England

The Vinegar Bible

The Vinegar Bible is widely accepted to be one of the best Bibles printed in the United Kingdom in the C18th but how did it get its name and what of John Baskett the man behind it?

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Iron Bridge Coalbrook Dale

Iron Bridge Coalbrook Dale

The iron bridge near Coalbrook Dale is a humbling testament to the skill of ironworkers over two hundred years ago. The spectacular Severn gorge that carves its way through layers of limestone, coal and iron ore is a striking natural feature that gave rise to the most important industrialised landscape of the C18th. The River…

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Fair Rosamund

Fair Rosamund

Fair Rosamund, another intriguing woman of the Plantagenet period. Mistress of King Henry II but just why was she so important in his life?

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The Mystery of John Trehearne

John Treherne

A stroll around Southwark Cathedral is a perfect way to escape the bustle of Borough Market. Grand monuments in churches are fascinating, they instantly require our attention but most times we pass on by, content to limit our knowledge to the inscription. But there is a little mystery attached to the monument to John Treherne,…

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Who Was Emma of Normandy?

Queen Emma of Normandy
This entry is part [part not set] of 1 in the series Kings of Denmark
This entry is part [part not set] of 12 in the series Intriguing Women

Queen Emma, twice Queen of England and gatekeeper to the Norman dynasty, is one of histories most intriguing Medieval women. What was her role in the melee of Viking, Anglo Saxon and Norman rule?

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Gin Act 1751

Gin Act 1751

The Gin Act 1751 is a reminder that drunkenness on the streets is nothing new. London has always been a magnet for people wanting to improve their chances in life.  The early 18th century rural economy was already beginning to creak and groan under the yoke of enclosure and agricultural revolution. More people were seeking…

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The Old Music Halls

Old Music Halls

The old music halls filled the ordinary Victorians with a sense of fun and joy in what might otherwise be a pretty desolate life. Their tenure was to be fairly brief though as music halls gave way to picture houses.

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Margaret Pole Who Was She?

This entry is part [part not set] of 12 in the series Intriguing Women

Margaret Pole was an intriguing and complex character. One of the few survivors of the Plantagenet dynasty after the wars of the 15th Century she was executed under the orders of King Henry VIII in 1541, aged sixty seven years old. So what happened to cause this old lady to lose her head? First let’s…

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John Wilkinson Ironmaster

John Wilkinson
This entry is part [part not set] of 14 in the series Industrial Revolution

John Wilkinson was the ‘Ironmaster’ of the industrial revolution Iron  ran through the veins of John Wilkinson, who was fortunate enough to be born into the heart of the industrial revolution, both literally and figuratively. He was born in 1728, the son of Isaac Wilkinson. He worked in the iron industry at a blast furnace…

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Caroline of Ansbach Wife of King George II

Caroline of Ansbach
This entry is part [part not set] of 12 in the series Intriguing Women

Caroline of Ansbach, Queen Consort to George II, described her son as a filthy beast, was friends with Leibnitz the philosopher and Walpole the politican. She was a shrewd and intelligent woman who played the game of royalty with considerable skill.

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