All articles in History
25th October, 2016 in History
Memento mori: Reminding the Tudors of their mortality
Death figured prominently in the Tudor psyche, as it did throughout contemporary European, and this outstanding example of a memento mori, or ‘reminder of death’, could not embody more aptly both the transience and potentially agonising end of any sixteenth-century…
19th October, 2016 in History, Women in History
12 little-known facts about Catherine of Aragon
What do you really know about Henry VIII’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon? Here are 12 facts which profile this tenacious, single-minded and principled Tudor queen. 1. Betrothal to Arthur Catherine was betrothed to Henry VII’s infant son Arthur, at the age of three. Th…
17th October, 2016 in History, Local & Family History
The London Beer Flood
The prospect of an unlimited supply of free beer might, at first, seem appealing. Yet, when it is a tidal wave at least 15 metres high and over one million litres in volume, it is considerably less tempting. On Monday 17 October 1814 a bizarre industrial accident in St Giles, Lon…
12th October, 2016 in History, Military
The Bayeux Tapestry in numbers
The Bayeux Tapestry famously depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England, concerning William, Duke of Normandy (later known as William the Conqueror) and Harold Godwinson (the last Anglo-Saxon king of England), culminating in the Battle of Hastings. Recounting…
3rd October, 2016 in History, Military
Battle of Hastings history timeline
In 1066 the most significant battle on English soil took place. A king would die on the battlefield and a new dynasty would be established. The timeline below charts the key moments in the build up to the battle. From Egbert to Alfred 802 — Egbert becomes King…
3rd October, 2016 in History, Trivia & Gift
Ask the author: Emma White on dogs throughout British history
We asked Emma White, author of A History of Britain in 100 Dogs, a few questions about our beloved canine companions and the significant roles they have played in our nation’s history. How did you first become interested in writing a book about British dogs throughout h…
2nd September, 2016 in History
1666: The Great Fire of London
On the 2nd September 1666 a great fire rampaged in the medieval city of London, destroying countless lives, businesses and homes. More than 350 years on we provide some well known, and lesser known facts about the fire.
26th August, 2016 in Archaeology, History
Pompeii in pictures
The most famous victim of the eruption of Vesuvius, which occurred in August AD 79, is the city of Pompeii. With Roman daily life perfectly preserved by the ash and pumice of the eruption, it is a fascinating archaeological site. From across the Bay of Naples, you can see how Ves…
23rd August, 2016 in Archaeology, History
300 years of Capability Brown
Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was a man made for his time. Georgian society in England in the 18th century was rich, sophisticated and eager for change… It was a golden age of architecture – Wren, Vanbrugh, Hawksmoor, Kent and the peerless Robert Adam created the great count…
22nd August, 2016 in History, Military
Interpreting the Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth was a defining moment in English history, as the Houses of Lancaster and York clashed in the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses. The death of King Richard III and the crowning of Henry Tudor as King of England marked the end of the Plantagenet dyna…
18th August, 2016 in History
Five fascinating facts about the Greek god Apollo
Since I was ten, I have been fascinated by mythology – in particular Greek mythology, with its array of gods, monsters and heroes. Though each god is remarkable in their own way, I found Apollo to be particularly interesting. 1. Apollo appears to be, what we might call today, bis…
12th August, 2016 in History, Women in History
Eight little-known facts about Florence Nightingale
Celebrated social reformer Florence Nightingale is remembered as ‘The Lady with the Lamp’ who came to prominence while managing nurses she had trained, and tenderly nursing wounded soldiers, during the Crimean War. In 1860 she laid the foundation of modern, professional nursing w…