The English Heritage Podcast

As we approach St. George’s Day on 23 April, we’re investigating the man behind the myth and the sites connected with his story. Joining us to unravel the secrets of our heroic patron saint is Senior Properties Historian Dr Michael Carter. Listen on to discover where he lived, how he died, why he was sainted and the truth behind that legendary fight with a dragon. For more myth busting and interes...

It’s almost Easter, when egg hunts take place in gardens across the country, but have you ever wondered how and why this curious seasonal tradition started? We’re joined in the studio by senior properties historian Dr Andrew Hann to reveal why eggs were first hidden for children to find, how the tradition has since evolved, and when natural eggs were replaced by the chocolate variety we’re more fa...

After Carrawburgh Roman Fort and Temple of Mithras in Northumberland became the latest Hadrian’s Wall site to be cared for by English Heritage, we’re joined by Properties Curator Mark Douglas to discuss the stories of this and the other key forts we look after. Discover what purpose they served, what daily life would have been like for the soldiers stationed at them, the artefacts that have since...

To mark the end of Women’s’ History Month, we’re joined in the studio by Senior Properties Historian Dr Megan Leyland and Curator of Collections Olivia Fryman to discuss the lives and accomplishments of a selection of the most remarkable women with a connection to our historic sites. Discover the stories of Henrietta Howard at Marble Hill House in London, Bess of Hardwick at Hardwick Old Hall in D...

This year we’re celebrating the many ways the past has shaped our nation through our year-long ‘Voices of England’ campaign – and here on the podcast we’re launching our own investigations, starting with an interview with English Heritage trustee Professor Ronald Hutton to discuss the legacy of pre-Christian beliefs. Discover what the earliest settlers in England believed, the evidence that can st...

This week we’ve travelled to Saxtead Green Post Mill in Suffolk to meet Jonathan Sullivan, whose family have owned and run the mill for generations, along with English Heritage national project manager Joseph James and millwright Tim Whiting to reveal the work that has just gone into restoring and repairing this unique agricultural gem. Discover the mill’s history, the challenges of caring for it...

March is Women’s History Month and to celebrate, we’re joined in the studio by English Heritage’s Curatorial Director Anna Eavis, to discuss the stories of a selection of the inspirational women who are honoured with blue plaques at their former London homes. Learn about the lives and accomplishments of women’s rights campaigners Millicent Garrett Fawcett and Emmeline and Sylvia Pankhurst, pioneer...

Ahead of the launch of new cookery book, How to Cook the Victorian Way with Mrs Crocombe, we meet the book’s authors, senior properties historian Andrew Hann and food historian Annie Gray, to discover the story of Audley End’s former head cook Avis Crocombe and the recipes she left behind. Learn about Mrs Crocombe’s working life at Audley End, why Bob Stride, a descendent of the Crocombe family, d...

This week we’re joined by Senior Properties Historian Dr Michael Carter to discuss how he came across a previously unpublished list of relics that were at Battle Abbey in the mid-15th century. Discover how he has been able to show that at least some of the relics were likely the gift of William the Conqueror and had originally been in the Anglo-Saxon royal treasury, and that others were given by K...

The story of Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley has fascinated people for more than 450 years. Their relationship has been explored in books, films and on TV, most recently by Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes in the film Elizabeth, and by Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons in the series Elizabeth I. They certainly shared an emotional connection on each other throughout their lives, but were they ever...

Following an archaeological dig to discover the secrets of the Root House that once sat in the mysterious Mithraic Glade of Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, we meet senior properties historian Dr Andrew Hann and PhD student Jemima Hubberstey to reveal why the glade was created and the literary inspiration behind it. Plus, we reveal what the Root House was, how it was used, and its unique connection to...

This week we’re at Dover Castle in Kent to take an exclusive tour of the ‘Dumpy’ level of its secret underground tunnels with Cold War expert Mark Bennett. Once fully equipped and designed to keep those inside 'safe' from nuclear fall-out, the austere rooms and tunnels are now largely devoid of their equipment, furnishings, fixtures and fittings, but still retain a chilling air of the Cold War. Di...

We’ve managed to convince English Heritage head gardener John Watkins to down tools and join us for a one-to-one gardeners’ question time to talk us through what goes into maintaining our historic gardens. Discover how our gardening teams are busy preparing for spring, the key jobs they can be found doing over the winter period and the sites where you can eat the produce from our historic kitchen...

This week we’re joined in the studio by two experts on Roman history – English Heritage Properties Historian Dr Andrew Roberts and Curator for the north east Rachel Wilkinson – to reveal what life would have been like for the Roman soldiers stationed and living along Hadrian’s Wall. Discover what garrison life would have been like, how the soldiers coped with the harsh British winters and the arte...

If you’re inspired to try something new in 2020 then volunteering with English Heritage might just be what you’ve been looking for. We head behind the scenes at Stonehenge to meet three volunteers with very different roles to find out what a day in their volunteering life is like – and we reveal the other opportunities available to get involved across the country. To find out more about volunteeri...

Happy New Year from English Heritage. If you’re looking for inspiration for places to visit over the months ahead, then this is the episode for you. We’re joined in the studio by head historic properties curator Dr Jeremy Ashbee, head of learning and Interpretation Dr Dominique Bouchard, and senior properties historian Dr Steven Brindle to discover the English Heritage sites where the course of hi...

We’ve come over all festive this week as we take a break from the studio to reveal the history of carolling with English Heritage Trustee Ronald Hutton and bring you an exclusive carol concert from Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire in time for the big day! Get in the Christmas spirit with The Chesterfield Philharmonic Choir as they sing a selection of festive favourites and discover the story behind e...

We’re in the studio with English Heritage Trustee Ronald Hutton to discuss many of the weird and wonderful Christmas traditions that many of us take for granted. Listen on to discover the story behind Santa Claus, the yule log and Christmas cards, trees and stockings, not to mention the puzzling traditions of kissing under mistletoe, wassailing, Mummers' plays and the Lord of Misrule. To read abou...

This week we’re joined by Osborne curator Michael Hunter to reveal how Queen Victoria and Prince Albert celebrated Christmas. Discover how the royal couple popularised a new way of seeing in the festive season, how Prince Albert was instrumental in bringing German traditions to Britain, such as the Christmas tree, and what Christmas was like for the servants working at Osborne. For more informatio...

Once the Vikings’ drink of choice, mead now has a new and growing following who are putting a modern twist on the historical classic. To celebrate the revival of this golden brew, we head into the studio with resident expert Cameron Moffett to discover the history of the world’s oldest alcoholic drink, how English Heritage became the UK’s largest retailer of it and how modern cocktails have helped...

480 years since Henry VIII started building his ‘device forts’ in 1539, we travel to Deal Castle in Kent to meet senior properties historian Paul Pattison and discover the story of this string of artillery forts along the southern English and Welsh coast. Find out why these unique defences were built, what distinguishes them architecturally and which forts you can visit today. For more information...

On the 160th anniversary of publication of 'On the Origin of Species', we pay a visit to Down House in Kent to interview Senior Properties Historian Steven Brindle, senior gardener Kristyna Slivova and historic properties steward Kim Durham about Darwin’s time at Down House, the experiments he performed there and the legacy of his seminal work today. For more information about Down House, Home of...

This week we’re back on the road to experience a new sound installation created by the world’s most performed living composer Arvo Pärt and Arup, the great engineers and designers . We meet curator Clare Farrow and site manager Samantha Shotten to find out what visitors can expect and how installations such as this are helping to bring the history of English Heritage sites to life in new and innov...

Ahead of Armistice Day on 11 November, we talk to senior properties historian Dr Andrew Hann to find out how Wrest Park, the magnificent former seat of the De Grey family in Bedfordshire, was reinvented as a country house convalescent home and later a military hospital during the First World War. Discover the stories of the nurses who worked here, what the soldiers did to keep their spirits up and...

This week we’re back in the studio with English Heritage’s publishing manager Katherine Davey and literary reviewer and journalist James Kidd to discuss These Our Monsters, our new book of short stories by eight contemporary novelists inspired by the myths, legends and folklore connected to our sites. Join Charles, Katherine and James as they discuss the concept of the book and James’s own involve...