Podcast Episodes

Elizabethan witchcraft: a trial that divided a community

Episode 1602

In the 1580s, the remote Essex village of St Osyth was beset by poverty and social tensions – and when a servant accused her neighbour of witchcraft, it sparked a crisis that engulfed the entire comm…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

The Iraq War, 20 years on

Episode 1601

In March 2003, a coalition of troops from nations including the United States and the United Kingdom mounted an invasion of the Republic of Iraq, with the stated aim of removing weapons of mass destr…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

Volcanoes & nuclear armageddon: humanity’s long relationship with nature

Episode 1600

For thousands of years, humans have been in thrall to climate – it has dictated the crops we grow, the water we drink and even the diseases to which we might succumb. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Peter …

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

Meeting the Mughals: England’s disastrous first embassy to India

Episode 1599

In 1616, when the first English embassy was installed in Mughal India, England was a minor player on the global stage rather than a leading actor. Nandini Das explores what the challenges of this emb…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

Medieval women: everything you wanted to know

Episode 1598

What chores did medieval women have to get through each day? How could plucking your eyebrows in the Middle Ages land you in hell? And why did people believe that older women’s looks could kill? In o…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

History’s greatest cities: Prague Trailer

We’ve just launched a brand-new podcast series, History’s greatest cities, offering the chance to roam the streets and sights of some of Europe’s most fascinating metropolises. Join travel writer Pau…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

Adventure, betrayal & beetles: the quest for the source of the Nile

Episode 1597

In the mid 19th century, a team of explorers set off in search of an elusive goal – the source of the River Nile. Set against a backdrop of imperial expansion into Africa, the expedition was led by R…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

The Tudor who hiked North America

Episode 1596

The name David Ingram isn’t well known, but his story is extraordinary. This Tudor explorer embarked on a remarkable 3,600-mile trek across North America in the 1560s, encountering sights and sounds …

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

Dick Whittington: from medieval merchant to panto hero

Episode 1595

If you grew up watching pantomimes, then you’ll likely be familiar with the story of Richard “Dick” Whittington – the poor country boy who ends up becoming three-times Lord Mayor of London. But did y…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

Pirate flags & wedding gowns: a patchwork of a Victorian life

Episode 1594

In 2016, fashion historian Kate Strasdin was given an extraordinary object – an album of richly coloured and brightly patterned fabric scraps, all collected by one woman across the Victorian age. Spe…

Published on 2 years, 10 months ago