The English Heritage Podcast

As we prepare to recreate the events of the Battle of Hastings, we’re profiling the man who lost on that battlefield in 1066. A man who (if you believe a certain tapestry) was killed by an arrow to the eye. Here to talk about the rise, reign and fall of Harold Godwinson is historian, author and expert on the middle ages, Dr Marc Morris. Plus, we’re joined by English Heritage Event Manager Diana Ev...

As summer turns to autumn and harvest time approaches, we’re joined by curator of collections and interiors Eleanor Matthews and properties curator Winn Scutt to learn about the agricultural history of two very different properties – Brodsworth Hall in South Yorkshire and Leigh Court Barn in Worcestershire. Join us to discover how they were farmed, what working life at both sites was like and what...

This week, we’re joined by Head Properties Curator Dr Jeremy Ashbee, to explore the history of Restormel Castle in Cornwall. Standing in ruins surrounded by beautiful countryside in a valley with views down to the River Fowey, Restormel is one of the most remarkable castles in Britain. We discuss who built it, how it was used, its royal visitors and its links with the Duchy of Cornwall. To discove...

This week, we’re joined by Properties Historian, Dr Andrew Roberts, and Curator of Hadrian's Wall, Dr Frances McIntosh, to answer all of your questions about the Romans. Discover why the Romans never conquered all the British Isles, how long it took to get a letter to Rome from Hadrian’s Wall, whether Romans ever really used urine as a mouthwash and much more! To discover more about life in Roman...

For the second helping in our series about historic food and feasts, we’re joined by Curator of Collections and Interiors Cameron Moffett, and Senior Properties Curator Louise Bartlett, to discuss a 13th century feast that took place at Stokesay Castle in Shropshire. We’ll discover who was hosting, their guest of honour, what was on the menu and the politics of the medieval dining table. To discov...

Visiting gardens became a favourite pursuit of 18th century upper classes. It’s also a passion that many of us enjoy today: visiting historic gardens, admiring carefully crafted landscapes and maybe even picking up a few ideas for our own outdoor spaces. But were the garden tourists of the Georgian era anything like us? To answer that question and more, we’re joined by English Heritage Landscape A...

Britain’s beaches are a popular day trip destination when the sun is shining, but this wasn’t always the case. Joining us to discuss the origins of the beach holiday, the history of British seaside resorts and how visits to the seaside have changed over the centuries is Dr Allan Brodie, a senior investigator at Historic England and a visiting fellow at Bournemouth University. To discover a selecti...

This week, we’re discussing the story of a 17th century woman who left an amazing literary legacy. Alice Thornton wrote four books, including three autobiographies, which provide a remarkable insight into life during the English Civil Wars. Joining us to discuss Alice’s story, including her connection to the English Heritage site of Middleham Castle in North Yorkshire, are Senior Lecturer in Histo...

Today, we’re joined by Senior Properties Historian Michael Carter to discuss the story of Anglo-Saxon England’s conversion to Christianity and the key people behind it. Many of you will have heard of St Augustine, but what about St Hild, Hadrian or Milburga, or even Queen Bertha? Join us to discover the role these medieval missionaries played and the sites you can visit today to find out more. To...

This week we’re on the banks of the River Rye in North Yorkshire to discover how its precious water helped to sustain the monks who lived here for just over 400 years. This relationship between the monks and the river – and the ingenious ways they managed the water – is the focus of a new exhibition being hosted at the abbey. Joining us to explain more are English Heritage Collections Curator Susa...

Have you ever been to an historic site and wondered about the people who lived there? Or the people who died there? Or maybe even those who are buried there? St Peter's Church at Barton-on-the-Humber in north Lincolnshire is home to a large collection of human bones stored in its ossuary. Joining us to reveal the story of the church, its ossuary, and the human remains housed here are Senior Curato...

This week we’re joined by Senior Properties Historian Dr Susan Greaney and Professor Ronald Hutton to investigate the mysterious white horses and giant chalk figures that adorn hillsides across England. Find out who created them, when and why they were created and the stories behind many of England’s most famous hill figures, from the Uffington and Westbury White Horses to the Cerne Abbas Giant an...

Today we’re joined by English Heritage’s Head of Learning and Interpretation Dr Dominique Bouchard and Properties Historians' Team Leader Dr Andrew Hann to talk about a landmark case presided over by Lord Chief Justice, William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, who lived at Kenwood in north London. He was also a dissenting voice against slavery. Mansfield's ruling in the Somerset v Stewart case in 17...

This week, we’re returning to one of our favourite topics of conversation on the podcast: castles. Joining us to discuss the evolution of Britain’s fortresses, before revealing his top five English Heritage castles, is John Goodall – a historian, the architectural editor of Country Life magazine and author of a new book called The Castle: A History. To discover more about our castles or plan a vis...

This week, we’re joined by Dr Frances McIntosh to discuss the story of the Edwardian archaeologists who discovered Corbridge Roman Town and the new exhibition that has been created to celebrate their work. Corbridge – or Coria to use its original name – was a major settlement two-and-a-half miles south of Hadrian’s Wall in the north-east of England, and the ground-breaking excavations carried out...

This week, we’re marking a new chapter in the story of Marble Hill, an eye-catching early Georgian villa set in 66 acres of parkland near the River Thames in Twickenham, south-west London. As it reopens following an 8-million-pound project to revive the house and grounds, we explore the history of this riverside Palladian home, its builder Henrietta Howard, its collections and its garden. Joining...

We’re back for the final instalment of our four-part mini-series on the story of Hadrian’s Wall on its 1,900th anniversary. From the end of Roman control in Britain to the medieval period and the rediscovery of the wall by early archaeologists, we’re looking at the legacy of Hadrian’s Wall. We also consider how the remains of the Wall and its forts are being conserved for future generations. Joini...

The first in a three-part mini-series on feasts that were enjoyed at English Heritage sites through the ages. To get us started, we’re headed back in time to visit Lullingstone Roman Villa in Kent. Giving us a flavour of what a Roman feast at Lullingstone would have looked (and tasted) like is Curator of Collections and Interiors Dr Kathryn Bedford. This series is brought to you by Côte at Home, w...

This week, we’re concluding our two-part mini-series on the Wars of the Roses as we chart Richard III’s role in the final phases of the conflicts. He remains one of the most controversial kings in English history – accused of murdering his nephews to protect his throne. But who was the real Richard III? We’re joined by Curator of Collections & Interiors, Dickon Whitewood to find out. To discover m...

Today, we’re back on the northern frontier of the Roman Empire for the third instalment of our Hadrian’s Wall mini-series. Discover what happened to the Wall following the death of Emperor Hadrian in AD 138 and how life along it evolved until the end of Roman rule in Britain. Joining us to pick up the story are Properties Historian Dr Andrew Roberts and curator of Hadrian’s Wall and the North East...

Ranger’s House is an elegant Georgian villa on the boundary of Greenwich Park and Blackheath, which houses The Wernher Collection, a world-class art collection amassed by the 19th-century businessman, Sir Julius Wernher. However, in more recent times, its façade has become famous as the star of Netflix period drama Bridgerton. We’re joined by Senior Properties Historian Dr Megan Leyland and Head o...

Edmund was King of East Anglia in the 9th century before becoming England’s original patron saint. Today, very little is known about his life, but the legends of his grisly death developed into a cult centred on his shrine at Bury St Edmunds Abbey, which was founded by King Cnut in 1020. As the cult grew, so did the abbey, which became one of the largest monastic sites in the country. We’re joined...

This week, we’re joined by Senior Properties Historian Dr Steven Brindle to answer all of your questions about the Victorian period. Discover what the Victorians liked to eat and drink, their attitudes to child labour, how they expressed themselves through clothing, art and architecture, and Queen Victoria’s lifestyle at Osborne. To discover more about Osborne or to plan a visit, go to www.english...

Standing tall in the centre of historic York for almost 800 years, Clifford’s Tower has undergone a transformation to conserve its walls and create a multi-sensory celebration of its stories. Joining us to explain more are Head Properties Curator Dr Jeremy Ashbee, Senior National Project Manager Rachael Baldwin and Interpretation Manager Ruth Haycock. To discover more about Clifford’s Tower or to...

A new tour launching this summer explores the LGBTQ+ history behind a number of objects in the Wernher Collection at Ranger’s House in Blackheath, London. We’re joined by Senior Interpretation Manager Nick Collinson, Properties Historian Andrew Roberts and Young Producer Katie Burke to find out how and why they created the tour, and to reveal the LGBTQ+ history connected to a selection of the obje...