Podcast Episodes

Women of the Bayeux Tapestry – Medieval Power and Queenship

The Bayeux Tapestry features just three women among 600 male figures. But you can't tell its story without the powerful medieval women who shaped the…

1 day, 13 hours ago

How Did William the Conqueror Hang On To Power After 1066?

William the Conqueror is one of the most famous figures in English history. But his coronation in 1066 was a disaster. Even as he was crowned as King…

2 weeks, 1 day ago

The Royal Menagerie - Animals at The Tower of London

For hundreds of years, the Tower of London was home to animals from all over the world. Animals were given as diplomatic gifts, brought by hunters, o…

3 weeks, 1 day ago

Queen Victoria's Education at Kensington Palace

We might think of Queen Victoria as an elderly woman in black mourning dress, but she was only 18 when she came to the throne. 

Victoria spent muc…

4 weeks, 1 day ago

Oliver Cromwell's Palace - Hampton Court During the Interregnum

A regicide might be the last person you'd think would save a king's palace – but in Oliver Cromwell, Hampton Court found an unlikely admirer.  

Durin…

1 month ago

Charles I - The Execution of a 'Traitor' King at the Banqueting House

Charles I's execution was unprecedented and shocking. He staked everything on his divine right to rule – the same concept that inspired his spectacul…

1 month, 1 week ago

Tudor Prisoners at the Tower of London - Stories in Graffiti

The walls of the Tower of London are covered with carvings - graffiti left behind by the prisoners who were locked inside. The Tudor monarchs impris…

1 month, 2 weeks ago

Queen Anne - A Woman of Contradictions with Gareth Russell

Queen Anne was the first Queen of Great Britain, but wasn't supposed to rule. She could be pious and shy, but was also scandelous and scheming. Toda…

1 month, 3 weeks ago

Benjamin Franklin's Curious Visit to Hillsborough Castle (From The Archive)

Benjamin Franklin – Founding Father, writer, inventor – remains one of the most famous visitors to Hillsborough Castle in its history. His visit to h…

2 months, 1 week ago

George III – 'Tyrant' King of the American Colonies?

In the Declaration of Independence, signed on 4th July 1776, King George III is cast as a 'tyrant'. How fair is this representation? 

In this episode…

2 months, 2 weeks ago