HistoryExtra Long Reads

By History ExtraHistory

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Typical duration
22 min
per episode

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HistoryExtra Long Reads episodes

October 26 Did King Harold cause the 1066 Norman invasion?
In 1066 the last Anglo-Saxon king was ousted. But how, asks this Long Read written by historian Tom Licence, had Harold, an earl without royal blood, managed to take the English crown in the first place?
Today's feature originally appeared in the October 2026 issue of HistoryExtra Magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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20 min
October 18 Bloody queens and hairdresser kings: Lucy Worsley rethinks Britain's monarchs
If Lucy Worsley has learned one thing in her 30 years as a historian, it’s that what we think we know about Britain’s kings and queens is often wrong. In today's Long Read, the historian, writer and broadcaster looks again at five royals whose reputations have been transformed – or are long overdue a makeover.
Today's feature originally appeared in the October 2026 issue of HistoryExtra Magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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21 min
October 11 Storm warnings: five weather moments that altered history
Recent film Pressure dramatises the attempts of meteorologists to predict the weather on D-Day – and in this Long Read written by Catherine Ross, we chart five moments when weather forecasts (or the lack of them) changed the course of history.
Today's feature originally appeared in the October 2026 issue of HistoryExtra Magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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22 min
October 04 Ale, terror and a martyr’s death: what not to miss on the Bayeux Tapestry
David Musgrove and Michael Lewis offer the essential spotter's guide to the iconic medieval embroidery
Heading to the British Museum to see the Bayeux Tapestry for yourself? This Long Read, written by David Musgrove and Michael Lewis, reveals the 10 things you simply must do when experiencing the world’s most famous embroidery in all its glory.
Today's feature originally appeared in the October 2026 issue of HistoryExtra Magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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24 min
September 27 The Spitfire: love at first flight?
It’s been hailed as the plane that won the Battle of Britain – but does the Spitfire deserve its all-conquering reputation? Ninety years after this nimble fighter took its maiden flight, this Long Read written by Hattie Hearn explores how it became a national icon.
Today’s feature originally appeared in the September 2026 issue of HistoryExtra magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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22 min
September 20 A beginner’s guide to medieval farming
From famine to fines, the life of the medieval farmer was often far from straightforward. In this Long Read, Christopher Dyer offers six tips for those seeking success in running a smallholding in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Today’s feature originally appeared in the September 2026 issue of HistoryExtra magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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19 min
September 13 History repeating?
It’s human nature to believe that history repeats itself – but might our instinct to look for echoes of the past in the present be misguided, and even dangerous? This Long Read, written by Robert Blackmore, explores why such comparisons can be deceptive.
Today’s feature originally appeared in the August 2026 issue of HistoryExtra magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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24 min
September 06 The Magdalene laundries: Ireland’s secret shame
In Ireland, many thousands condemned as ‘fallen women’ were detained indefinitely in Magdalene laundries, forced to toil in harsh conditions. This Long Read written by Louise Brangan – author of The Fallen – reveals how church and state colluded to cast a shroud of silence over traumas inflicted behind closed doors in the 20th century.
Today's feature originally appeared in the August 2026 issue of HistoryExtra Magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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22 min
August 30 The troubled birth of England
The collapse of Roman rule in Britain, followed by the emergence of kingdoms established by Germanic tribes, marks one of the most turbulent periods in Britain’s history. But what factors drove this dramatic transformation? This Long Read written by Nick Higham chronicles the rise of the Anglo-Saxons.
Today’s feature originally appeared in the July 2026 issue of HistoryExtra magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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22 min
August 23 Cultural dreams v political nightmares: life in interwar Weimar
In the 1920s and 1930s, Weimar was rife with contradictions, embracing both utopian modernism and Nazism. This German town’s interwar story reveals how democratic dreams can die in the face of economic ills and polarising politics, as this Long Read written by Katja Hoyer explains...
Today's feature originally appeared in the July 2026 issue of HistoryExtra magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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26 min

About HistoryExtra Long Reads

From the publisher's feed

Take a deep dive into the past as we bring you the very best of HistoryExtra magazine, Britain’s bestselling history magazine. With a new episode released every Monday, enjoy fascinating and enlightening articles from leading historical experts, covering a broad sweep of the centuries – from the scandals of Georgian society to the horrors of the First World War, revolutions, rebellions, and more.