The English Heritage Podcast

This week, we’re delving into the hidden history of spies, intelligence personnel and secret agents with English Heritage’s senior historian for blue plaques, Howard Spencer.Find out about six men and women whose exploits were crucial to British intelligence and, for some, to our endeavours in World War Two. In the past, their lives, work and achievements were shrouded in secrecy. But today, their service, contributions and memory are honoured through blue plaques at their former homes in London.To read more of the stories behind our blue plaques, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that English Heritage cares for more castles than anyone else? That’s why we invited you to put your questions to our experts: head properties curator, Dr Jeremy Ashbee and properties historian, Dr William Wyeth.Join us as we discover the definition of a castle, why the Normans couldn’t stop building them and how they have changed over time. If you’ve ever wondered what a Motte and Bailey castle is or which was the most besieged English Heritage castle, this is the episode for you!To learn more about our mighty collection of castles, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/castles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grab your broomsticks and warm your toes by a bubbling cauldron as we explore the history of witches, witchcraft and witch trials in England with Diane Purkiss, Professor of English literature at Oxford University.Discover when stories of witchcraft really started to take hold in England, the meaning of the phrase ‘the witching hour’ and the purpose of the mysterious witch marks that have been found in historic buildings across the country.To discover some more spooky stories connected to English Heritage sites, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/halloween/spooky-stories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re joined by English Heritage properties historian Andrew Roberts and collections curator Frances McIntosh to discuss the story of Chesters Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall, which remains the most complete Roman cavalry fort in Britain.Discover what life was like for the men stationed here, the importance of the cavalry and the story of John Clayton, who excavated the fort from 1843 until his death in 1890, helping to save this section of Hadrian’s Wall and unearthing many of the objects on display in the fort’s museum.To discover more about Chesters Roman Fort or to plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/chesters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every October, Black History Month celebrates the many achievements of black Britons throughout the centuries. But it also encourages us to look at Britain's dominant role in transatlantic slavery, and to understand the legacies of the trade that still shape our world today.We’re joined by Professor of History and Memory of Slavery at the University of Bristol, Olivette Otele, to find out more.To discover more about slavery connections to English Heritage sites, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/research/slavery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we continue to celebrate Black History Month with a journey through time – and the streets of London. We’re joined by curatorial director Anna Eavis and historian Steve Martin to discuss a president, a doctor, a nurse, two stars of stage and screen, and a footballer, who are all commemorated with English Heritage blue plaques at their former homes in the capital.To discover more about the black history celebrated through our blue plaques scheme, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories/londons-black-history Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we’re joined by English Heritage’s poet-in-residence Jacob Sam-La Rose, emerging Poet Esme Allman and creative programme manager Caroline Moore to discuss a new month-long poetry programme taking place throughout Black History Month in October.This will see Jacob and a number of emerging African Caribbean poets write poetry inspired by the stories of English Heritage sites or their experiences of visiting them.To discover more about Jacob’s role as poet-in-residence, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/members-area/members-magazine/2020/introducing-our-new-poet-in-residence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re joined by Cathy Power and Sarah Murden to discuss the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate daughter of British naval officer Sir John Lindsay and an African woman named Maria Bell, who may have been enslaved.Dido spent much of her life at Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath in North London where was raised by her great uncle, Lord Mansfield, who through the 1750s to 80s was the most powerful judge in England.To discover more about Dido Belle and Kenwood, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/women-in-history/dido-belle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we’ve returned to the turbulent Tudor period in which King Henry VIII imposed his will against the Pope through the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This saw the suppression of approximately 900 religious houses across England and Wales and the execution of around 200 members of the religious orders and laymen.Joining us to discuss how this religious revolution came about – and what happened to the thousands of displaced monks and nuns in its aftermath – is senior properties historian Michael Carter.To discover more about our monasteries and abbeys, and to plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/monasteries-and-abbeys Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following the publication of new research revealing where Stonehenge’s giant sarsen stones were extracted from, we’re heading out on the road to meet Senior Properties Historian Dr Susan Greaney to trace their journey to Salisbury Plain.Discover how Professor David Nash from Brighton University tracked the stones back to a specific location, how Stonehenge’s builders transported them and why the stones’ original location has eluded us for so long.To discover more about the history of Stonehenge or plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices