If you’re planning to enjoy a scary book or film from the comfort of your home this Halloween, you’ll be continuing a long tradition.   Since the earliest civilisations, humans have been fascinated by the idea of ghosts, death and the afterlife. This time on The English Heritage Podcast, Amy chats with Dr Michael Carter and Dr Beverley Clack about religion, philosophy and the spiritual questions we tackle through the telling of ghost stories.   From medieval monks and revenants to a few modern-day stories from English Heritage sites, don’t listen to this one with the lights off…  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout. *  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

English Heritage sites aren’t just great places to learn about our past – they’re also spaces for creativity and play.   In this episode of The English Heritage Podcast, Andrew Hann and historian Abby Van Slyck join Amy to discuss how children’s recreation and ideas of play have evolved, starting with the Swiss Cottage at Osborne – a miniature house designed by Prince Albert to educate his nine children through role-play.   From the dollhouses and playhouses of royal children and a wealthy elite to modern-day treehouses and adventure playgrounds, we’ll explore how changing views on childhood, health, and society have contributed to the adventures children and adults enjoy today.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout. *  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the late 1790s, Sir Godfrey Webster, heir to Battle Abbey, challenged politician Henry Holland to a duel over a portrait of his wife Elizabeth. Unhappy in her marriage, Elizabeth would divorce Godfrey and marry Henry just two days later. This would mark the beginning of a high-profile life for her in English politics.   But who was this wealthy and privileged Jamaican heiress and how did she exercise her power at a time when women were not allowed to take public roles?   This time on the English Heritage podcast, Amy uncovers the extraordinary life of a woman born to a Jamaican plantation owner, her early married life in Sussex, her European travels, scandalous divorce and the foundation of one of the Whig party’s most prominent salons in London.   Joining Amy is Dr Miranda Kauffman, who’s been researching the connections between heiresses like Elizabeth Vassall, historic places and the wealth generated by chattel slavery. Battle Abbey’s Dr Kathryn Bedford helps uncover Elizabeth’s nuanced character through the depictions and interpretations of her throughout her life.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout. *  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Try to order a balti in Kashmir and you might get a funny look.  That’s because this ‘classic curry’ was invented in 1970s Birmingham, when a restaurant owner wanted to make a curry-like dish that suited local palates and could be cooked quickly for his customers.   Curry may be one of our nation’s favourite foods, but how did our modern-day cuisine evolve from centuries of trade, exploitation, colonialism and migration? In today’s episode, Christopher Warleigh-Lack, Mallika Basu and Samantha Bilton take Amy through the chequered history of curry.   Christopher begins our journey at Osborne on the Isle of Wight, where we explore Queen Victoria’s passion for India and the influences we can discover in the collection. We also look at British inventions, from balti to tikka masala, coronation chicken and the incendiary sultana, and discuss their place in food culture and tradition today.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Find out more: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/a-brief-history-of-curry-in-england/   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout. *  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2021, 950 years after English Heritage’s Richmond Castle was founded in Yorkshire, an amateur archaeologist joined her first dig and turned up a stunning find.   A silver coin dating to the decades following the Norman Conquest, bearing the face of William the Conqueror, fired up historians’ imaginations.  Who lost it, what were they doing at the castle, and what did this penny mean to the people living in the north of England in the 1080s?  Will Wyeth and Susan Harrison join Amy on this episode of The English Heritage Podcast to discuss why this area was so important for the strategic building of a castle in post-conquest Yorkshire. They’ll also explore King William’s relationship with northern leaders, his reaction to revolt and the Norman legacy in the north of England.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout. *  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stonehenge has captured the imaginations of people for millennia, leading to conspiracy theories and fantastical ideas about its construction. But cutting-edge historical analysis has allowed us to reveal more of its secrets in recent times.  Now, author Ken Follett has turned his hand to an imagined epic about the early days of the site’s construction and the social lives and beliefs of people on Salisbury Plain. To celebrate the launch of Circle of Days, Amy is joined by Ken Follett and English Heritage curator of history, Dr Jen Wexler, to explore some of the latest research and findings about the construction of Stonehenge and the real-life inspirations for Ken’s story.  Plus, we have an exclusive excerpt of Circle of Days for you to listen to.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout. *  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.    *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does a stone slab at Yorkshire’s Fountains Abbey have in common with the modern-day university?   This time on the English Heritage podcast, Michael Carter takes Amy on his journey of discovery, from an abbot’s strangely positioned headdress to the monastic origins of doctorates. Dr Tessa Whitehouse joins the conversation as we explore how the modern university evolved from elite religious institutions, through nonconformism, to allowing women to study.   These institutions have always had huge political importance. But have they always been a place where students can enjoy both learning and freedom? Find out in this episode.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join English Heritage: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout. *  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.    *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s easy to take the food on our plates for granted, but the 20th century has been a time of enormous change for the production and supply of what we eat. Not to mention the sort of dish you’d be looking forward to on a Friday evening. Herring and pickled beetroot, anyone?   But did you know about a highly specialised, world-renowned government institute that was developing the latest technology across the 20th century? From tractor testing to drilling and harvesting techniques, the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering was based at Wrest Park until the 1980s. When King George VI visited for its opening in 1948, producing food in postwar Britain was a critical priority.   This time, Amy Matthews chats with food historian Emma Kay, English Heritage curator of history Andrew Hann and former institute employee Edwina Holden MBE to find out about this hugely influential period in the history of Wrest Park, just before it came into English Heritage’s care.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout. *  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.    *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Caring for country houses is a delicate task, involving protecting them from fire risk, weather, pests, and much more. Some things have remained the same over the years: fire has long been a looming threat for the residents of country houses.   This time on the English Heritage Podcast, Amy Matthews chats with Andrew Hann, Peter Moore and Richard Luscombe about the dramatic events, near misses and brilliant innovations that have helped staff and residents of country houses tackle the ever-present risk of fire.    We’ll discuss the evolution of firefighting equipment, brilliantly organised operations, candles on Christmas trees and why Prince Albert put seashells in the floor of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout. *  Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.    *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2021, a Yorkshire metal detectorist unearthed one of the UK’s largest and most important Iron Age finds. Now the Melsonby Hoard is reshaping our understanding of life in Britain 2000 years ago.   In this episode, we delve into the trove to discuss how values, wealth, power, culture and even transport in Britain were evolving against the backdrop of growing Roman influence. Amy Matthews is joined by English Heritage’s Dr Jen Wexler and Dr Sophia Adams of the British Museum to unpick the stories from this incredible collection of objects.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did a 13th century knight become one of the greatest national heroes of his time?   In this episode of the English Heritage podcast, Amy Matthews and her guests discover a true knight’s tale. William, a low-level aristocrat, narrowly avoided a violent end as a child and rose to greatness through violent tournaments, warfare and royal service.    But who was the real William Marshal, and can we trust the reverential account of his life that was written after his death?   Medieval historian Lindy Grant and English Heritage’s Jeremy Ashbee help Amy sort the man from the myth and discuss the medieval concept of knighthood and chivalry.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People love to fill their homes with beautiful plants, but this is not a new phenomenon. The trade in wild plants and seeds has a complex history that stretches back into the past and across the world.   Ahead of the Gardeners’ World Autumn Plant Fair at Audley End, Amy Matthews is joined by English Heritage’s Emily Parker and Joe Bagley, The Houseplant Doctor, to explore how our obsession with houseplants developed from competitive Victorian collectors to 21st century plantaholics.   Plus, Joe has some expert tips on how to keep your horticultural housemates happy and enjoy them sustainably and ethically.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the English Heritage podcast, we’ll discover the remarkable women who have helped to shape some of our most beautiful gardens.    From Georgian garden retreats that provided refuge from the royal court and the backdrop for a literary coterie to the ‘weeding women’ who kept gardens looking their best, we explore their significant yet often overlooked contributions. We'll also shine a light on the independent female garden designers of the 20th century who transformed landscapes and paved the way for future generations.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the late 19th and early 20th century, glamorous, exciting and often very wealthy American women mingled with the British aristocracy and set the gossip pages alight with rumours of engagements. But alongside this fascination, anti-American sentiment and xenophobia saw them dismissed them as mere ‘dollar princesses’ trading cash for coronets.   This label endured long beyond its time, until historians began to explore the incredible legacies of these women. This summer, a new exhibition at Kenwood in London has brought together Sargent’s paintings of these women and highlighted their power, influence and achievements.   In this episode, Amy Matthews heads to Kenwood meet Dr Wendy Monkhouse and Ella Letort, for a very special tour of Sargent’s magnificent heiresses.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer, we’ve partnered with TV’s Taskmaster to set you silly challenges as you explore 17 of our sites. So, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to discuss some of the more unusual games and entertainments enjoyed in the past.   In this episode, Amy Matthews is joined by Taskmaster creator Alex Horne and English Heritage curator Peter Moore for some gaming nostalgia, stories of weird and wonderful games from our sites and a selection of Lady Braybrooke’s after-dinner riddles to solve.    Our time starts now!     Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Taskmaster at English Heritage: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/taskmaster/   Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/   Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/   The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the first black students at the Royal College of Music in 1890, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor would go on to compose some of the most-loved music of his time and ‘break’ America. Despite this global success, Coleridge-Taylor made his home in Croydon, where a blue plaque now marks his former home at Dagnall Park, Selhurst.    But who was this musical genius?   English Heritage’s Howard Spencer, broadcaster Petroc Trelawney and equity and musicology scholar Joquan Johnson join Amy to share his story. They reveal political, patriotic and powerful themes in Coleridge-Taylor’s music, from collaborations with civil rights campaigners to innovative uses of heritage melodies and rhythms, and how his work is finding new audiences and meanings today.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.  Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/    Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/  The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 1575, Robert Dudley hosted 19 spectacular days of entertainment for Elizabeth I, including lavish new apartments for the queen, a beautifully manicured private garden, plays, hunting and pageantry.    It was all in an ostentatious bid to win Elizabeth’s hand in marriage, but as she rode off at the end of her visit, Dudley was left empty-handed.    In this episode, Amy Matthews chats with Head Curator of Properties Jeremy Ashbee and Dr Elizabeth Goldring about this royal ‘will-they, won’t they’ and the complex reasons that meant Elizabeth I never chose to share her power with a husband.  Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.  Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/    Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/  The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We begin this episode with a fabulous and weighty pair of brooches. But which 1930s millionaire was sporting these tutti-frutti Cartier gems? And where might you have seen those designs before?   Steven and Virginia Courtauld were a well-balanced couple: one eccentric and daring, the other bookish and reserved. They used their millions to travel the world and host lavish parties, but their art-deco home at Eltham Palace was one of their most glorious achievements. No expense was spared but architects Seely and Paget still divided some opinions in their time.   Today on the English Heritage podcast Amy Matthews chats with curator Sabrina Villani and Andrew Hann to discover the story of these brooches and how the Courtaulds blended the latest living and cutting-edge design with a treasured historic building.    Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.  More about the Eltham Palace Cartier Brooches: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/eltham-cartier-brooches Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/    Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes, historical research can offer unexpected questions and avenues of exploration. That’s what happened when English Heritage’s Will Wyeth was digging through a medieval manuscript.   References to a medieval woman spy dressed in men’s clothing were too tantalising to ignore, so he and Michael James got together to ask questions about the mysterious Margoth.    They join Amy Matthews on the English Heritage Podcast this week to reveal not only how Margoth’s espionage changed the course of a war, but also how references to cross-dressing can help us ask questions about identity in the past.   Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show.  Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/    Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/  The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the summer solstice approaches, thousands flock to monuments like Stonehenge seeking spiritual connection and a spectacular sunset and sunrise.   But why are people still drawn to stone circles after thousands of years?   This time on the English Heritage Podcast, Amy Matthews is joined by English Heritage’s Dr Jennifer Wexler to explore how these monuments were built and why people have continued to visit them. Artist Sally Barton shares how communities continue to interact with these spaces and make them relevant today.   Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/    Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/  The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices