Podcast appearances and mentions of christopher somerville

At the Hay Festival, Misha Glenny and guests discuss the impact of the Norman invasion on the people and land of Wales and across the modern border with England in what became known as The Welsh Marches, march being a term for a militarized borderland. Hay was one of the first Marcher lordships. Even before 1066, William the Conqueror knew that he would have to subdue the Welsh if he were to control the English and he allowed more and more Norman warlords to establish virtually their own private kingdoms in these Marches. Later some of the Lords were to use these bases to invade Ireland rather than conquer the rest of Wales. Marcher Lords built numerous castles such as the one at Hay and many new towns would then grow up alongside these where there was one law for the English and another for the Welsh and, though the Acts of Union under the Tudors brought an end to much of the Marcher Lords' powers, the distinct identity of these Welsh Marches continued.With Rhun Emlyn Lecturer in the Department of History and Welsh History at Aberystwyth UniversityHelen Fulton Professor of Medieval Literature at the University of BristolAnd Huw Pryce Emeritus Professor of Welsh History at Bangor UniversityProducer: Simon TillotsonReading list:R. R. Davies, The Age of Conquest: Wales 1063-1415 (Oxford University Press, 2001)R.R. Davies, Lordship and Society in the March of Wales 1282-1400 (Oxford University Press, 1978)John Fleming, The Welsh Marcher Lordships II: South-West (Logaston Press, 2023)Ben Giles, The Welsh Marches: 40 Town and Country Walks (Pocket Mountains, 2012)Philip Hume, The Welsh Marcher Lordships I: Central & North (Logaston Press, 2021)Max Lieberman, The March of Wales, 1067–1300: A Borderland of Medieval Britain (University of Wales Press, 2018)Max Lieberman, The Medieval March of Wales: The Creation and Perception of a Frontier, 1066-1283 (Cambridge University Press, 2010)D. Huw Owen, The Lordship of Denbigh 1282-1543 (University of Wales Press, 2024)Mike Parker, All the Wide Border: Wales, England and the Places Between (HarperNorth, 2024)Dewi Roberts, Both Sides of the Border: An Anthology of Writing on the Welsh Border Region (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch/Eagle Rock Press, 1998)Christopher Somerville, The Welsh Borders (Philips, 1991)David Stephenson, Patronage and Power in the Medieval Welsh March: One Family's Story (University of Wales Press, 2021)David Walker, Medieval Wales (Cambridge University Press, 2008)In Our Time is a BBC Studios ProductionSpanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.

From Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show in London's Olympia, The Stanfords Travel Writers Festival welcomes Christopher Somerville, author and walking correspondent for The Times. He talks to author Ben Aitken about his newest book Walking the Bones of Britain. Travelling a thousand miles and across three billion years, Christopher Somerville sets out to interrogate … Continue reading ‘Walking the Bones of Britain' with Christopher Somerville

Drishane House in Castletownshend in West Cork is the home of the Somerville family for nine generations. The present owners are Tom and Jane Somerville who have a deep and abiding affection for their old home. The oral history recording was compiled with tom's father Dan Somerville in 2010 at his home in England, and he spoke at length about his life experiences, his father Desmond Somerville, the Great War and his grand aunt, author and artist Edith Somerville. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Legendary walker and writer Christopher Somerville joins our own Annabel Ross to explore the ruins of Old Sarum near Salisbury in Wiltshire and tells the curious tale of the dark forces at work that led to the medieval town being abandoned. A charming summer adventure in the countryside with a backdrop of skylarks and corn buntings. Find out more in Christopher's book Ships of Heaven: the private life of Britain's cathedrals See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join us for 13 thrilling adventures of discovery as we head out into the countryside to explore ancient sites, hear haunting tales and enjoy atmospheric walks in strange and beautiful places.Guests includes archaeologist Mary-Ann Ochota, walker and writer Christopher Somerville, nature writer Nicola Chester, treasure hunter Lara Maiklem, writer Tom Cox and many See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2UfaIoE In this powerful and moving narrative, Christopher Somerville skilfully links personal testimonies to present an epic which embraces comedy and tragedy, pride and degradation, close comradeship and stark racial prejudice, devotion to the benign Mother Country and a burning desire to see the back of her. Many of the veterans had never previously talked of their experiences, even to close loved ones. They cover such topics as attitudes to Britain before and after the war, why Commonwealth citizens offered to fight, and how some volunteers were inspired by their wartime service while others were thoroughly disillusioned. The result is a rare and faithful memoir to the five million Commonwealth citizens who fought for the Allies and the 170,000 who died or went missing.

Christopher Somerville talks to Paul Blezard, as he takes us behind the scenes of Britain’s Cathedrals, delving deep into the private life and the uncertain future of these ever-voyaging Ships of Heaven. Nowadays these great stone ships seem solid and unshakeable, but they are leaky old vessels in uncharted waters, tossed on waves of power and glory, … Continue reading Christopher Somerville: The Private Life of Britain’s Cathedrals: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Christopher Somerville talks to Paul Blezard, as he takes us behind the scenes of Britain's Cathedrals, delving deep into the private life and the uncertain future of these ever-voyaging Ships of Heaven. Nowadays these great stone ships seem solid and unshakeable, but they are leaky old vessels in uncharted waters, tossed on waves of power and glory, … Continue reading Christopher Somerville: The Private Life of Britain's Cathedrals: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Patti Boulaye is a British-Nigerian singer, actress and artist. She recalls coming to London aged 16, and appearing on the west end stage in shows from HAIR to Carmen Jones, and talks about her new one woman show Aretha and Me. Creative movement director and choreographer Yami ‘Rowdy’ Lofvenberg won the UK Hip Hop Championships in 2010, and worked on the London 2012 opening ceremony. She was adopted from Colombia and grew up in Sweden, and she describes the difficulties growing up and returning to her birthplace. Landscape designer Adam Frost started his career with an apprenticeship with North Devon Parks Department. He has won seven Gold Medals at the Chelsea Flower Show and he explains how to build a garden from scratch. Christopher Somerville has written about his favourite cathedrals. He describes how his fascination with these great structures started while visiting Wells Cathedral at the age of six. Presented by Aasmah Mir and Luke Jones. Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Beverley Purcell

Travel writer Christopher Somerville discusses his experiences of visiting some of Britain’s historic cathedrals and explains what they can tell us about the country’s religious past See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A year of walks, inspired by a song – Dave Goulder's The January Man. Month by month, season by season and region by region, Christopher Somerville walks many of the 140,000 miles of footpaths across the British Isles. He talks at Chichester Cathedral, an Oldie lunch in partnership with the Literary festival.

Clare Balding takes a walk along the banks of the Severn in the company of the country's most prolific travel writers, Christopher Somerville who's also the walking correspondent of The Times. They begin their six and a half mile walk in the Gloucestershire village of Purton which lies on the east bank of the River Severn, Christopher's childhood village of Leigh is not far upstream. He talks to Clare about the role walking has played in his life and how it became a way that he could reconnect with his late father. The route can be found on OS Explorer OL 14 , map ref for the starting point : SO 684021 Producer Lucy Lunt.

Is it more about the journey than the destination? Christopher Somerville, Anna Hughes and Nick Hunt talk to Adrian Bradt about the idea that travelling slowly by walking or cycling opens your eyes to a much wider journey. Between them they have travelled thousands of miles by such means and have a wealth of experience … Continue reading The Joy of Travelling Slowly: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

Is it more about the journey than the destination? Christopher Somerville, Anna Hughes and Nick Hunt talk to Adrian Bradt about the idea that travelling slowly by walking or cycling opens your eyes to a much wider journey. Between them they have travelled thousands of miles by such means and have a wealth of experience … Continue reading The Joy of Travelling Slowly: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

Writer Lady Antonia Fraser; comic and actor Stephen K Amos; travel writer Christopher Somerville and poet Inua Ellams join Libby Purves. Stephen K Amos is a comedian and actor. His Radio 4 series What Does the K Stand For? tells the story of his teenage years in 1980s South London. Stephen's parents came from the same town in south-west Nigeria, but met as adults in Lagos and emigrated to the UK in the late 1960s. Stephen is currently performing his new stand-up show. He has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every year since 2003, after making his début in 2001. During the 2006 Fringe, he performed the revealing solo show All of Me, in which he publicly acknowledged his own homosexuality to his audience for the first time. What Does the K Stand For? is broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Antonia Fraser is a writer and award-winning biographer. In 1978 she made a trip to Israel with her late husband, the playwright Harold Pinter. In her book, Our Israeli Diary, she recalls their experiences visiting the country during the 30th year of its founding - the first time either of them had travelled to Israel. She writes about the underlying tensions facing the country and their experiences spending time at some of its historically significant sites, revealing insights into the couple's relationship along the way. Our Israeli Diary - Of That Time, Of That Place is published by Oneworld. Christopher Somerville is a travel writer and the walking correspondent for The Times. In his latest book, The January Man, he retraces the paths he first walked along with his late father, John. His father was a senior civil servant at GCHQ in Cheltenham who never spoke about his work or his wartime experiences, but was a great walker. It was through their shared love of walking that father and son developed a bond that lasted until John's death. The January Man - A Year of Walking Britain is published by Doubleday. Inua Ellams is a poet and playwright who won the Edinburgh Fringe First Award in 2009 with his play The 14th Tale. Born in Nigeria to a Muslim father and a Christian mother, his latest one-man show, An Evening with an Immigrant, tells his story - of leaving Nigeria to performing solo shows at the National Theatre, all the while without a country to belong to or place to call home. An Evening with an Immigrant is touring the UK beginning at Brighton Dome. Producer: Paula McGinley.

Edition 7 of the Walks Around Britain podcast features a walk around Ashdown Forest in Sussex with Tanya Oliver and a look at National Parks Week. Andrew takes a flight over the Dark Peak reservoirs with Central Helicopters and walking writer Christopher Somerville tell us about his latest walks and his new book.