The English Heritage Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 46 - Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley at Kenilworth Castle Feb 13, 2020

Show notes

The story of Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley has fascinated people for more than 450 years. Their relationship has been explored in books, films and on TV, most recently by Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes in the film Elizabeth, and by Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons in the series Elizabeth I. They certainly shared an emotional connection on each other throughout their lives, but were they ever really lovers?

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, we interview head properties curator Dr Jeremy Ashbee to reveal the real story of their supposed romance and Dudley’s now legendary attempt to woo England’s ‘Virgin Queen’ over 19 days in 1575 at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire.

To find out more about Kenilworth Castle and plan a visit, go to www.englishheritage.org.uk/kenilworth

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Episode 45 - Unearthing Wrest Park’s Mithraic Glade and Root House Feb 06, 2020

Show notes

Following an archaeological dig to discover the secrets of the Root House that once sat in the mysterious Mithraic Glade of Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, we meet senior properties historian Dr Andrew Hann and PhD student Jemima Hubberstey to reveal why the glade was created and the literary inspiration behind it.

Plus, we reveal what the Root House was, how it was used, and its unique connection to the story of this spectacular estate.

To find out more about Wrest Park and plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/wrest

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Episode 44 - Dover Castle’s secret Cold War tunnels Jan 30, 2020

Show notes

This week we’re at Dover Castle in Kent to take an exclusive tour of the ‘Dumpy’ level of its secret underground tunnels with Cold War expert Mark Bennett.

Once fully equipped and designed to keep those inside 'safe' from nuclear fall-out, the austere rooms and tunnels are now largely devoid of their equipment, furnishings, fixtures and fittings, but still retain a chilling air of the Cold War. Discover when the tunnels were built, why Dover Castle was selected and how you can take a tour of the tunnels today.

To find out more about Dover Castle and our exclusive Members’ tours of the ‘Dumpy’ level of the secret war tunnels, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/dover

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Episode 43 - Spring watch: how we prepare our historic gardens for the new season Jan 23, 2020

Show notes

We’ve managed to convince English Heritage head gardener John Watkins to down tools and join us for a one-to-one gardeners’ question time to talk us through what goes into maintaining our historic gardens.

Discover how our gardening teams are busy preparing for spring, the key jobs they can be found doing over the winter period and the sites where you can eat the produce from our historic kitchen gardens.

To find out more about our gardens and plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/historic-gardens

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Episode 42 - The final frontier: what life was like for the Romans on Hadrian’s Wall Jan 16, 2020

Show notes

This week we’re joined in the studio by two experts on Roman history – English Heritage Properties Historian Dr Andrew Roberts and Curator for the north east Rachel Wilkinson – to reveal what life would have been like for the Roman soldiers stationed and living along Hadrian’s Wall.

Discover what garrison life would have been like, how the soldiers coped with the harsh British winters and the artefacts that offers clues to their daily life in our museums today.

To find out more about Hadrian’s Wall or plan a visit to any of the English Heritage sites along it, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/hadrians-wall

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Episode 41 - New year, new skills: behind the scenes with the Stonehenge volunteers Jan 09, 2020

Show notes

If you’re inspired to try something new in 2020 then volunteering with English Heritage might just be what you’ve been looking for. We head behind the scenes at Stonehenge to meet three volunteers with very different roles to find out what a day in their volunteering life is like – and we reveal the other opportunities available to get involved across the country.

To find out more about volunteering with English Heritage, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/volunteer

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Episode 40 - The English Heritage sites that changed the course of history Jan 02, 2020

Show notes

Happy New Year from English Heritage. If you’re looking for inspiration for places to visit over the months ahead, then this is the episode for you. We’re joined in the studio by head historic properties curator Dr Jeremy Ashbee, head of learning and Interpretation Dr Dominique Bouchard, and senior properties historian Dr Steven Brindle to discover the English Heritage sites where the course of history was changed forever.

Listen on to find out what three sites and events each of our experts nominated, why they were pivotal to English and even global history, and what you need to know about each of them.

To plan a visit to any of the sites mentioned, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk

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Episode 39 - The origins of Christmas carols, with a special festive performance Dec 24, 2019

Show notes

We’ve come over all festive this week as we take a break from the studio to reveal the history of carolling with English Heritage Trustee Ronald Hutton and bring you an exclusive carol concert from Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire in time for the big day!

Get in the Christmas spirit with The Chesterfield Philharmonic Choir as they sing a selection of festive favourites and discover the story behind each of them.

To plan a visit to Bolsover Castle, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/bolsover

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Episode 38 - A weird and wonderful history of Christmas Dec 19, 2019

Show notes

We’re in the studio with English Heritage Trustee Ronald Hutton to discuss many of the weird and wonderful Christmas traditions that many of us take for granted.

Listen on to discover the story behind Santa Claus, the yule log and Christmas cards, trees and stockings, not to mention the puzzling traditions of kissing under mistletoe, wassailing, Mummers' plays and the Lord of Misrule.

To read about the history of Christmas through the ages go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/christmas/the-history-of-christmas

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Episode 37 - Celebrating Christmas with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Osborne Dec 12, 2019

Show notes

This week we’re joined by Osborne curator Michael Hunter to reveal how Queen Victoria and Prince Albert celebrated Christmas.

Discover how the royal couple popularised a new way of seeing in the festive season, how Prince Albert was instrumental in bringing German traditions to Britain, such as the Christmas tree, and what Christmas was like for the servants working at Osborne.

For more information or to plan a visit to Osborne, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/osborne

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