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 History at the University of Edinburgh Dr Cordelia Beattie, English Heritage Properties Historian Will Wyeth and Post-Doctoral Researcher Dr Jo Edge.

To discover more about Middleham Castle or plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/middlehamcastle
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Episode 173 - Women in Civil War England: Alice Thornton and Middleham Castle

English Heritage cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites, and brings the story of England to life for over 10 million people each year. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk

History

Society & Culture

Today, we’re joined by English Heritage historian Dr Rebecca Preston and Professor of real estate practice law, Carrie de Silva to reveal the stories of two 20th-century women who have recently been honoured with London blue plaques. During their lifetimes, both Irene Barclay and Lady Marjory Allen contributed to improving people’s lives through their surroundings – Barclay as a convention-breaking housing reformer and Allen as a landscape architect and pioneer of children’s adventure playgrounds.
To learn more about our blue plaque scheme, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques
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Episode 268 - Building better communities: celebrating two pioneering women

We’re joined by senior properties historian Paul Pattison and independent historian and author of Mission France, Dr Kate Vigurs, ahead of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. We’ll reveal the story of the biggest landing by land, sea and air the world has ever seen, including how long it took to plan, the roles of Operation Neptune and Overlord and how the initial assault on northern France on 6 June 1944 helped to bring about the end of the Second World War.
To learn about Operation Fortitude South and the D-Day Deception, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle/history-and-stories/d-day-deception
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Episode 267 - Day of reckoning: remembering the events of D-Day

This week, we’re discussing the lives, loves, work and legacies of two unconventional artists from the early 20th century. Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant were part of the Bloomsbury group of writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists in London – a group it was once said ‘lived in squares, painted in circles and loved in triangles’. They rejected the past, embraced their present and expressed themselves in new ways on canvas, cementing their place in art history.

Joining us to talk us through their stories and the London blue plaque that commemorates their achievements are English Heritage blue plaques historian Dr Rebecca Preston, art critic, author and current blue plaque panel member Andrew Graham-Dixon, and writer and historian Rosemary Hill.

To learn more about the London blue plaques scheme, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques.
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Episode 266 - Art and Ideals: Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and the Bloomsbury Group

A Major Lunar Standstill (MLS) – an astrological phenomenon which takes place once every 18.6 years, when moonrise and moonset are furthest apart along the horizon – is due to occur in 2024 and 25. It is believed that at least one MLS was marked during the early phase of Stonehenge and some academics believe there may be a connection between this and the placement of the Station Stones at Stonehenge.

Joining us to discuss the theory and the project putting it to the test are English Heritage senior properties historian Dr Jennifer Wexler, emeritus professor of archaeoastronomy at the University of Leicester Clive Ruggles and senior lecturer in archaeological modelling at Bournemouth University Dr Fabio Silva.

To learn more about Stonehenge or find out how you can get involved, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/lunar-standstill.
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Episode 265 - Stonehenge and the Major Lunar Standstill

We’re joined by English Heritage curator of collections and interiors Dickon Whitewood and jouster, author and scholar of arms and armour Tobias Capwell to answer all the questions we received about medieval knights and jousts from English Heritage members and followers on our social media accounts. 

Join us to discover the rules of a joust, what a frog-mouth helmet is, the weight of a suit of armour, the practicalities of going to the toilet while wearing one and much more. 

To learn more about the history of tournaments, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/brief-history-of-knights-tournaments.
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Episode 173 - Women in Civil War England: Alice Thornton and Middleham Castle

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