Episodes

  • Espionage, identity and cross-dressing in the Middle Ages

    Espionage, identity and cross-dressing in the Middle Ages
    Jun 26 2025
    Sometimes, historical research can offer unexpected questions and avenues of exploration. That’s what happened when English Heritage’s Will Wyeth was digging through a medieval manuscript. References to a medieval woman spy dressed in men’s clothing were too tantalising to ignore, so he and Michael James got together to ask questions about the mysterious Margoth. They join Amy Matthews on the English Heritage Podcast this week to reveal not only how Margoth’s espionage changed the course of a war, but also how references to cross-dressing can help us ask questions about identity in the past. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    37 mins
  • The enduring allure of stone circles

    The enduring allure of stone circles
    Jun 19 2025
    As the summer solstice approaches, thousands flock to monuments like Stonehenge seeking spiritual connection and a spectacular sunset and sunrise. But why are people still drawn to stone circles after thousands of years? This time on the English Heritage Podcast, Amy Matthews is joined by English Heritage’s Dr Jennifer Wexler to explore how these monuments were built and why people have continued to visit them. Artist Sally Barton shares how communities continue to interact with these spaces and make them relevant today. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • The art of heritage: Turner’s vision of England

    The art of heritage: Turner’s vision of England
    Jun 12 2025
    J M W Turner is considered one of England’s great artists, but why? This time on the English Heritage podcast, we dive into some of the 35 paintings Turner made of English Heritage sites to explore how he responded to a period of enormous emotional and political upheaval. Working against a backdrop of war, industrial expansion, tourism, abolition, patriotism and shifting national identity, Turner’s varied and innovative styles helped shape contemporary reactions to architecture, landscapes and ruins. The Museum of London’s Thomas Ardill and English Heritage’s Jeremy Ashbee join writer and comedian Amy Matthews to discuss the man and his works and ask what the concept of ‘heritage’ means today. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/ Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • The illuminating story of stained glass

    The illuminating story of stained glass
    Jun 5 2025
    Churches and buildings around England are home to beautiful stained glass enjoyed by communities and visitors every day. But less well known are the fascinating stories and histories behind these national treasures. This week on the English Heritage Podcast, Amy Matthews is joined by Michael Carter and Susan Harrison to piece together what collections both in situ and in store can tell us about Christianity, the dissolution of monasteries, and the journey of stained glass into churches and buildings that stand today. Glass held both symbolic and intrinsic value to many people, from skilled glaziers to parish priests and opportunistic individuals. After monasteries were dissolved, their glazing lived some surprising second lives. Plus, Susan explains how we are painstakingly piecing together the fragments of glass that were overlooked by our ancestors. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/ Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • People of 1381: stories from the Peasants’ Revolt

    People of 1381: stories from the Peasants’ Revolt
    May 29 2025
    The summer of 1381 saw one of the biggest popular uprisings in Medieval Europe. Now, an innovative online resource is revealing how the Peasants’ Revolt impacted the lives of women, children and whole communities. This week, Amy Matthews is joined by English Heritage’s Dr Will Wyeth to unlock the complex social and political issues of the revolt and how we feel these forces today. The University of Glasgow’s Dr Andrew Prescott and The University of Reading’s Dr Helen Killick share snapshots of lives from the People of 1381 database and explore how stories are pieced together from documents and records of this period to add depth to popular chronicles. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/ Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/ People of 1381 database: https://www.1381.online/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    44 mins
  • Gladiators: finds, fans and fame

    Gladiators: finds, fans and fame
    May 22 2025
    This week on the English Heritage podcast, Amy Matthews dips into the rivers of Northern England for an insight into Roman beliefs and the celebrity culture of gladiators. English Heritage’s Dr Frances Mcintosh and Dr Philippa Walton from the University of Leicester discuss gladiator memorabilia and the celebrity status of these icons in Roman Britain, with the aid of some amazing objects. The offerings made by Romans to the rivers at Piercebridge Roman Bridge and Corbridge Roman Town give us a snapshot into everyday lives, diverse beliefs and rituals. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/ Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    31 mins
  • The camera, the cook and the chauffeur: a country house love story

    The camera, the cook and the chauffeur: a country house love story
    May 15 2025
    Today we head to Brodsworth Hall and Gardens in Yorkshire and step back in time to discover a love story from the early 20th century. And it all starts with a camera. Join Amy to unravel the story of two country house servants who met and fell in love against the background of the First World War in a Downton Abbey-worthy tale. English Heritage curator Eleanor Matthews explains how a very special bequest of items revealed valuable insights into Brodsworth Hall and its past residents – including the lives of Alf and Caroline Palmer. Their grandson Gordon also joins us to share their story, their memories of life in service at a country house, and a surprising inheritance. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join English Heritage: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • Computers, protection and peace in the Cold War era

    Computers, protection and peace in the Cold War era
    May 8 2025
    The shadow of the Cold War loomed over the 20th Century. But how did this affect day-to-day life for ordinary people and how was anxiety about the possibility of conflict normalised? Starting with an innovative piece of technology from York's Cold War Bunker, Amy and her guests discuss civilian volunteers, the protest movement and the ever-present threat of war, using living memory and oral history to connect the past to our present. Megan Thomas, a PhD student at the University of Liverpool, tells us about her research into imagined futures in our culture. Kevin Booth, Head Collections Curator at English Heritage, shares stories from Noreen, a Royal Observer Corps volunteer who spent 30 years serving in York’s bunker as part of the British nuclear deterrent. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins