The English Heritage Podcast

As Tintagel Castle opens its new landmark bridge to visitors this weekend, we welcome Head Historic Properties Curator Jeremy Ashbee, Head of National Projects Nichola Tasker and Senior National Project Manager Reuben Briggs to the studio to find out more.Discover why the bridge has been constructed, how the winning design was selected and what has gone into creating this spectacular feat of engineering.To read more about Tintagel Castle’s history and book a bridge crossing, go to https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/tintagel-castle/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We interview fashion historian and presenter of our popular historic makeup tutorials on YouTube, Amber Butchart, to trace the big developments in English fashion history, discover how much effort goes into making historically accurate costumes and reveal the most outrageous fashion statements through the centuries.To watch Amber’s latest video on Georgian makeup, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5wYPgaMabY or check out our series of history inspired makeup tutorials at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnglishHeritageFilm/playlists Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As our new season of legendary jousts gets underway, we head behind the scenes at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire to discover what goes into recreating medieval history with joust organiser Diana Evans and professional jouster Dominic Sewell.Discover when jousting was invented, how it has evolved over time and the skills involved in becoming a modern day hero on horseback for the crowds.For details of all of our joust events taking place over summer, visit https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/knights-jousts-events/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate the launch of our new digital project, Stonehenge Skyscape, allowing everyone anywhere to watch the sun, moon and stars above Britain’s most famous prehistoric monument, we join space scientist and BBC’s The Sky at Night presenter Maggie Aderin-Pocock to find out more.Discover the role astronomy might have played in prehistoric life, the meaning of archeoastronomy and what you should look out for in the sky above the stones.To experience Stonehenge Skyscape for yourself, go to https://www.stonehengeskyscape.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A century after the unveiling of the original Cenotaph memorial in London, we are joined by senior properties historian Dr Steven Brindle and Dr Lucy Noakes, professor of modern history at the University of Essex to discover its story.Listen on to find out how and why this famous First World War memorial was created for the Peace Day celebrations of 19 July 1919 and how it’s come to inspire the designs of other memorials to conflict all over the world.To find out more about the World War I memorials in our care, go to https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/20th-century/london-wwi-memorials/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ten years since our gardening team recreated the Elizabethan garden at Kenilworth Castle, we meet landscapes advisor Emily Parker and head gardener Fiona Tansey to discover the story behind the garden, the Elizabethan garden style, the planting and features of the garden that visitors should look out for during a visit today and the activities planned to mark the anniversary, including 19 days of celebrations planned to commemorate Elizabeth I’s historic 19-day visit to the castle in the summer of 1575.To take an interactive tour of the garden and find out more visit: www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/kenilworth-castle/history-and-stories/elizabethan-garden/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As thoughts turn to holidays ahead, we join senior properties historian Andrew Hann to discover the role of the Victorians in popularising British beach holidays and seaside resorts.Learn how many of the things we now associate with a trip to the British seaside (fish and chips, promenades and piers) have their roots in the Victorian summer holiday, and how Queen Victoria herself developed a love of the seaside at her own private beach at Osborne on the Isle of Wight.You can find out more about life during the Victorian era here: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/victorian/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the team at Stonehenge prepare to welcome thousands of visitors to celebrate the start of summer and see the sun rise between the stones on the longest day of the year, we head behind the scenes to meet Senior Properties Historian Dr Susan Greaney and Senior Property Curator Heather Sebire.Discover how the solstice informed the formation of the stones, how the solstice was originally celebrated here, the challenges of managing the solstice celebrations today and what you need to do if you want to join the festivities.To find out more about Stonehenge and Summer Solstice, visit https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/plan-your-visit/summer-solstice/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Mount Grace Priory in North Yorkshire, our gardening team are growing plants inspired by medieval monks across Europe with aphrodisiac, narcotic and hallucinogenic qualities and names like mandrake and deadly nightshade. Today these might sound like the stuff of storybook spells, but for medieval monks they were ingredients in everyday remedies to treat all kinds of complaints*.We asked our Senior Gardens Advisor for the North and Midlands, Dr Michael Klemperer, to help us uncover the stories behind some of the plants you’ll find in our garden.For more information about Mount Grace Priory, visit https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle/history-and-stories/d-day-deception*Never consume any of the plants referenced without medical advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the 75th anniversary of D-Day on Tuesday, 6 June 1944, we meet English Heritage’s senior properties historian Paul Pattison to discover the story of the Normandy landings, the other operations that fed into this turning point of the Second World War and how the iconic fortress of Dover Castle played its role.For more information about the D-Day deceptions, visit https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle/history-and-stories/d-day-deception/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices