The Story of London

Henry V had just been crowned; but the first crisis of his reign was an attempted insurrection against him in London; a group of religious extremists banded together to kill him… but why? Who were the Lollards and how did events get so serious? In this, the first of two episodes on the rebellion, we look at the secret history of the group, and see that for decades, they had existed hidden in plain sight within London's streets, growing in number but seemingly ignored by the city authorities…

The reign of Henry IV was coming to an end, and London shivered through tough times; a decrease in population, a wave of bankruptcies, a spike in anti-social behaviour, and a growing desire to avoid civic leadership plays out as the King sickens and his eldest son quietly takes the reigns of power briefly. But across in France, events were spiralling out of control just as the kings health begins to fail…

Five years of London history that crams a surprisingly large amount into it… from desperate battlefield surgery, to why the Guilds of London are called ‘worshipful companies'; from open marriages for cash, to never ending economic troubles; this chapter covers a busy period, filled with rebellions, battles, piracy, dodgy latrines, and of course the rebellious fishermen of Barking.

Henry IV was king; a new start, a new hope, a new world… and quickly, very quickly indeed, everything started to fall apart. London found itself in the front row as the regime was assailed on all sides and an intense few years followed. A fast-paced chapter focusing especially on life in the city, and featuring a couple of riots, many executions, the screams of men being burned alive, urban renewal, the death of poets and visiting foreign dignitaries. Welcome to the 15th century, things are getting wild…

In 1398 King Richard II of England was all-powerful and seemingly all secure upon the throne of the land. Two years later he was dead, wasted away in a dark, dismal cell, and England had a new king. In this episode we examine how the King fell from power and also how London managed to avoid being involved in almost all of it. The fall of the “White Hart' (the white stag which Richard used as his personal symbol) was swift and opens a new century and new era for London going forward…

The Story returns with an episode that examines one of London's loveliest folklore tales- the tale of Dick Whittington and his cat; beloved of pantomimes and children's books, This week we peer behind the scenes to look at the actual events in London behind the elevation of this man to Mayor of the City… and the dangerous political climate he found himself in.A tale of an increasingly erratic king, members of the royal family being smothered to death with a mattress, a shocking wedding, show trials in Westminster, a royal posse racing across the English countryside in the middle of the night and more; welcome to the harsh truth behind the myth.

King Richard II was to have an incredibly large impact upon London- without warning or fuss, he fell upon it and effectively destroyed it as a political force. What drove him to this? Why did he strike so true? And with the Mayors of London suspended, and the residents facing a fine the like of which the city had never seen before in its history? How was it that London managed to survive this sudden attack. A look at this paradoxical young king, how he erased the entire London political status quo without violence, and why the London to emerge was never to be the same again.

The great political saga that had rocked London for the last decade or so APPARENTLY was over; but out in the streets the old forces which had instigated so much chaos found new issues to fall out over and London seemed about to engage in a new era of infighting and politics… and yet, within only a few short years? Everything changed. London united as it had not done in decades, and started to come to terms with strange events taking place within the city; jousts held upon London Bridge… and the sudden appearance of a crime fighting wizard. Honestly!Come join us as the Story of London deals with the years when London had to cope with many strange things.

And so the story comes to its surprising ending… having destroyed their political rivals, having gained the favour of the King AND his enemies, having destroyed the Jubilee book, Nicolas Brembre and Nicolas Exton seemed unassailable in their control over London and her politics. But events elsewhere suddenly changed the political calculations, and as Brembre began a new campaign to go after the Mercers, the Saga of the Jubilee sped towards its shocking and bloody conclusion.

In 1387 a book was burned outside of London's Guildhall by the fishmonger turned mayor Nicolas Exton. But the story of that book, of who made it, of why they made it, and what it contained, is a story of a hidden aspect of London's life in the 14th century. This special episode of the Story of London looks back over the Jubilee Saga to see how it has danced in and out of the endless arguments and debates that gripped London in that decade… and sets the saga up for its bloody conclusion.

Nicolas Brembre was mayor. Again. His political opponents were jailed. He had the ear of the King. All seemed to be going well for the wool merchant, turned politician. But down the river Thames, in Westminster, national events began spiralling out of control and the young king and Parliament seemed to be on a collision course. Trying their best to navigate this unexpected twist was London, and the Mayor had to find the correct approach to take. A country gripped with fear of invasion is the backdrop of an episode that will lead to the destruction of a certain book…

The ongoing struggle between the two political giants of the City, Nicolas Brembre and John de Northampton, was about to reach its crescendo. Brembre was Mayor for a second time, but de Northampton had learned well what to expect from his last term in office; and so a game of cat and mouse erupted on the streets, leading to riots, snatch squads, secret arrests, attacks upon the Guildhall and sudden beheadings on Cheapside. The epic saga of The Jubilee takes a bloody and violent turn as once again, London is gripped by forces of political violence.

In the aftermath of the Peasants Revolt, London's ongoing political tensions roared back to life, and the seemingly endless dance between the various factions of the city suddenly dominate everything. London was forced to unify again in the face of the dangers of a furious King's Uncle and suddenly the John de Northampton gains control of the city and sought to destroy his rivals. Betrayal, intrigue, double dealing and secret arrests abound as we see how the hero of the revolt (former Mayor Walworth) loses everything and the great game for the future of the city moves towards a violent confrontation.

In this special episode we cover the last two days of the Peasants Revolt of June 1381- the destruction and carnage of the previous few days is dwarfed by the mayhem that is to follow; the Archbishop of Canterbury is hacked apart before a baying crown; scores of foreigners are massacred in the streets and the young king forced to hide out in a house in Blackfriars, as the city descends into utter chaos. But quietly, and behind the scenes, the Aldermen of London began flexing their muscles. From saving large numbers of Germans, to orchestrating the plan to kill the rebel leader, this is a story of how the Mayor and his allies were to emerge triumphant in the face of absolute horror.

June 1381- and the peasants revolts slams into London… but what really happened on those crowded and violent streets. The Story of London finally gets to examine the opening part of a terrible few days, where we see far from being angry yokels falling upon an unsuspecting city, rather it is the residents of London who use this as an excuse to settle old scores. From neighbour turning on neighbour in Southwark, from the suburbs of Smithfield, to the Temple and the Savoy, London erupted in flame and destruction, as buildings were set alight, torn down and people murdered.Yet what role did the Mayor and Aldermen play in all of this? Stalwarts opposed to the violence? Secret facilitators? Or men trying to thread an impossible needle, desperately seeking to stay one jump ahead of the terrible violence?

Of all the events of Medieval London that seemingly came out of nowhere and impacted upon the city, few matched the sudden ferocity and violence of the ‘Peasants Revolt' of 1381. From Essex and Kent, two vast hordes of rural workers suddenly appeared at the edge of the city, demanding to se the king and leaving in the wake a score of burned houses, and murder and mutilation. But what had triggered this? And what did the events in the weeks before herald for our city?

In the last episode we saw how the ‘Stapler' faction of London's Aldermen had betrayed the ‘Radicals' and gained the concessions they wanted from Parliament, but refused to support the Radicals demand for the return of London's traditional rights. And this leads to a political backlash.Welcome to an episode that drags us into the heart of explosive politics, as political control swung from one faction to another, as the very way the city picked its leaders was changed drastically, and the intrigue and politics was played out over a backdrop of riots, insults, executions, and salacious comments about a Prince's heritage. Welcome to the most intense internal civil war the city had seen since the Magna Carta, a place where the city itself was said to be ‘armed, arrayed in red and white'.

A bumper episode that focuses on the last, pathetic years of King Edward III; an increasingly isolated monarch, being controlled by cunning courtiers and his glamorous mistress causes a political miasma that leads to the most explosive parliament for decades.But alongside this, London boiled as three, and then four, new political factions began to dominate the body politic; London became a place filled with violence and protest, ruthless deals, nepotism, alliances made and broken, and increasingly fraught risks. The opening salvo of a civil war that was to rock London to its core. Join us as we explore the first part of the Saga of the Jubilee of London.

After a short Christmas break, The Story of London returns with a deep dive into the life and early career of that most distinguished of London poets- Geoffrey Chaucer. This week we follow his life, and his career in service of the crown, leading to the moment he gained possession of one of the more desirable residences in London. Meanwhile around him, London was carrying on with all the frantic energy of the 14th century city- child kidnappings, prosecutions for fake news, and bakers with leprosy all to be found in our first episode of the year.

The story continues with a three-part episode; we look at the behind the scenes economic reasons why London's trades were becoming more organised and how this was driving massive new political factions being born upon it's streets; we examine the third outbreak of the plague, once again killing thousands of the cities residents, and we witness the declining health and fortunes of that most imperious King, Edward III, as the skies darkened and terrible times threatened the people…

We return with a fast paced episode documenting five busy years in the city; in the aftermath of the second outbreak of the plague, London began to organise itself. And in doing so, ushered in a new era of rules and regulations. London in this era becomes a place filled with stories- of inept con-men; violent vendettas between fishmongers; rotten wine being dumped on the head of vintners; ever so dodgy fast-food being sold on the streets of Billingsgate and a plot to murder the King's bison… apparently.

On the surface, London was busy BEING London and doing all the things London liked to do in the 13th century; complaining about the state of their public toilets, attacking Italians, moving dung off the streets, and working out how to exploit big changes in the Kings foreign policy. But out of nowhere the Plague returned. The second outbreak, the ‘Secunda Mortalitas', and as London tried to cope with it, one horrific aspect of this version of the Black Death seems to have been… this version targeted children.

Just after the Black Death, the character and nature of the rule of King Edward III changed… and suddenly the nation around London began to sow the seeds of a profound alteration of its very essence. This weeks episodes ranges far and away from our city, covering events in France, and in the royal court, but focuses on how after the plague Edward began to change the very fabric of the city. From a bevvy of new royal buildings both in and around London, to the building of the first version of Big Ben- a huge tower in Westminster that rang out the hours for the next few centuries. And on top of this? The reason behind the wildest and most glorious celebration London had seen in decades.

The Black Death has passed… and now the disaster begins. In the aftermath of the plague, London finds itself in a new political climate; without fuss and fanfare many of its ancient rights are removed, and we study a few years where new political fortunes were made. This week we follow a myriad of stories, but crucially how a secretive fraternity based in a local London parish church, was to become increasingly powerful and create one of the more powerful factions in London's political history.It's time to visit a city being blamed for the economic consequences of the pandemic, and who is trying to cope with a wave of negative press towards one class of resident… the hated ‘Engrossers'

The saga of the Black Death continues as The Story of London spends an episode detailing the epidemic in London continuing into 1349. As the weather warmed up and the massive death toll of the winter gave way to a fresh onslaught that Spring, we follow as London tried its best to cope with the chaos this caused, and the effects it had, upon rich and poor, old and young… and the plethora of orphans created by this disaster.

The Story of London reaches Book 5 of its epic saga… covering the era between the arrival of the Black Death to the rise of the Tudor Dynasty. And era of great change for the city and the country as the 100 Years Wars ended and the insanity of the War of the Roses erupted… welcome then to London's Roses.

The year is 1348 and everything changes… welcome as we take a detailed look at what London was doing in the year of the arrival of the Black Death; and how it coped when the terrible disease took hold of the city, leaving hundreds dying every day. We close out book 4 of the story, with a guide to how London responded to the first advent of the disease that was to shape the City for centuries to come.

We rapidly race to the end of Book 4 of the story, with a chapter filled with London spending fortunes to rebuild parts of the walls, the king triggering a national political crisis, fake rugs, drunken spur makers, and canons being fire as gun crews learned how too use them…6 years in the life of the city as it tried to stay on top of ongoing economic difficulties, mayors suddenly dying, and above all, a war like no other. Across the channel, in the fields of northern France, Londoners helped make up a brutal army that fell like angels of death upon the French, and a glorious series of victories graced the English… but something far more terrifying was on its way. Welcome to the story of London in the years before the Black Death.

So after chapters focused on London, its time to cast our gaze outwards for an episode… as Edward III, the young, dynamic and energetic King of England, finds himself dragged into a war with Scotland, which in turn leads to a war with France… and how this, mixed with complicated French dynastic politics, to produce the conditions that led to the start of the 100 Years War.Covering how the country slid into this war, the seemingly constant set backs and occasional brilliant victory at sea, and Edward virtually bankrupting the nation, ‘Thunderbolt' sets up the situation in London, with the king turning up in the Tower and trying to purge his entire government for backsliding. Wild times abound.

The story returns with a wild episode, focusing on London's vibrant life in the era; from rich orphans, to skinners-turned-burglars; from bolshy shopkeepers, to successful tent makers, this episodes looks at the little people of London in a busy decade. We see the first ever mention of gunpowder weapons (six canons hidden in Guildhall), encounter drunken outbursts at official ceremonies, the king demanding a LOT of cash from London, and ultimately, a massive street fight between some angry fishmongers and a new mayor.You can support this podcast (if you so desire) here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefeck

The Story returns with a chapter that indulges itself with all things London; from burglars, to street sellers; from orphans to soldiers; this episode dives deep into as many normal lives as possible. Along the way we encounter the first mention of gunpowder weapons in English history, repeated attempts to avoid paying taxes, and the ongoing issues causes by heavily armed fishmongers… culminating in a battle on Bridge Street that was to test a new Mayor of London to the limit.

We have reached the reign of King Edward III, easily one of THE most important King's in English history, and begin this episode with a guide to the influences upon the young teenager who had taken the throne, how London was trying to get back to ‘normal' after the follies and passions of the rule of his father, and more than that? How a glorious celebration upon Cheapside almost turned into total disaster. Pomp, circumstance and poor building standards combine to describe a near disaster on Cheapside…You can support this podcast (if you so desire) here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefeck

The final part of the epic saga of the reign of Edward II and his impact on London comes to its bloody conclusion; when the Queen rebels against the King and launches an invasion of England, the result is a savage eruption of mass violence and death on London's streets. But this month long anarchy cannot cannot stem the ongoing internal political conflicts in the city, and the final bevvy of London's great political leaders try and prevent it slipping into anarchy… as we cover the conclusion of three decades of change in the cities tale…You can support this podcast (if you so desire) here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefeck

Rebellion stirred, the position of Mayor was restored and London hoped to get respite from the capricious king… but it was a ray of hope that was not to last. And in the years that followed, London was to see it come under the most sustained political attack in its history. Each and every one of its right, of its liberties were to be eroded as the city was to basically become the plaything for Edward II and Hugh Despenser… this is London defeated!You can support the podcast (if you so desire) by making a kind donation here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefeck

In 1316 the City had managed to calm down a little under a pragmatic alliance of a radical mayor, and a leading conservative Alderman, who allied with the Lords Ordainer's to keep a lid on things. But economic issues, trade opportunities, and a terrible famine destabilised this alliance and then? Then one of the greatest political operators in the cities history, the King's new favourite Hugh Despenser, unleashed a terrible Inquisition upon the city, turning faction against faction, and dividing London so he could have the King take over and the Mayors be abolished… the brilliant cunning of this serpent of a man revealed as the Livery Wars continue… and London inches towards an explosion of violence. Support the podcast (if you feel like it) here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefeck

The city of London finds itself torn between two competing factions- the radical elements, hostile to foreigners, and supporters of the Lord Ordainers, who finally get a Mayor who supports them… and the conservative, monied merchants, who seek to prevent London breaking to far away from the King are reduced to silent opposition. But as the King's favourite is murdered, the war in Scotland turns, and political fortunes of the nation swing wildly back and forth? An unlikely alliance emerges to prevent the City descending into turmoil. Our second anniversary celebration continues with a second episode this week, detailing this most intense and complex of city political rows…

We celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the Story of London with the first of two episodes dropping this week, as we return to the story of the birth of London's livery companies. As London was dividing between its political factions, the nation as a whole became caught up in the issues related to the King's favourite, Piers Gaveston; and this episode explores why he became one of the most contentious people in England and how the national factions began to impact upon London. Above all, how three mayors in quick succession (a goldsmith, a pepperer and a mercer) all tried to keep London balancing on a tightrope…

Edward I was dead… a new era was about to begin in the story of London. But to understand what was to come we need to go back in time a decade or so. Because under the surface, deep political divisions were brewing in London; the city was at odds with itself over how it should be ran. This episode we go back a few years to examine the events that had taken place over the last 5 episodes, but in a new light; as we focus on a series of growing political issues that were to cause savage bloodshed on the streets of the city. And this episode? A small, much overlooked and utterly forgotten document that was to drive the cities politics into violence…

One of the most famous executions in London during the medieval period was that of William Wallace, the great hero of Scottish indepedence. And yet, there was more to his execution… why was he dragged all the way TO London to be killed? And why were the great and the good of the City so heavily involved in seeing him to his grisly fate? These questions, plus the building of medieval Southwark's most famous inn, the White Friars being the victim of a vicious smash and grab robbery and the death of King Edward I, all coming up in this episode…

The Great Robbery of the Crown Jewels and the entire Royal Treasury of Westminster had been discovered and the culprits found… or had they? This episode we look at the FULL circumstances behind the robbery, follow the story of the vast cabal of criminals who pulled off this most daring raid and discover that London and many of its most important citizens (as well as many of its poorer ones), went to extraordinary lengths to cover up London's role.

A saga within a saga; in 1303 a daring band of robbers raided and plundered the royal treasury of King Edward I, making off with a fortune in gold, silver, precious items and jewels. What was worse was that the robbery seemed to have been an open secret known by dozens in and around London… but no one seemed to have bothered to tell then king for weeks. The story of the circumstances, the people and the events involved in this epic tale begin the first part of this, the story of ‘The Westminster Job'.

We take a break from the recent events by looking at London's behind the scenes economic situation; and the rise of the importance of what was for a while one of cities most important places- the lost street of Soper's Lane. Why did dozens of merchants move here and what has this to do with the sudden and dramatic changes in the fortunes of London's merchants? And why did the rope-makers of London go from craftsmen to multi-faceted merchants with powerful import/export businesses? All of this in a bumper issue all based around that most golden of rules… follow the money!

In the final years of the 13th Century, England was gripped in a crisis caused by a series of ongoing wars all around them; economically, socially, as well as militarily, the country was being pushed to its limits. And in this episode, which details a lot of what was going on around it, the City of London, and a former mayor of London, saw an opportunity to exploit this situation for their advantage… and to try and blag from the brutal Edward I the return of something long thought lost…

The Story of London returns with England slipping into a huge war with Scotland (and Wales, oh and France) and the circumstances behind this. In London we see the circumstances behind the rising of Charing Cross (and its sister Cheapside Cross) and the city continue under the Wardens, but we also have Vikings (no, honestly, they still around), 4 year old Scottish queens, Gascony pirates, and why someone fortified the Savoy. All of this and more…

London was without a mayor; a new regime of a City Warden ran the city, and the community tried to come to terms with what that meant. But while this was going on, while fairs were being held, and exotic animals were being shipped to the Tower of London and the stench from the rivers became bad… forces beyond everyones control were about to impact upon the city… and London's Jewish community was about to be destroyed, leading to a horrific incident, on a sand bank, far down the river Thames…

In 1280 London was carrying on, seemingly as it had always done; a thriving, bustling city by the banks of the Thames, with a Mayor who ran the city and a bridge across the river which was known across Europe. By 1285 BOTH these things were gone; the Story reaches five years where London's fortunes took a dramatic turn, as terrible weather, a hostile King, and above all, a scandalous murder and a salacious cover up, destroyed the iconic symbols of the cities indepedence.

The story of London returns to the onward rush of events as we cover the years 1275-1280- the oligarchs choices of mayors run the city without serious political opposition; the day to day difficulties of the growing city always there; there is redevelopment of some prime real estate; a war in Wales and the hiring of mercenaries… and something else. In the shadows of hate and anger, London witnesses over 600 citizens killed simply because they were not Christian.

After all the excitement of the recent events, we slow things down a little, as we examine the bylaws, rules and regulations that governed daily life in London. What WAS it like to live in London in the early reign of Edward I. An episode filled with rules about prostitutes, street cleaners, bad haircuts, grim advertisements, and gutters. So much about the gutters!

A Chapter in two halves… firstly the story of the 8th Crusade, and how Edward I of England was to find himself in the Middle East; fighting off assassins, avoiding winter storms and furious at everyone seemingly all the damn time. But it's also the story of one of THE biggest political arguments in London's long history; two men claim to be mayor. One has the support of the people. The other? The Oligarchs. And with a dying King, who will prevail? Let's find out in the tale of the years leading up to the coronation of Edward I.

As a special 100th episode, we cover the final years of Henry III's reign; and witness an extraordinary few years for the city; in between deadly floods and churches collapsing, the City descends into a series of wars in the shadows- be it gangs of Londoner's prowling the streets at night and murdering each other; secret inquisitions leading to mass purges of citizens; subtle campaigns of manipulation against foreign merchants, or even a whole bunch of folks trying to avoid their tax bills, this is a London of grand passion and vicious conflict.

So, London had just been part of a huge rebellion against the King. And they had lost. The clampdown by the victorious royal forces continued, and London was systematically stripped of its ancient rights, privileges and positions. So how should London respond to this? Well… apparently? Stage ANOTHER rebellion it seems. A Chapter filled with politics, violence, murder, hastily erected defences and a bunch of guys nipping down the river and looting Westminster. I mean… what's the worst that can happen?