When so much of history is written by men, Margaret Paston's letters offer us a rare insight into the life of a woman and the world around her in 15th century England.How did she cope with waves of plague wiping out her town? What did she do when the War of the Roses reached her home? And what family gossip did she write about?Joining Kate today for this insight into every day medieval life is Diane Watt, author of God’s Own Gentlewoman: The Life of Margaret Paston to take us back to this period of tumultuous English history.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.If you enjoy what we're doing, please take one minute to vote for us to win the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards! Voting closes on August 29th and we're in the top 10! Simply click here: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingEnjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code BETWIXTYou can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

However you feel about the royal family, there's no denying, there was something about Princess Diana.From the clothes she wore to the causes she championed, she set the template for the modern royal, ruffling a lot of feathers in the process.Why did she speak to us so much? Was there any truth to rumours of the affairs both Charles and Diana had? And were the public in any way complicit in her downfall?Helping Kate separate Diana fact from fiction is author and royal historian, Dr. Tessa Dunlop. In the second part of the episode, Kate is speaking to Dominic Wong, curator of the photography exhibition Princess Diana: Accredited Access, to find out the backstory to some of the most iconic photos of Diana during her lifetime.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.If you enjoy what we're doing, please take one minute to vote for us to win the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards! Voting closes on August 29th and we're in the top 10! Simply click here: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingEnjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code BETWIXTYou can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

When women's stories aren't being flat-out ignored from the history books, they can often be sidelined.Well not here! Joining Kate today is the comedian and author of Life Lessons from Historical Women, Eleanor Morton, to share some of her favourite stories of inspirational women through history and the lessons they have taught her.What would it have taken to make a daring escape from colonial Australia? And how did working class women in Victorian London create collective power?This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Voting is open for the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards, so if you enjoy what we're doing, we'd love it if you took a quick follow this link and click on Betwixt the Sheets: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingEnjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code BETWIXT.You can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

Why did Renaissance women say the Lord's prayer while removing pubic hair?If you're like us you definitely want to know the answer to this, and so much more about beauty culture during the Italian Renaissance between the 15th and 17th centuries.Joining Kate today is Professor Jill Burke, author of How to be a Renaissance Woman: The Untold History of Beauty and Female Creativity, to help us find out if beauty culture was oppressive to women, or empowering.Edited: Tom Delargy. Producer: Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.Voting is open for the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards, so if you enjoy what we're doing, we'd love it if you took a quick follow this link and click on Betwixt the Sheets: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingEnjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code BETWIXTYou can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

Explore the vibrant world of 18th-century Paris, where sex work flourished amidst the Age of Enlightenment. Discover the staggering number of sex workers and high-class courtesans, as well as the complex societal roles they played. Delve into how the French Revolution shifted public perceptions, increasing the visibility of this hidden world. Uncover the influence of madams and police, the struggles of impoverished women, and the intricate relationships shaped by socio-economic dynamics. It's a historical journey through scandal, class, and aspiration.

Cleopatra. One of the most famous people from history, and remembered for her beauty, power and scandalous love affairs. But how accurate is her legacy?Did you know she married not one, but two of her brothers? Or that she could speak eight languages? Or that she lived closer to the invention of the iPhone, than the construction of the pyramids (what?!).Egyptologist Sarah Parcak joins Kate to get to the bottom of who the REAL Cleopatra was.Mixer: Tomos Delargy. Producer: Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer: Charlotte LongEnjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code BETWIXTYou can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

Sex and beds have a long, interwoven history. Here on Betwixt we often cover sex history, but we haven’t done a deep dive into the history of where it’s often done… in bed.So today we have something a little different for you, here’s an episode all about the history of beds, and it’s a story that will take us from medieval France, to 17th century Hertfordshire and beyond.It’s an episode from our friends over at the Curious History of Your Home podcast, which you can follow here.Betwixt the Sheets will be back with its usual programming on Tuesday.

Anne Boleyn was smart, sophisticated and had SO much charisma.She kept Henry VIII waiting for SEVEN YEARS before they finally got together, and even then it was on her terms.So where did it all go wrong for Anne Boleyn? Were any of the wild accusations made against her true? And what do her last words tell us about her?Joining Kate today is the magnificent Tracy Borman, author of Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History, to help us uncover the real Anne Boleyn.This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Voting is open for the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards, so if you enjoy what we're doing, we'd love it if you took a quick follow this link and click on Betwixt the Sheets: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingEnjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code BETWIXT.You can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

Join Tabitha Barber, curator of the Tate Britain exhibition Now You See Us, as she reveals the profound impact of nudes on Victorian England. Discover how the 1894 rights for women to draw nude models sparked a cultural shift towards female artistic expression. Tabitha discusses the historical neglect of women artists and their fight for equality, and celebrates icons like Rosa Bonheur. The conversation uncovers the intersection of art and activism, illustrating how these women bravely challenged societal norms in a male-dominated art world.

What would it have really been like to visit a Victorian freak show? Were "freak performers" exploited, or empowered in a world that would likely have otherwise rejected them? And has the Victorian freak show ever really gone away?Joining Kate today is John Woolf, author of The Wonders: Lifting the Curtain on the Freak Show, Circus and Victorian Age, to take us back to this world and explore its dark side.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy, the producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Voting is open for the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards, so if you enjoy what we're doing, we'd love it if you took a quick follow this link and click on Betwixt the Sheets: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingEnjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code BETWIXTYou can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.