survive from Anglo-Saxon England, which was thought to have been created in Cuthbert’s honour. 

To discover more about Lindisfarne Priory or plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/lindisfarne.

Episode 105 - Saints, gospels and vicious Viking raids: The story of Lindisfarne Priory

Today, we’re gearing up for the Battle of Hastings. Or at least, its re-enactment next month by 500 history enthusiasts in the location where this key turning point in English history took place. Of course, many of us know the story, including that unforgettable date: 1066. But what happened in the build-up to the battle, and who had the strongest claim to be king? Joining us to answer these questions and more are senior properties curator Roy Porter and curator of collections and interiors Dr Kathryn Bedford. 

To learn more about the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/1066-and-the-norman-conquest

Episode 130 - 1066 and all that: The events and people behind the Battle of Hastings

Following on from episode 130, in which we discussed the events and people behind the Battle of Hastings, we’re now shifting our attention to the turbulent years that followed. We often think of 1066 as a big turning point in English history, but it actually took another six years for the Norman Conquest to take hold. Joining us to talk through William the Conqueror’s coronation and the measures he took to assert his authority are Senior Properties Curator Roy Porter and Curator of Collections and Interiors for the South East, Kathryn Bedford.
 
To learn more about the Norman Conquest, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/1066-and-the-norman-conquest

Episode 146 - 1066 and all that: What happened after the Battle of Hastings?

Less than 100 years after the Black Death, England was again uprooted by dramatic upheaval. The Wars of the Roses, fought between the two powerful houses of York and Lancaster, pitted families against each other. The series of conflicts – which took place between 1455 and 1485 – spanned multiple different reigns, involved numerous foreign kingdoms, and heralded changes in English politics, social order and battlefield technology. In this first episode of our two-part series, we’re joined by Curator of Collections and Interiors Dickon Whitewood to discuss what the Wars of the Roses were, how they started and the early battles that ended with Yorkist triumph.
 
To discover more about medieval warfare, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/medieval/war

Episode 152 - The Wars of the Roses part 1: The battles begin

When you visit the ruins of abbeys and priories today, it can be hard to imagine that these places were once teeming with people – and not just monks and nuns, with an army of workers employed to keep them running smoothly. We’re joined by Senior Properties Historian Dr Michael Carter to look back at working life at England’s medieval monasteries and discuss the role and importance of servants in their stories. 

To find out more about our abbeys and priories, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/monasteries-and-abbeys

Episode 192 - Cobbler, tailor, candlestick maker: the role of servants at our medieval monasteries

This week, we’re taking a very festive look back at the Christmas traditions that started in the Victorian period and are still with us today. We'll also examine the role that Charles Dickens played in shaping Christmas as we know it – and find out how the man himself celebrated the festive season with his family. Joining us are Properties Historians’ Team Leader, Dr Andrew Hann, and Director of the Dickens Museum in London, Dr Cindy Sughrue. 

To learn more about the Victorian origins of some of today’s Christmas traditions, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/christmas/victorian-christmas-traditions

Episode 194 - From St Nicholas to Scrooge: exploring Victorian Christmas traditions

This week, we’re joined by two ancient pottery technology specialists – father and daughter team Graham Taylor and Sarah Lord – and Stonehenge Interpretation Manager Melanie Coussens to explore potted history at our most famous Neolithic site. Discover the role of eating and drinking vessels in prehistoric daily life, where they’ve been found in the landscape, what they were made of and how replicas of them made today are helping visitors get closer to the ancient past.  
 
To learn more about prehistoric life at Stonehenge or plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge

Episode 201 - Exploring the history of Neolithic pottery at Stonehenge

This week we’re joined by broadcaster and author Anita Anand and historian Susan Skedd to reveal the story of Indian princess, campaigner for women’s votes and goddaughter of Queen Victoria, Sophia Duleep Singh.

Join us as we reveal how she came to be part of the British royal family, her role in the Suffragette movement and the story behind her blue plaque at her former London residence near Hampton Court. 

For more details about Princess Sophia Duleep Singh’s blue plaque, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/sophia-duleep-singh. 

With thanks to The Taylormade Trio who you can hear performing at the unveiling of Sophia’s plaque, in May 2023.

Episode 226 - Royal, rebel, suffragette: Princess Sophia Duleep Singh

As a new school year gets underway, we’re joined by senior properties historian Michael Carter to discover what education was like in the Middle Ages and how it compared to today’s classrooms.

Discover the different forms of medieval schools, the role of the monasteries as educators and how the educational opportunities differed for boys and girls. We’ll also reveal what the curriculum comprised, what a medieval school day looked like and where you can find out more today. 
 
For details of the school visit opportunities at our historic sites, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/school-visits.

Episode 231 - History lesson: education at medieval schools

This week, we’re celebrating a historic landmark for the London Blue Plaques scheme after our 1,000th plaque was unveiled to commemorate the work of the Women’s Freedom League.

To help us understand more about the plaque and the league’s role in the suffrage movement in the early 20th century, we’re joined by English Heritage’s blue plaque historian Howard Spencer, historian Susan Skedd and writer and historian Jill Liddington.

For details of our blue plaques scheme, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques.

Episode 233 - Celebrating the Women’s Freedom League with our 1,000th blue plaque

We travel to Hampstead Heath in London to explore the breathtaking interiors and world-class art collection of Kenwood in the company of assistant curator Louise Cooling. Discover the story of this hidden gem, its former owners and its renowned collection of paintings, which remain free for everyone to enjoy today. 

To learn more about the history of the house and its treasures, or to plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenwood

Episode 7 - Discover the treasures of Kenwood in London

English Heritage cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites, and brings the story of England to life for over 10 million people each year. 

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk

Episode 226 - Royal, rebel, suffragette: Princess Sophia Duleep Singh

English Heritage

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