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This week legendary historian Dr. Karen Cox drops in to talk about her life, her work, and advise for historians and students as we enter this new era.About our guest:Karen L. Cox is an award-winning historian and a Distinguished Lecturer for the Organization of American Historians. She is the author of four books, the editor or co-editor of two volumes on southern history and has written numerous essays and articles, including an essay for the New York Times best seller Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past. Her books include Dixie's Daughters: The United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Preservation of Confederate Culture, Dreaming of Dixie: How the South Was Created in American Popular Culture, Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South, and most recently, No Common Ground: Confederate Monuments and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice, which was published in April 2021 and won the Michael V.R. Thomason book prize from the Gulf South Historical Association.A successful public intellectual, Dr. Cox has written op-eds for the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, TIME magazine, Publishers Weekly, Smithsonian Magazine, and the Huffington Post. She has given dozens of media interviews in the U.S. and around the globe, especially on the topic of Confederate monuments. She appeared in Henry Louis Gates's PBS documentary Reconstruction: America after the Civil War, Lucy Worsley's American History's Biggest Fibs for the BBC, and the Emmy-nominated documentary The Neutral Ground, which examines the underlying history of Confederate monuments.Cox is a professor emerita of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she taught from 2002-2024. She is currently writing a book that explores themes of the Great Migration, the Black press, and early Chicago jazz through the forgotten tragedy of the Rhythm Club fire, which took the lives of more than 200 African Americans in Natchez, Mississippi, in 1940.You can follow her on Bluesky @DrKarenLCox.bsky.socialBlog at WordPress.com.
Lady Annabelle & Kate Two stories from 3 centuries, about one English mansion. By Blacksheep. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. An aristocrat has an exciting encounter with a highwayman It is the Year of Our Lord 1760, and the roads leading to and from London be the most perilous for any traveler. Hounslow Heath being a favorite haunt of the highwayman and footpad. Folly indeed, for the unwary to wander alone. And London be a very wicked place, so it hath been told, with whores, beggars and cutpurses on every street corner, The journey of Lady Emily Arundel and her daughter Annabelle had been an uneventful one so far. "And when we arrive at Mablethorpe Hall, be sure to show your appreciation to Lord Barrington-Smythe. His son, William, wishes to seek your hand in marriage," Lady Emily began. "Yes Mother," her daughter replied, with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. "His estate comprises over a hundred acres of land," "Well, hark at that!" "owns several horses related to Whistlejacket," Annabelle struggled to contain a sigh. "properties in the colonies," "How glorious, Mother." "knows a clutch of fashionable London society in beautiful silk suits and powdered wigs attended by almost equally well appointed valets! Whom are accompanied by gorgeous ladies in even more elaborate wigs and dresses in the latest Paris fashions," The corpulent gentleman sat opposite them in the coach was Lord Bracewell, an old and dear friend of Lady Emily. He grinned at Annabelle, sensing her discomfort. "Your Ladyship, it may please you to know, that we are but a mile from our journey's end." And thank heaven for that, Bracewell thought to himself, now feeling the great need of a chamber pot after drinking an excess of ale. He adjusted his periwig. "Erm, perhaps an opportunity at this gathering for a, f, er, you know, eh?" He gestured something and Lady Emily quickly tapped his leg with her foot. "Shush. Manners, Cuthbert! Later, perhaps," At that moment the coach lurched as it hit a particularly large pothole. This stretch of road was notoriously bad. Suddenly, the coach shuddered to an uncomfortable halt and the horses squealed. Other hooves could be heard alongside. "Stand and deliver!" "Oh dear God!" Lord Bracewell exclaimed, crossing himself. "I fear we are about to be robbed!" The masked stranger yelled at the coachman. "Throw down your weapons my bonny boy, or I'll spill your guts on the road!" There was the sound of muskets hitting the ground. Inside the coach, Lady Emily trembled and uttered a prayer. A robber might take more from a lady than her silver. Annabelle should've been as terrified as her mother, but her wildly-beating heart was more out of excitement. "Perhaps this man may be more merciful than we give him credit for?" "Hush, my dearest daughter. These bandits are without scruples! Pray to the Lord!" A bay-colored horse's head and then its rider appeared outside the window. The figure who leaned down to peer into the window appeared tall, wearing a cape, a three-cornered hat and a black handkerchief across his mouth. Dark brown eyes. "Well now, what fabulous treasure do I find?" The highwayman pointed a flintlock pistol inches from Annabelle's face. He leaned forward and with a move of his wrist he flicked back her hood with the muzzle of the pistol. "Ah. A true English Rose." "Sir, I beg of you, do not harm my daughter," Lady Emily intervened. "She is but eighteen, an innocent child, she has no silver!" "Her fortune awaits at Mablethorpe Hall no doubt. But it is she I am taking, not her money. Come." And he beckoned, the hand still held out to help Annabelle down. "Why, what foul swine would take a young lady's honor? I forbid you to lay one finger on her!" Lady Emily yelled. "Take me in her place." "No Mother, I shall do as he asks," Annabelle interrupted, taking his hand. "My child, no!" "It shall be alright Mother," Annabelle replied. "Your daughter knows her own mind, Madam," the highwayman said. "So now, I must ask you to keep thine own counsel. It would give me no pleasure to shoot your coachman and your gentleman companion." Lady Emily could do nothing but remain in the coach as the mysterious stranger led Annabelle away and into the trees at the side of the road. "Sir. If I may be so bold, may I request a merciful death?" The damsel inquired. This rather caught the highwayman off guard. This young lady intrigued him far more than the other wealthy folks he'd ambushed in the past. How the ladies had screamed like banshees and pleaded for their lives. The simpering, periwigged dandy who'd pissed his breeches when a gun was pointed at his head. Aristocrats. The damned preening lot of them! How he loathed these ruling peacocks. Oh, he hadn't always been a highwayman. Back in his old life he'd fought for king and country. Until good fortune and those he looked up to had betrayed him, He had planned to kidnap the girl and hold her to ransom. Lord Arundel's daughter would command a high price. "You are indeed bold. And, I have no wish to kill you. Your beauty and grace are extremely attractive to young men and it is bound to rouse their passions." Annabelle thought for a moment. "Since I am without silver or jewels, perhaps I could offer you a gift of a different kind? If I were to sufficiently please you, would you let my mother, Lord Bracewell, the coachman and myself go free? I'll do anything, to please you." He blinked. "Even the most unladylike of things? Do you realize what you are saying?" "Sir, I am shortly to be married. It would be most helpful if I were sufficiently skilled in how to pleasure my husband on our wedding night. I have no experience whatsoever in meddling with a man, perhaps if I could, practice somehow." Those less-than-polite urges that had been assaulting her body recently, had now found the perfect outlet. "Will you service my prick like a common whore?" "Yes sir," Annabelle replied, kneeling before him. "Let's see you try then." He kept his pistol in his right hand. "No teeth." Annabelle unbuttoned the highwayman's breeches slowly, her careful motions at odds with the look in her blue eyes and pulled out the large and swollen member. She couldn't help but stare at his impressive length, simultaneously afraid and eager. A man's weapon in all its hardened glory. A thing she'd previously glimpsed from afar, now in her hands. He expected her to hesitate, but to his surprise, she leant forward and ran her tongue up the shaft. With all haste, she opened her mouth, allowing him to move it inside. He began to thrust his cock inside her mouth, holding her head steady. Shocked at herself, Annabelle couldn't deny that as she heard him pant and moan, she felt somehow strangely empowered. She began to suck, working her tongue around his member. The highwayman cursed and blasphemed holding her head firmer as he began to thrust faster. Eventually, he grasped her blonde hair tightly as he groaned, pushing his entire length down her throat and shot his seed into her. She swallowed every drop of it, rather liking the taste. "Impressive," he panted. He'd enjoyed that a lot more than he was willing to admit, but wasn't done with this little rich girl just yet. "Have you had enough yet, Marchioness Whore?" Panting she replied, "I think not. Please." "Please?" He ran his hand under her dress and up her thigh. "Please what?" "Please sir." He fingered her tantalizing wet womanhood. "Louder, if you please." "Ah, Please sir!" He chuckled, and withdrew. She was ready to beg him, but before she could he had her up against a tree, hands tied then the rope wrapped hight around the thick trunk. With swift action he pulled up her skirting and down went her petticoat. Pulling her ass out to meet him, had entered her virgin cunt from behind, feeling the satisfying tightness of a deflowering. She winced and made a squeal similar to those a fox makes when mating. It hurt, but at the same time it felt so good. The highwayman withdrew until just his cockhead was still engaged, leaving Annabelle feeling a little disappointed. But then he pushed back in, all the way and in one go. His animal instinct had kicked in and he had one overriding desire; to plant his seed in this nubile young lady. He picked up speed, plunging deeply each time. Annabelle's own arousal was equally uncontrolled. She knew what was about to happen after her recent voyeurism of Lord Bracewell fucking her mother across a grand piano one afternoon. A more amusing rather an arousing spectacle that brought to mind an overfed pug mounting a chair leg. This time the explosion was even more powerful - and it was accompanied by the highwayman's roar as she felt him fill her passage with his issue. It seemed to go on forever and she felt it leaking out around his shaft and down her legs. "God," he gasped as he finally withdrew from Annabelle. He untied her and helped her stand. "Did I, please you sir?" Annabelle inquired in her refined & well-bred cadence. The highwayman finally removed his face covering. Annabelle was surprised to see a weathered but good-looking man, with cheeks bearing scars. Under his cape, she had glimpsed a torn and darkened coat, that had been, long ago a Redcoat officer's uniform. This man was no stranger to battle, and had a long history that he wasn't prepared to reveal. "You and the others have earned your freedom Your Ladyship." He said with a bow, removing his 3-point hat in the process. Her charms prevailing to ransom her entourage. His siring became her own treasure, preparing her for yet more charming accomplishment in the upcoming matrimonial bedchamber. A Night at Mablethorpe Hall Two millennials Ravished by the ghost of a Redcoat on Halloween. "Don't you just love a Halloween-themed tour and a meal at an English country house?" Kate said to her friend as the minibus they were in pulled into the grounds of Mablethorpe Hall. "Yeah, these old places have a real atmosphere!" Chloe replied. "I've wanted to do something like this for like, forever. Stay overnight in some old place, pretend I'm lady of the manor. I'm so glad I booked this trip." "Kate you are such a history nerd. Lucy Worsley has a rival." "My heart is in the 18th century. Seriously. I just love anything from that time." Kate had often been described as an atypical millennial. They got off the bus and collected their luggage. "Come on, the tour is about to start. Let's dump our luggage. Apparently this place is haunted." Kate smiled. "All good English manors should have at least one ghost! Three hours in a minibus. I'm stiff from sitting so long." They collected their room keys. The Hall had not yet upgraded to the modern electronic key cards. Kate liked that. A traditional brass key was more in keeping with the decor. The receptionist looked worried. "Are you ok with having Room 13?" she asked. "Sure. I'm not superstitious. Don't tell me it's haunted?" "Well, some guests have reported that really strange things happen in that room. And the wi-fi doesn't work in there." Kate just assumed the woman was joking. "In that case, it sounds like my kind of room! Think I can last a few hours without wi-fi." The room was large and splendid. "Seriously? I get a king-size four poster bed?" Kate exclaimed as she gazed in awe. "This is so fantastic! I feel like Queen Anne." The bed looked so inviting, Kate couldn't resist just flopping back on it and spreading out. "Bliss!" she sighed. So much better than the single bed back at her cramped one-bed flat. She closed her eyes, Abruptly, Kate was overcome by a bizarre horniness, and masturbated more than she'd done in a long time. She was getting so wet, so hot and in a rush to give herself the release she so desperately needed. She hitched up her dress and pushed her panties down just a bit, then shoved her right hand down to her cunt. She used her left hand to push up her nightshirt and play with her breasts, pinching her nipples hard, making her moan with pleasure. Kate's right hand was busy with her cunt, alternately slipping down between her cunt lips and inside her hot, wet core, fucking herself with fingers, then pulling out to rub her clit. Back and forth, over and over. She was moaning, fantasizing about being pounded, pounded by an unknown uniformed man. Begging him to fuck her harder and send her climaxing in ecstasy, Kate was screaming. Suddenly her orgasm peaked and hit full force. She stopped all movement with her hands momentarily then began again, at first very fast and hard, then slowing as her orgasm began to subside. She lay there as her breathing slowly returned to normal. "Jesus," she muttered, when she could finally catch her breath again. "What the hell just happened?" The tour had already begun when Kate arrived to join the others. "What took you so long?" Chloe asked. "Thought you'd got lost." "Oh I just, er, oh wow, check out that tour guide!" "Mablethorpe Hall, one of Berkshire's finest country estates back in the day," the tour guide began. He was dressed in early 18th century period costume, with a long wig, frilled cuffs and breeches. "He looks just like John Hurt did in Rob Roy. I love the costumes in that movie." Kate whispered to Chloe, who rolled her eyes. Kate listened intently as every detail of the building's history was described. "But the most fascinating story of Mablethorpe," the guide continued, "is that it's said to be haunted by Major Robert Wolfe, a British Army officer." The was a chorus of "oh!" from the assembled tourists. "The Major is said to return to Mablethorpe every Halloween night, in hope of seeing the woman he once loved." "So the poor sod just wants to get laid?" a middle-aged bloke at the front said, and everyone burst out laughing. The tour guide evidently took this old legend extremely seriously and did not see the funny side. "As I was saying, the Major was in love with Lady Annabelle Barrington-Smythe. That in itself was a scandal, for she was married to William Barrington-Smythe. Rumor has it that the Major was actually a notorious highwayman known as The Fox, " Later, the guests were treated to a Halloween-themed meal in the Hall's grand banqueting room. There were the usual things adorning the tables - Jack o' lanterns, candles everywhere, fake cobwebs. In the background, a string quartet dressed as witches played a medley of Bach and Handel. "Not as spooky as I was expecting," Chloe said as she sampled the pumpkin pie and spiced rum. "I was hoping the lights were going to go out and there'd be a jump-scare or something. Like two years ago when we went to that zombie-themed night at Castle Howard. That was creepy as hell!" "This is nice though. Lots of atmosphere. I like it here. I'd like to, get married in a place like this. Have a historical-themed wedding. That is, if, " "When, Kate. When you meet that ideal guy. And you will. He's out there. Plenty of fish. Steve was a complete areole, but he's ancient history. A bit like this hall." "True!" After the meal concluded, there was more live music and dancing. "Think I'm going to call it a night," Kate said. "Oh you lightweight," Chloe replied, already tipsy. "Aren't you going to stay up for the midnight ghost walk in the grounds? You might see a good-looking highwayman." "No, I'm totally exhausted. Really. You can tell me all about it in the morning." "Fine, whatever. I know you're too afraid!" Kate headed up to her room, surprised at being overcome by such tiredness. She hadn't drunk that much, and it had hardly been an energetic evening. The glorious king-size bed and it's luxurious blankets beckoned, Sometime after midnight, Kate was in a deep slumber, but also in the throes of a nightmare. He's coming, Kate did not dream often, and she was even less often plagued by bad dreams. Several times she stirred, came half awake, and heard herself gasping in panic. Once, drifting up from some threatening vision, she heard her own voice crying out wordlessly in terror, and she realized she was thrashing about in the bed. Suddenly the air was oppressively heavy, hot, thick; as if it were not air at all but a bitter and poisonous gas of some kind. She tried to breathe, couldn't. There was an invisible, crushing weight on her chest. The unmistakable smell of gunpowder. Hoofbeats, many horses. Some kind of battle? A murderous barrage of lightning crashed like a volley of mortar fire, seven or eight tremendous bolts; and woke her from sleep in an instant. "Holy shit." Kate gasped as the storm made her sit upright in bed. She remembered what Chloe had said earlier, about the tour not being scary. Evidently, nature had now delivered a jump, a scare of its own. Already her memory of the nightmare had begun to dissolve; only fragments of it remained with her, and each of those disassociated images was evaporating as if it were a splinter of ice. All she could remember was that she'd been in a battle of some kind, and there had been many men - soldiers on horseback. They'd been pursuing her. Firing guns. As the nightmare receded, Kate became uncomfortably aware of how dark the bedroom was. Before going to sleep she had switched off both the bedside lamps. The curtains were all closed, and only thin blades of moonlight were visible between the gap she'd left. She had the irrational but unshakable feeling that something had followed her up from the dream, there was another presence in the room, oh God! She fumbled for the lamp switch, damn, where was it? Groped around, switched it on. Relief as golden light flooded the room, And then she saw him. Stood at the side of the bed. He was dressed in a Redcoat uniform, just calmly standing there. She gasped, but was so shocked, she couldn't utter a sound for a moment. Then her initial shock turned to anger. Was this part of the Halloween tour? Having re-enactors actually enter the guest bedrooms was completely unacceptable. "What the hell are you doing?" Kate yelled. He seemed taken aback by her reaction. "Who are you?" She demanded once she had caught her breath again. "I beg your pardon, Miss," he began. He removed his hat as he moved closer. "Major Robert Wolfe of His Majesty's 58th Regiment of Foot." "What are you doing here?" He smiled politely. "Where I come from, when a gentleman introduces himself, a lady generally responds in kind." Kate was about to respond with a sarcastic remark, but then she noticed that he was surrounded by a faint, silver glow. Her heart began to pound like crazy. Gathering all her courage, she decided to ask him directly. "Are you, dead?" The Major's face relaxed into a smile. "Oh indeed. Quite, quite dead. As I have been since the last night of October, Seventeen Sixty-five." Kate thought she might faint. "You're a," "A spirit, why yes. An earthbound and restless one, forever drawn to return to Mablethorpe every All Hallow's night. Isn't that quite a tale? I most humbly apologies for subjecting you to my battle experiences earlier, but t'was the only way I was able to wake you." She looked him up and down. He did look a gentleman, to be sure, and a handsome one at that. The signature red coat, crossed with white belts, the brown hair tied back in a queue and neatly curled at the sides, the breeches, knee-high leather boots. A brass gorget glinted round his neck. The Major took one of her pale, slender hands. Kate was surprised to feel solid flesh, rather than some kind of gaseous form, as expected of a ghost. Was he more of a zombie? His hand was as cold as ice. Kate suddenly felt her cheeks flush, under his intense gaze. If all those old stereotypes about ghosts were true, then he could probably see right through her nightie, as well as walk through walls, "Um, why did you wake me?" He was still holding her hand. "Well, I must beg your forgiveness for the manner of this intrusion, my lady. I am honored to make your acquaintance. I was drawn to you from the moment you arrived here. You resemble so much, someone I lost, long ago. For the past 255 years I keep returning here, hoping to find a lady who might be able to satisfy my most urgent of needs," Kate bit her lip, as she recalled that earlier incident in the bedroom when she'd pleasured herself. She'd never been a religious person. But now she was considering sex with a ghost. Was she about to embark on something that might damn her soul? On the other hand, she'd been single for a while, had been craving the touch of a man, "Major, I am willing to help you in any way I can." "You are lovely beyond belief. If I may so bold as to show my appreciation?" He leaned in to kiss the exposed skin of her neck; his lips leaving a hot trail from just below her ear to the center of her throat at the neck of her nightie. Kate closed her eyes and moaned. "A little more, my lady?" "Yes, oh yes," He kissed her and she parted her lips to let him in. The heat of his mouth and his probing tongue sent shivers through her body and she shifted closer to him to feel the heat of his body against hers. She breathed in the faint masculine scent. Major Wolfe pulled back the bedcovers. Then he pushed her nightie up to bare her belly. Leaning her back, he took one hardened nipple with his lips and she gasped. He sucked, pulling with his lips. At Kate's soft moan, he drew in a shuddering breath. "Touch me," he pleaded hoarsely, bringing her hand to the waistband of his breeches, and then guiding it down to cup the bulge in his groin. She explored eagerly, desperately, feeling his full erection through his breeches and groping lower to feel his balls. Oh lord, she was trembling so much with excitement. Unfastening the fall front flap, she pulled out his engorged organ. She couldn't believe this was happening. She was groping the cock of a dead man! And she was so wet. Kate took his hot length in her hand, feeling it, and stroked it up and down as she licked and sucked at the tip. The Major was generously endowed, and she felt herself blush. "Here," he said, moving her unoccupied hand to cup his balls. "Don't be shy, my lady." Gently squeezing his balls, she slowly took his throbbing cock into her mouth. He moaned as she deep-throated him. "Oh my lady," he groaned. Then Major Wolfe clambered on the bed and put his head between Kate's thighs. The tip of his tongue brushed her clitoris. She jumped and willed him to move faster. At first his tongue explored her wet folds, but he replaced his tongue with gentle fingers that probed and rubbed and finally penetrated. Kate's wetness was dripping down her arse crack and he rubbed it around with his fingers. The sensation made her squirm and she placed her feet on his shoulders, and when he finally sucked on her clit, she lifted herself up to meet his tongue. None of her previous partners had ever thrilled her as much as this. His face was flushed and damp and his expression was one of pure longing. "My lady, I want you so much. "He whispered and pushed up into her. "Ah!" Kate gasped, more from surprise than the stretching sensation. "Are you alright?" he said, wrapping one arm around her and holding her close. She gave her answer by kissing him. He insinuated his hand between their bodies and fingered her clit as he began to move inside her. Holy shit, those fingers, he knew exactly how to pleasure a woman for maximum effect! For a moment Kate thought of the fact he'd been waiting over two and a half centuries for this! He stroked her again with wet, slippery fingers and thrust steadily up into her. The combination awakened something within that she'd never felt before. Kate dug her hands into his back and tried to speak, but couldn't form words. The Redcoat's large cock filled her completely, stretching her walls to the limit. He was groaning and fucking her like a wild beast. "Come for me, my lady," Major Wolfe whispered in her ear, and she cried out. "Come for me, release for me. Let us spend together," he pleaded, and she did, her head falling back, her whole body shaking and clenching with the intensity of orgasm. He followed immediately; in an instant their coupling reached its conclusion and she was filled to the brim with his seed, Kate didn't want to let him go. They lay joined for what seemed like a long time. Eventually, Major Wolfe gently withdrew his softening member from his mortal lover. "Dawn approaches, my lady." "No, Major, stay, please," she whispered, tiredness overcoming her. "Rest now, my love. I must go." Kate tried to say something, but sleep was rapidly overcoming her. "We shall meet again. Soon, my love," was the last she heard. The sound of someone knocking on the door finally woke Kate. She squinted at the curtains. Bright sunlight was streaming through the gap. "Kate, are you awake?" Chloe's muffled voice could be heard. Fumbling for a dressing gown, Kate staggered out of bed and opened the door. "There you are! Were you in a coma or something? It's 11 o'clock! You've missed breakfast and the minibus will be here in half an hour!" "Oh God, sorry, I forgot to set my phone's alarm clock. I, er, I'll be down as quick as I can." "Are you ok? You look a bit peaky." "Just crashed out. How was the midnight ghost walk?" "Midnight wash-out you mean. Did you see that storm last night? It was unreal. So much lightning. Thought a freaking nuclear bomb had gone off!" "Oh. Guess I missed that." "Jeez, you were in a coma. That thunder could've wakened the dead!" "Maybe it did," Kate wondered. Alone in the room again, Kate returned to the bed. Her mind was a tumult of emotions. "It wasn't all a dream, was it? The product of a Halloween-crazed imagination? It couldn't have been, " Suddenly she spotted something under the pillow. Eyes widening, she picked it up. The brass gorget. "He was real!" She clutched it to her chest. And hoped she wouldn't have to wait until next Halloween before she saw Major Robert Wolfe again. By Blacksheep for Literotica
Lady Annabelle & Kate Two stories from 3 centuries, about one English mansion. By Blacksheep. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. An aristocrat has an exciting encounter with a highwayman It is the Year of Our Lord 1760, and the roads leading to and from London be the most perilous for any traveler. Hounslow Heath being a favorite haunt of the highwayman and footpad. Folly indeed, for the unwary to wander alone. And London be a very wicked place, so it hath been told, with whores, beggars and cutpurses on every street corner, The journey of Lady Emily Arundel and her daughter Annabelle had been an uneventful one so far. "And when we arrive at Mablethorpe Hall, be sure to show your appreciation to Lord Barrington-Smythe. His son, William, wishes to seek your hand in marriage," Lady Emily began. "Yes Mother," her daughter replied, with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. "His estate comprises over a hundred acres of land," "Well, hark at that!" "owns several horses related to Whistlejacket," Annabelle struggled to contain a sigh. "properties in the colonies," "How glorious, Mother." "knows a clutch of fashionable London society in beautiful silk suits and powdered wigs attended by almost equally well appointed valets! Whom are accompanied by gorgeous ladies in even more elaborate wigs and dresses in the latest Paris fashions," The corpulent gentleman sat opposite them in the coach was Lord Bracewell, an old and dear friend of Lady Emily. He grinned at Annabelle, sensing her discomfort. "Your Ladyship, it may please you to know, that we are but a mile from our journey's end." And thank heaven for that, Bracewell thought to himself, now feeling the great need of a chamber pot after drinking an excess of ale. He adjusted his periwig. "Erm, perhaps an opportunity at this gathering for a, f, er, you know, eh?" He gestured something and Lady Emily quickly tapped his leg with her foot. "Shush. Manners, Cuthbert! Later, perhaps," At that moment the coach lurched as it hit a particularly large pothole. This stretch of road was notoriously bad. Suddenly, the coach shuddered to an uncomfortable halt and the horses squealed. Other hooves could be heard alongside. "Stand and deliver!" "Oh dear God!" Lord Bracewell exclaimed, crossing himself. "I fear we are about to be robbed!" The masked stranger yelled at the coachman. "Throw down your weapons my bonny boy, or I'll spill your guts on the road!" There was the sound of muskets hitting the ground. Inside the coach, Lady Emily trembled and uttered a prayer. A robber might take more from a lady than her silver. Annabelle should've been as terrified as her mother, but her wildly-beating heart was more out of excitement. "Perhaps this man may be more merciful than we give him credit for?" "Hush, my dearest daughter. These bandits are without scruples! Pray to the Lord!" A bay-colored horse's head and then its rider appeared outside the window. The figure who leaned down to peer into the window appeared tall, wearing a cape, a three-cornered hat and a black handkerchief across his mouth. Dark brown eyes. "Well now, what fabulous treasure do I find?" The highwayman pointed a flintlock pistol inches from Annabelle's face. He leaned forward and with a move of his wrist he flicked back her hood with the muzzle of the pistol. "Ah. A true English Rose." "Sir, I beg of you, do not harm my daughter," Lady Emily intervened. "She is but eighteen, an innocent child, she has no silver!" "Her fortune awaits at Mablethorpe Hall no doubt. But it is she I am taking, not her money. Come." And he beckoned, the hand still held out to help Annabelle down. "Why, what foul swine would take a young lady's honor? I forbid you to lay one finger on her!" Lady Emily yelled. "Take me in her place." "No Mother, I shall do as he asks," Annabelle interrupted, taking his hand. "My child, no!" "It shall be alright Mother," Annabelle replied. "Your daughter knows her own mind, Madam," the highwayman said. "So now, I must ask you to keep thine own counsel. It would give me no pleasure to shoot your coachman and your gentleman companion." Lady Emily could do nothing but remain in the coach as the mysterious stranger led Annabelle away and into the trees at the side of the road. "Sir. If I may be so bold, may I request a merciful death?" The damsel inquired. This rather caught the highwayman off guard. This young lady intrigued him far more than the other wealthy folks he'd ambushed in the past. How the ladies had screamed like banshees and pleaded for their lives. The simpering, periwigged dandy who'd pissed his breeches when a gun was pointed at his head. Aristocrats. The damned preening lot of them! How he loathed these ruling peacocks. Oh, he hadn't always been a highwayman. Back in his old life he'd fought for king and country. Until good fortune and those he looked up to had betrayed him, He had planned to kidnap the girl and hold her to ransom. Lord Arundel's daughter would command a high price. "You are indeed bold. And, I have no wish to kill you. Your beauty and grace are extremely attractive to young men and it is bound to rouse their passions." Annabelle thought for a moment. "Since I am without silver or jewels, perhaps I could offer you a gift of a different kind? If I were to sufficiently please you, would you let my mother, Lord Bracewell, the coachman and myself go free? I'll do anything, to please you." He blinked. "Even the most unladylike of things? Do you realize what you are saying?" "Sir, I am shortly to be married. It would be most helpful if I were sufficiently skilled in how to pleasure my husband on our wedding night. I have no experience whatsoever in meddling with a man, perhaps if I could, practice somehow." Those less-than-polite urges that had been assaulting her body recently, had now found the perfect outlet. "Will you service my prick like a common whore?" "Yes sir," Annabelle replied, kneeling before him. "Let's see you try then." He kept his pistol in his right hand. "No teeth." Annabelle unbuttoned the highwayman's breeches slowly, her careful motions at odds with the look in her blue eyes and pulled out the large and swollen member. She couldn't help but stare at his impressive length, simultaneously afraid and eager. A man's weapon in all its hardened glory. A thing she'd previously glimpsed from afar, now in her hands. He expected her to hesitate, but to his surprise, she leant forward and ran her tongue up the shaft. With all haste, she opened her mouth, allowing him to move it inside. He began to thrust his cock inside her mouth, holding her head steady. Shocked at herself, Annabelle couldn't deny that as she heard him pant and moan, she felt somehow strangely empowered. She began to suck, working her tongue around his member. The highwayman cursed and blasphemed holding her head firmer as he began to thrust faster. Eventually, he grasped her blonde hair tightly as he groaned, pushing his entire length down her throat and shot his seed into her. She swallowed every drop of it, rather liking the taste. "Impressive," he panted. He'd enjoyed that a lot more than he was willing to admit, but wasn't done with this little rich girl just yet. "Have you had enough yet, Marchioness Whore?" Panting she replied, "I think not. Please." "Please?" He ran his hand under her dress and up her thigh. "Please what?" "Please sir." He fingered her tantalizing wet womanhood. "Louder, if you please." "Ah, Please sir!" He chuckled, and withdrew. She was ready to beg him, but before she could he had her up against a tree, hands tied then the rope wrapped hight around the thick trunk. With swift action he pulled up her skirting and down went her petticoat. Pulling her ass out to meet him, had entered her virgin cunt from behind, feeling the satisfying tightness of a deflowering. She winced and made a squeal similar to those a fox makes when mating. It hurt, but at the same time it felt so good. The highwayman withdrew until just his cockhead was still engaged, leaving Annabelle feeling a little disappointed. But then he pushed back in, all the way and in one go. His animal instinct had kicked in and he had one overriding desire; to plant his seed in this nubile young lady. He picked up speed, plunging deeply each time. Annabelle's own arousal was equally uncontrolled. She knew what was about to happen after her recent voyeurism of Lord Bracewell fucking her mother across a grand piano one afternoon. A more amusing rather an arousing spectacle that brought to mind an overfed pug mounting a chair leg. This time the explosion was even more powerful - and it was accompanied by the highwayman's roar as she felt him fill her passage with his issue. It seemed to go on forever and she felt it leaking out around his shaft and down her legs. "God," he gasped as he finally withdrew from Annabelle. He untied her and helped her stand. "Did I, please you sir?" Annabelle inquired in her refined & well-bred cadence. The highwayman finally removed his face covering. Annabelle was surprised to see a weathered but good-looking man, with cheeks bearing scars. Under his cape, she had glimpsed a torn and darkened coat, that had been, long ago a Redcoat officer's uniform. This man was no stranger to battle, and had a long history that he wasn't prepared to reveal. "You and the others have earned your freedom Your Ladyship." He said with a bow, removing his 3-point hat in the process. Her charms prevailing to ransom her entourage. His siring became her own treasure, preparing her for yet more charming accomplishment in the upcoming matrimonial bedchamber. A Night at Mablethorpe Hall Two millennials Ravished by the ghost of a Redcoat on Halloween. "Don't you just love a Halloween-themed tour and a meal at an English country house?" Kate said to her friend as the minibus they were in pulled into the grounds of Mablethorpe Hall. "Yeah, these old places have a real atmosphere!" Chloe replied. "I've wanted to do something like this for like, forever. Stay overnight in some old place, pretend I'm lady of the manor. I'm so glad I booked this trip." "Kate you are such a history nerd. Lucy Worsley has a rival." "My heart is in the 18th century. Seriously. I just love anything from that time." Kate had often been described as an atypical millennial. They got off the bus and collected their luggage. "Come on, the tour is about to start. Let's dump our luggage. Apparently this place is haunted." Kate smiled. "All good English manors should have at least one ghost! Three hours in a minibus. I'm stiff from sitting so long." They collected their room keys. The Hall had not yet upgraded to the modern electronic key cards. Kate liked that. A traditional brass key was more in keeping with the decor. The receptionist looked worried. "Are you ok with having Room 13?" she asked. "Sure. I'm not superstitious. Don't tell me it's haunted?" "Well, some guests have reported that really strange things happen in that room. And the wi-fi doesn't work in there." Kate just assumed the woman was joking. "In that case, it sounds like my kind of room! Think I can last a few hours without wi-fi." The room was large and splendid. "Seriously? I get a king-size four poster bed?" Kate exclaimed as she gazed in awe. "This is so fantastic! I feel like Queen Anne." The bed looked so inviting, Kate couldn't resist just flopping back on it and spreading out. "Bliss!" she sighed. So much better than the single bed back at her cramped one-bed flat. She closed her eyes, Abruptly, Kate was overcome by a bizarre horniness, and masturbated more than she'd done in a long time. She was getting so wet, so hot and in a rush to give herself the release she so desperately needed. She hitched up her dress and pushed her panties down just a bit, then shoved her right hand down to her cunt. She used her left hand to push up her nightshirt and play with her breasts, pinching her nipples hard, making her moan with pleasure. Kate's right hand was busy with her cunt, alternately slipping down between her cunt lips and inside her hot, wet core, fucking herself with fingers, then pulling out to rub her clit. Back and forth, over and over. She was moaning, fantasizing about being pounded, pounded by an unknown uniformed man. Begging him to fuck her harder and send her climaxing in ecstasy, Kate was screaming. Suddenly her orgasm peaked and hit full force. She stopped all movement with her hands momentarily then began again, at first very fast and hard, then slowing as her orgasm began to subside. She lay there as her breathing slowly returned to normal. "Jesus," she muttered, when she could finally catch her breath again. "What the hell just happened?" The tour had already begun when Kate arrived to join the others. "What took you so long?" Chloe asked. "Thought you'd got lost." "Oh I just, er, oh wow, check out that tour guide!" "Mablethorpe Hall, one of Berkshire's finest country estates back in the day," the tour guide began. He was dressed in early 18th century period costume, with a long wig, frilled cuffs and breeches. "He looks just like John Hurt did in Rob Roy. I love the costumes in that movie." Kate whispered to Chloe, who rolled her eyes. Kate listened intently as every detail of the building's history was described. "But the most fascinating story of Mablethorpe," the guide continued, "is that it's said to be haunted by Major Robert Wolfe, a British Army officer." The was a chorus of "oh!" from the assembled tourists. "The Major is said to return to Mablethorpe every Halloween night, in hope of seeing the woman he once loved." "So the poor sod just wants to get laid?" a middle-aged bloke at the front said, and everyone burst out laughing. The tour guide evidently took this old legend extremely seriously and did not see the funny side. "As I was saying, the Major was in love with Lady Annabelle Barrington-Smythe. That in itself was a scandal, for she was married to William Barrington-Smythe. Rumor has it that the Major was actually a notorious highwayman known as The Fox, " Later, the guests were treated to a Halloween-themed meal in the Hall's grand banqueting room. There were the usual things adorning the tables - Jack o' lanterns, candles everywhere, fake cobwebs. In the background, a string quartet dressed as witches played a medley of Bach and Handel. "Not as spooky as I was expecting," Chloe said as she sampled the pumpkin pie and spiced rum. "I was hoping the lights were going to go out and there'd be a jump-scare or something. Like two years ago when we went to that zombie-themed night at Castle Howard. That was creepy as hell!" "This is nice though. Lots of atmosphere. I like it here. I'd like to, get married in a place like this. Have a historical-themed wedding. That is, if, " "When, Kate. When you meet that ideal guy. And you will. He's out there. Plenty of fish. Steve was a complete areole, but he's ancient history. A bit like this hall." "True!" After the meal concluded, there was more live music and dancing. "Think I'm going to call it a night," Kate said. "Oh you lightweight," Chloe replied, already tipsy. "Aren't you going to stay up for the midnight ghost walk in the grounds? You might see a good-looking highwayman." "No, I'm totally exhausted. Really. You can tell me all about it in the morning." "Fine, whatever. I know you're too afraid!" Kate headed up to her room, surprised at being overcome by such tiredness. She hadn't drunk that much, and it had hardly been an energetic evening. The glorious king-size bed and it's luxurious blankets beckoned, Sometime after midnight, Kate was in a deep slumber, but also in the throes of a nightmare. He's coming, Kate did not dream often, and she was even less often plagued by bad dreams. Several times she stirred, came half awake, and heard herself gasping in panic. Once, drifting up from some threatening vision, she heard her own voice crying out wordlessly in terror, and she realized she was thrashing about in the bed. Suddenly the air was oppressively heavy, hot, thick; as if it were not air at all but a bitter and poisonous gas of some kind. She tried to breathe, couldn't. There was an invisible, crushing weight on her chest. The unmistakable smell of gunpowder. Hoofbeats, many horses. Some kind of battle? A murderous barrage of lightning crashed like a volley of mortar fire, seven or eight tremendous bolts; and woke her from sleep in an instant. "Holy shit." Kate gasped as the storm made her sit upright in bed. She remembered what Chloe had said earlier, about the tour not being scary. Evidently, nature had now delivered a jump, a scare of its own. Already her memory of the nightmare had begun to dissolve; only fragments of it remained with her, and each of those disassociated images was evaporating as if it were a splinter of ice. All she could remember was that she'd been in a battle of some kind, and there had been many men - soldiers on horseback. They'd been pursuing her. Firing guns. As the nightmare receded, Kate became uncomfortably aware of how dark the bedroom was. Before going to sleep she had switched off both the bedside lamps. The curtains were all closed, and only thin blades of moonlight were visible between the gap she'd left. She had the irrational but unshakable feeling that something had followed her up from the dream, there was another presence in the room, oh God! She fumbled for the lamp switch, damn, where was it? Groped around, switched it on. Relief as golden light flooded the room, And then she saw him. Stood at the side of the bed. He was dressed in a Redcoat uniform, just calmly standing there. She gasped, but was so shocked, she couldn't utter a sound for a moment. Then her initial shock turned to anger. Was this part of the Halloween tour? Having re-enactors actually enter the guest bedrooms was completely unacceptable. "What the hell are you doing?" Kate yelled. He seemed taken aback by her reaction. "Who are you?" She demanded once she had caught her breath again. "I beg your pardon, Miss," he began. He removed his hat as he moved closer. "Major Robert Wolfe of His Majesty's 58th Regiment of Foot." "What are you doing here?" He smiled politely. "Where I come from, when a gentleman introduces himself, a lady generally responds in kind." Kate was about to respond with a sarcastic remark, but then she noticed that he was surrounded by a faint, silver glow. Her heart began to pound like crazy. Gathering all her courage, she decided to ask him directly. "Are you, dead?" The Major's face relaxed into a smile. "Oh indeed. Quite, quite dead. As I have been since the last night of October, Seventeen Sixty-five." Kate thought she might faint. "You're a," "A spirit, why yes. An earthbound and restless one, forever drawn to return to Mablethorpe every All Hallow's night. Isn't that quite a tale? I most humbly apologies for subjecting you to my battle experiences earlier, but t'was the only way I was able to wake you." She looked him up and down. He did look a gentleman, to be sure, and a handsome one at that. The signature red coat, crossed with white belts, the brown hair tied back in a queue and neatly curled at the sides, the breeches, knee-high leather boots. A brass gorget glinted round his neck. The Major took one of her pale, slender hands. Kate was surprised to feel solid flesh, rather than some kind of gaseous form, as expected of a ghost. Was he more of a zombie? His hand was as cold as ice. Kate suddenly felt her cheeks flush, under his intense gaze. If all those old stereotypes about ghosts were true, then he could probably see right through her nightie, as well as walk through walls, "Um, why did you wake me?" He was still holding her hand. "Well, I must beg your forgiveness for the manner of this intrusion, my lady. I am honored to make your acquaintance. I was drawn to you from the moment you arrived here. You resemble so much, someone I lost, long ago. For the past 255 years I keep returning here, hoping to find a lady who might be able to satisfy my most urgent of needs," Kate bit her lip, as she recalled that earlier incident in the bedroom when she'd pleasured herself. She'd never been a religious person. But now she was considering sex with a ghost. Was she about to embark on something that might damn her soul? On the other hand, she'd been single for a while, had been craving the touch of a man, "Major, I am willing to help you in any way I can." "You are lovely beyond belief. If I may so bold as to show my appreciation?" He leaned in to kiss the exposed skin of her neck; his lips leaving a hot trail from just below her ear to the center of her throat at the neck of her nightie. Kate closed her eyes and moaned. "A little more, my lady?" "Yes, oh yes," He kissed her and she parted her lips to let him in. The heat of his mouth and his probing tongue sent shivers through her body and she shifted closer to him to feel the heat of his body against hers. She breathed in the faint masculine scent. Major Wolfe pulled back the bedcovers. Then he pushed her nightie up to bare her belly. Leaning her back, he took one hardened nipple with his lips and she gasped. He sucked, pulling with his lips. At Kate's soft moan, he drew in a shuddering breath. "Touch me," he pleaded hoarsely, bringing her hand to the waistband of his breeches, and then guiding it down to cup the bulge in his groin. She explored eagerly, desperately, feeling his full erection through his breeches and groping lower to feel his balls. Oh lord, she was trembling so much with excitement. Unfastening the fall front flap, she pulled out his engorged organ. She couldn't believe this was happening. She was groping the cock of a dead man! And she was so wet. Kate took his hot length in her hand, feeling it, and stroked it up and down as she licked and sucked at the tip. The Major was generously endowed, and she felt herself blush. "Here," he said, moving her unoccupied hand to cup his balls. "Don't be shy, my lady." Gently squeezing his balls, she slowly took his throbbing cock into her mouth. He moaned as she deep-throated him. "Oh my lady," he groaned. Then Major Wolfe clambered on the bed and put his head between Kate's thighs. The tip of his tongue brushed her clitoris. She jumped and willed him to move faster. At first his tongue explored her wet folds, but he replaced his tongue with gentle fingers that probed and rubbed and finally penetrated. Kate's wetness was dripping down her arse crack and he rubbed it around with his fingers. The sensation made her squirm and she placed her feet on his shoulders, and when he finally sucked on her clit, she lifted herself up to meet his tongue. None of her previous partners had ever thrilled her as much as this. His face was flushed and damp and his expression was one of pure longing. "My lady, I want you so much. "He whispered and pushed up into her. "Ah!" Kate gasped, more from surprise than the stretching sensation. "Are you alright?" he said, wrapping one arm around her and holding her close. She gave her answer by kissing him. He insinuated his hand between their bodies and fingered her clit as he began to move inside her. Holy shit, those fingers, he knew exactly how to pleasure a woman for maximum effect! For a moment Kate thought of the fact he'd been waiting over two and a half centuries for this! He stroked her again with wet, slippery fingers and thrust steadily up into her. The combination awakened something within that she'd never felt before. Kate dug her hands into his back and tried to speak, but couldn't form words. The Redcoat's large cock filled her completely, stretching her walls to the limit. He was groaning and fucking her like a wild beast. "Come for me, my lady," Major Wolfe whispered in her ear, and she cried out. "Come for me, release for me. Let us spend together," he pleaded, and she did, her head falling back, her whole body shaking and clenching with the intensity of orgasm. He followed immediately; in an instant their coupling reached its conclusion and she was filled to the brim with his seed, Kate didn't want to let him go. They lay joined for what seemed like a long time. Eventually, Major Wolfe gently withdrew his softening member from his mortal lover. "Dawn approaches, my lady." "No, Major, stay, please," she whispered, tiredness overcoming her. "Rest now, my love. I must go." Kate tried to say something, but sleep was rapidly overcoming her. "We shall meet again. Soon, my love," was the last she heard. The sound of someone knocking on the door finally woke Kate. She squinted at the curtains. Bright sunlight was streaming through the gap. "Kate, are you awake?" Chloe's muffled voice could be heard. Fumbling for a dressing gown, Kate staggered out of bed and opened the door. "There you are! Were you in a coma or something? It's 11 o'clock! You've missed breakfast and the minibus will be here in half an hour!" "Oh God, sorry, I forgot to set my phone's alarm clock. I, er, I'll be down as quick as I can." "Are you ok? You look a bit peaky." "Just crashed out. How was the midnight ghost walk?" "Midnight wash-out you mean. Did you see that storm last night? It was unreal. So much lightning. Thought a freaking nuclear bomb had gone off!" "Oh. Guess I missed that." "Jeez, you were in a coma. That thunder could've wakened the dead!" "Maybe it did," Kate wondered. Alone in the room again, Kate returned to the bed. Her mind was a tumult of emotions. "It wasn't all a dream, was it? The product of a Halloween-crazed imagination? It couldn't have been, " Suddenly she spotted something under the pillow. Eyes widening, she picked it up. The brass gorget. "He was real!" She clutched it to her chest. And hoped she wouldn't have to wait until next Halloween before she saw Major Robert Wolfe again. By Blacksheep for Literotica
Greg Jenner is joined in Regency England by historian Dr Lucy Worsley and actor Sally Phillips to learn all about the life and works of literary legend Jane Austen on the 250th anniversary of her birth in December 1775. It is a truth universally acknowledged that Austen is one of England's best-loved authors, and the creator of such indelible characters as Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy, Emma Woodhouse and Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Whether you have read one of her six books – Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park – or seen one of the many adaptations, most of us have some experience with Austen. But her life story and how it influenced her writing is perhaps less well-known. This episode explores her early life as the daughter of a rural clergyman, takes a peek inside the books a teenage Jane was reading, and delves into her romantic and familial relationships to see what shaped Austen into the formidable literary talent she was. And it asks a key question: was Jane Austen, who wrote such wonderful women characters, a feminist? If you're a fan of iconic authors, Regency romances and women succeeding in a man's world, you'll love our episode on Jane Austen. If you want more incredible women authors with Dr Lucy Worsley, check out our episode on Agatha Christie. For more from Sally Phillips, listen to our episode on Fairy Tales. And for more Regency romance, there's our episode on Georgian Courtship. You're Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Clara Chamberlain and Charlotte Emily Edgeshaw Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Ben Hollands Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars
Annemarie Lean-Vercoe is a British Award winning and BAFTA Nominated Cinematographer. She most recently lensed Outrageous, which follows the lives of the fascinating Mitford Sisters. The show premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2025 and will be airing this summer on UKTV and BritBoxTV. Annemarie is a graduate of the National Film and Television School (NFTS) with film and TV credits as Cinematographer or Director of Photography spanning more than 26 years. These include Call the Midwife, Breeders, The Chelsea Detective, All Creatures Great and Small, Marilyn Reframed, the BAFTA winner Suffragettes with Lucy Worsley and BAFTA nominated Is There Anybody Out There. Annemarie was born in Devon, England in 1977 and has an older sister and step siblings. Her parents divorced when she was just four but remarried locally and remained close by, providing Annemarie with an extended family. In his second career her father was a sailing photographer who introduced her to cameras and she soon developed a curiosity as to what was possible behind the lens. She enjoyed an idyllic childhood with freedom to explore the surrounding countryside, learning to ride ponies and how to sail. After Yealmpton Primary School, Annemarie attended the Royal School in Bath but left early to be with her mother. An early interest in arts and crafts then led her to a year-long Foundation Arts Course before attending an under-graduate program at the London College of Printing (University of the Arts London). By now she had developed an interest in film cameras and started to gain some experience as a trainee on productions in the UK. A series of introductions and the benefit of a scholarship led her to the NFTS with an eye to becoming a cinematographer. After graduating Annemarie has been consistently in demand balancing her career with raising her family, thanks to the help of her mother and mother-in-law. She is a proud member of Illuminatrix and Women Behind The Camera. Her numerous awards include BAFTA, BIFA and STAR OF TOMORROW. Annemarie is currently in production on the British TV drama series Bergerac. She lives in Sussex, England with her husband Finn and two children. Annemarie's links:https://cargocollective.com/cinematographerhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm1233187/https://www.instagram.com/annemarieleanvercoe1 https://www.illuminatrixdops.com/member/annemarie-lean-vercoe/ Host: Chris StaffordProduced by Hollowell StudiosFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramThe AART Podcast on YouTubeEmail: theaartpodcast@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wisp--4769409/support.
Annemarie Lean-Vercoe is a British Award winning and BAFTA Nominated Cinematographer. Her most recently lensed Outrageous, which follows the lives of the fascinating Mitford Sisters. The show premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2025 and will be airing this summer on UKTV and BritBoxTV. Annemarie is a graduate of the National Film and Television School (NFTS) with film and TV credits as Cinematographer or Director of Photography spanning more than 26 years. These include Call the Midwife, Breeders, The Chelsea Detective, All Creatures Great and Small, Marilyn Reframed, the BAFTA winner Suffragettes with Lucy Worsley and BAFTA nominated Is There Anybody Out There. Annemarie was born in Devon, England in 1977 and has an older sister and step siblings. Her parents divorced when she was just four but remarried locally and remained close by, providing Annemarie with an extended family. In his second career her father was a sailing photographer who introduced her to cameras and she soon developed a curiosity as to what was possible behind the lens. She enjoyed an idyllic childhood with freedom to explore the surrounding countryside, learning to ride ponies and how to sail. After Yealmpton Primary School, Annemarie attended the Royal School in Bath but left early to be with her mother. An early interest in arts and crafts then led her to a year-long Foundation Arts Course before attending an under-graduate program at the London College of Printing (University of the Arts London). By now she had developed an interest in film cameras and started to gain some experience as a trainee on productions in the UK. A series of introductions and the benefit of a scholarship led her to the NFTS with an eye to becoming a cinematographer. After graduating Annemarie has been consistently in demand balancing her career with raising her family, thanks to the help of her mother and mother-in-law. She is a proud member of Illuminatrix and Women Behind The Camera. Her numerous awards include BAFTA, BIFA and STAR OF TOMORROW. Annemarie is currently in production on the British TV drama series Bergerac. She lives in Sussex, England with her husband Finn and two children. Annemarie's links:https://cargocollective.com/cinematographerhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm1233187/https://www.instagram.com/annemarieleanvercoe1 https://www.illuminatrixdops.com/member/annemarie-lean-vercoe/ Host: Chris StaffordProduced by Hollowell StudiosFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramThe AART Podcast on YouTubeEmail: theaartpodcast@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/aart--5814675/support.
Dr. Karen Cox drops in to talk about the Trump Administration's plans to reinstall two former Confederate monuments, along with the Lost Cause mythology, and how we think about the Civil War.About our guest:Karen L. Cox is an award-winning historian and a Distinguished Lecturer for the Organization of American Historians. She is the author of four books, the editor or co-editor of two volumes on southern history and has written numerous essays and articles, including an essay for the New York Times best seller Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past. Her books include Dixie's Daughters: The United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Preservation of Confederate Culture, Dreaming of Dixie: How the South Was Created in American Popular Culture, Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South, and most recently, No Common Ground: Confederate Monuments and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice, which was published in April 2021 and won the Michael V.R. Thomason book prize from the Gulf South Historical Association.A successful public intellectual, Dr. Cox has written op-eds for the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, TIME magazine, Publishers Weekly, Smithsonian Magazine, and the Huffington Post. She has given dozens of media interviews in the U.S. and around the globe, especially on the topic of Confederate monuments. She appeared in Henry Louis Gates's PBS documentary Reconstruction: America after the Civil War, Lucy Worsley's American History's Biggest Fibs for the BBC, and the Emmy-nominated documentary The Neutral Ground, which examines the underlying history of Confederate monuments.Cox is a professor emerita of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she taught from 2002-2024. She is currently writing a book that explores themes of the Great Migration, the Black press, and early Chicago jazz through the forgotten tragedy of the Rhythm Club fire, which took the lives of more than 200 African Americans in Natchez, Mississippi, in 1940.You can follow her on Bluesky @DrKarenLCox.bsky.social
It's our season 5 finale! And we're dealing with the sudden disappearance of the Queen of Crime in 1926...What happened to Agatha Christie for 11 days in December? Is it a conspiracy? Or was someone spreading nasty rumours?The secret ingredient is...Professor Plum in the Library with the Candlestick!Also as mentioned in the show here is the link if you'd like to support Lynnae's GoFundMe for her kittyGet cocktails, poisoning stories and historical true crime tales every week by following and subscribing to The Poisoners' Cabinet wherever you get your podcasts. Find us and our cocktails at www.thepoisonerscabinet.com Join us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepoisonerscabinet Find us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepoisonerscabinet Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepoisonerscabinet/ Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePoisonersCabinet Listen on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePoisonersCabinet Sources this week include Agatha Christie by Lucy Worsley, The British Newspaper Archive, Breaking Character, the New York Times, The Daily Mail, The Independent, History Extra, Get Surrey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Historian and television presenter Lucy Worsley brings us back to the 16th century to discuss the history of Tudor England. We talk about Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII's reign, and how his eldest child, Mary Tudor, earned the nickname Bloody Mary.
The experiences that radicalised Guy Fawkes and his gunpowder plot co-conspirators into violent extremists sound all too familiar today. This Long Read, written by Lucy Worsley, tells a story of religious clashes, state-sanctioned torture and comrades-in-arms willing to die for the cause. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today's feature originally appeared in the January 2025 issue, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Send us a textDee and Carol talked about how new flower varieties come to market, whether or not you should grow your own pepper and tomato plants, dirt about blue bees, and a book about historic flowers. For more details and links, check out our free newsletter!Flowers:Info on tissue cultureVeggies:On the Bookshelf: Restoring American Gardens: An Encyclopedia of Heirloom Ornamental Plants, 1640-1940 (Amazon)Dirt: New blue bee found in TexasRabbit Holes:Dr. Cynthia Westcott, PhD, a Lost Lady of Garden WritingJane Austen's Garden: A Botanical Tour of the Classic Novels, by Molly Williams, illustrations by Jessica Roux and Jane Austen at Home, by Lucy Worsley.Our Affiliates (Linking to them to make a purchase earns us a small commission):Botanical InterestsFarmers DefenseEtsyTerritorial SeedsTrue Leaf Market Eden BrosNature Hills Nursery Book and Amazon links are also affiliate links.Email us anytime at TheGardenangelists@gmail.com Our newsletter is on SubstackFor more info on Carol visit her website. Visit her blog May Dreams Gardens. For more info on Dee, visit her website. Visit her blog Red Dirt Ramblings.Support the showOn Instagram: Carol: Indygardener, Dee: RedDirtRamblings, Our podcast: TheGardenangelists.On Facebook: The Gardenangelists' Garden Club.On YouTube.
In 1926 verdwijnt de wereldberoemde schrijfster Agatha Christie. En niemand weet wat er aan de hand is.Is ze vermoord? Heeft ze zelfmoord gepleegd? Of heeft ze haar verdwijning in scène gezet?Samen met Paulien en Wiek logeert Chris in het hotel waar Agatha tien dagen zat ondergedoken.En vanuit dat hotel neemt Chris je in deze 'special' stap voor stap mee in deze mysterieuze geschiedenis die haar fans tot op de dag van vandaag bezighoudt.Oh ja, Chris kwam deze geschiedenis (weer) op het spoor dankzij de biografie 'Agatha Christie' geschreven door Lucy Worsley.De sponsor van deze aflevering is Picnic! Met de kortingscode MANMETDE krijg je 20% korting op een bestelling via de maaltijdplanner. De code is geldig tot en met 8 maart. (Link: https://app.adjust.com/1j8l7d20_1jx20g8w?label=manmetmicrofoon)Dit is het Instagram-account van Man met de microfoon.Wil je lid worden of een eenmalige donatie doen via petjeaf.com dan kan dat: hierEenmalig overmaken kan ook naar: NL37 INGB 0006 8785 94 van Stichting Man met de microfoon te Amsterdam.Reacties: manmetdemicrofoon@gmail.comWil je adverteren, dan kun je een mailtje sturen naar: adverteren@dagennacht.nlZie het privacybeleid op https://art19.com/privacy en de privacyverklaring van Californië op https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this mini-series on new research at our palaces, PhD student Ellis Huddart joins Lucy Worsley to explore the history of the Royal Yacht. Ellis' PhD hopes to examine how Royal Yachts existed as places outside of the usual rules and conventions of both royal palaces and royalty. They can therefore reveal a lot about the material culture of British Imperialism in the Victorian era, and the changing image of royalty. This episode is part of a mini-series about new research at our palaces. Explore more about research at Historic Royal Palaces.
In this mini-series on new research at our palaces, PhD student Gabrielle Fields joins Lucy Worsley to explore the life of Queen Victoria through the books she read. Gabrielle's PhD introduces a new lens through which to examine Queen Victoria through her reading materials. It ultimately aims to reveal Queen Victoria's efforts to educate herself politically, her attempts at self-improvement, and crucially the way she chose to present herself to the world. This episode is part of a mini-series about new research at our palaces. Read more about Queen Victoria's early biography.
It's Divorce Day, it's nearly 8:30, and Jane and Fi are back! Welcome! In this episode, they cover reduced Christmas decorations, sausage dogs on rail replacement buses, and TV inches.Plus, historian Lucy Worsley discusses her new series of ‘Lucy Worsley Investigates'.Get your suggestions in for the next book club pick!If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radioFollow us on Instagram! @janeandfiPodcast Producer: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie Cutler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this mini-series on new research at our palaces, Dr Holly Marsden joins Lucy Worsley to explore the many identities of Mary II, disentangling her story from that of her husband and co-ruler William III. The product of four years of research, Holly's PhD ultimately aims to disrupt the perception that Mary did not have political agency. This episode is part of a mini-series about new research at our palaces. Explore more about research at Historic Royal Palaces.
New BBC series Lady Swindlers with Lucy Worsley tells the stories of female criminals from the 18th to 20th centuries. Their chicanery often earned them great riches, yet, their schemes didn't always go to plan… This Long Read, written by series consultant Rosalind Crone, examines six case studies that reveal a dark criminal underworld of drug-deals, sly-grog and a queen of thieves. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today's feature originally appeared in the November 2024 issue, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mums who give up work or cut their hours because they have a child with special educational needs and disabilities say problems with school transport is one of the reasons. An opinion poll from Opinium commissioned by Woman's Hour for a programme on SEND last month revealed 12% of mothers flagged lack of appropriate funded transport as a problem. Woman's Hour hears from three mums, Ellie Partridge, Ramandeep Kaur and Sabiha Aziz, who are struggling to transport their children with SEND to school, and in some cases are having to pay hundreds of pounds a month. Kylie Pentelow is joined by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Amerdeep Somal as she exclusively shares the outcome of a complaint against Sandwell Council in the West Midlands for failing to provide transport for a disabled child.Today the Women's T20 cricket World Cup kicks off in the UAE. For some, this will be a tournament of firsts; At 11am, Scotland will be making their T20 debut against Bangladesh. Joining Kylie to look ahead to the event is the cricket commentator Alison Mitchell.In 2021, Netflix premiered the documentary Wild Wild Country which drew global attention to the Rajneesh movement, a group of around 30,000 people at the movement's height, who followed an Indian spiritual guru called Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. But what really drew the attention of many of the people who had grown up as part of this international community was that the experience of children was barely reflected in the six-part series. Maroesja Perizonius and her mother were part of the Rajneesh movement, joining when Maroosha was six. Maroesja has created a new documentary, Children of the Cult. She joins Kylie to talk about this very deeply personal project along with Sargam, another woman whose family became followers when she was a child. Who were Alice Diamond, the Queen of 40 Thieves, and the Fake Heiress? In a brand new series of Lady Killers, the historian Lucy Worsley switches her attention to swindlers, con women and hustlers. From queens of the underworld, hoaxers and scammers, Lucy and a team of all female detectives travel back in time to revisit the audacious and surprising crimes of women who were trying to make it in a world made for men. Lucy joins Kylie to discuss the stories of some of these women and what their crimes teach us about women's lives.Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Rebecca Myatt
In this special episode of Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley, recorded in front of a live audience, Lucy is joined by Professor Rosalind Crone, Lady Killers in-house historian and Salma el-Wardany, writer, poet and BBC Breakfast presenter. They look back at the last three seasons and offer an exclusive preview of the new season, Lady Swindlers.Lady Killers is where Lucy Worsley and a crack team of female detectives investigate the crimes of women from the 19th and 20th Century from a contemporary, feminist perspective.Producer: Julia Hayball Assistant Producer: Riham Moussa Readers: Clare Corbett and Jonathan Keeble Sound Design: Chris Maclean Executive Producer: Kirsty Hunter A StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4.If you're in the UK, listen to the newest episodes of Lady Killers first on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/3M2pT0K
In this brand new series of Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley we switch our attention to the swindlers, conwomen and hustlers. This is where true crime meets history - with a twist. Join Lucy Worsley and a team of all female detectives as they travel back in time to revisit the audacious - and surprising - crimes of women who were trying to make it in a world made for men. Women who stepped outside their ordinary lives to do extraordinary things. What do their crimes and the times they lived in teach us about womens' lives today? We meet Queens of the Underworld, hoaxers, thieves, scammers and even a fake heiress as we travel back in time and from England, Wales, Scotland, the US and Australia. A StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4.If you're in the UK, listen to the newest episodes of Lady Killers first on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/3M2pT0K
This week we wanted to share another great podcast from the BBC that you might enjoy – Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley. Lucy travels back in time to revisit the unthinkable crimes of 19th century murderesses from the UK, Australia and North America. In this episode Lucy is joined by Evy Poumpouras, former special agent with the Secret Service, where she protected five US presidents as part of the Presidential Protective Division. Lucy and Evy investigate the case of Mary Surratt, a 42 year-old widow, mother and pious Catholic who was arrested in April 1865 for conspiring to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. He had been shot by former actor John Wilkes Booth while watching a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC. One of the most sensational trials in US history followed, with prosecutors pushing for death sentences for everyone involved in the murder. Lucy and Evy want to find out why the authorities were so sure that Surratt was involved in the assassination. They want to know what her story tells us about the lives of women at the close of the American Civil War. And they ask what happens when women step outside the domestic sphere and dare to get involved in protest and politics? To find out more about the background to the Civil War and Lincoln's assassination, Lucy asks Dr Nikki M Taylor, Professor of History at Howard University Washington DC, to go to Ford's Theatre and to the Surratt House Museum, formerly Mary's Surratt's tavern in Maryland. Mary Surratt, she discovers, was a slave-holder and, like John Wilkes Booth, was horrified by Lincoln's intention to end slavery and enfranchise African Americans. Mary Surratt is an elusive and divisive woman. Lucy wants to know if she was a devoted mother attempting to make her way in the world – or a hard-hearted conspirator, a slave-holder and fanatical Confederate trying to reignite the civil war. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Lucy Worsley and Rosalind Crone are joined by Helen Lewis, author of ‘Difficult Women: A History of Feminism in 11 Fights.' They discuss what it means to be a difficult woman and why the airbrushing of feminist history can be problematic.Together they discuss four of the most difficult women across the Lady Killers series; Mary Surratt, Alice Mitchell, Mary Ann Brough and Maria Manning. Each one commits wild and unspeakable crimes. They are anti-heroines; breaking taboos around sexuality, motherhood and sexual relationships. Lucy, Ros and Helen explore the value of understanding the diversity of women's lives in the past, and how this enables us to get a little bit closer to understanding ourselves. Produced in partnership with the Open University.Producer: Emily Hughes. Sound design: Chris Maclean Series Producer: Julia Hayball. A StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4New episodes will be released on Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. But if you're in the UK, listen to the latest full series of Lady Killers first on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds - Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley - Available Episodes: http://bbc.in/3M2pT0K
Lucy Worsley travels back in time to revisit the unthinkable crimes of 19th century murderesses from the UK, Australia and North America.In this episode, Lucy is joined by Alexandra Wilson, a barrister specialising in criminal and family law and author of ‘In Black and White', to explore the case of Mary Ann Brough in 1854. Mary Ann lives in the picturesque county of Surrey, close to London. She's married to George, who lives and works at the stately home nearby, while Mary Ann stays at home looking after six of their children. It sounds like an idyllic family life. But there are cracks beneath the surface. George suspects Mary Ann of having an affair and even hires a private detective to follow her to see if his suspicions are correct. After the detective reports back, George confronts Mary Ann and declares he will be starting legal proceedings to take full custody of their children. After he leaves, Mary Ann puts the children to bed, but later that evening she commits a drastic act. She slits the throats of each of her children before trying to kill herself. She is discovered the next day still alive, fully admitting to what she did. But why did she do it? Was it a cloud of insanity that took over her in a flash? Or was it to stop her husband gaining custody of the children and taking them away? Lucy Worsley is also joined by Professor Rosalind Crone from the Open University. Together, they visit the village Mary Ann lived in and the stately estate nearby. In the studio with Alexandra Wilson they discuss the circumstances surrounding Mary Ann's crime and how the custody laws at the time may have impacted her actions. Lucy asks, has the way society treats custody disputes changed since Mary Ann's time and does it view each parent equally? Produced in partnership with the Open University.Producer: Hannah Fisher Readers: Clare Corbett, Jonathan Keeble Singer: Olivia Bloore Sound design: Chris Maclean Series Producer: Julia HayballA StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4New episodes will be released on Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. But if you're in the UK, listen to the latest full series of Lady Killers first on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds - Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley - Available Episodes: http://bbc.in/3M2pT0K
Lucy Worsley travels back in time to revisit the unthinkable crimes of 19th century murderesses from the UK, Australia and North America.In this episode Lucy is joined by Cameron Esposito, stand-up comic, actor, writer and host of the hit podcast Queery. They investigate the case of 19-year-old Alice Mitchell who killed 17-year-old Freda Ward in Memphis, Tennessee in 1892 after a stormy and illicit relationship. Alice and Freda plan to marry and move to St Louis, but when Freda's family discover their relationship, she comes under enormous pressure to end it.Alice Mitchell's subsequent actions caused a nationwide sensation and influenced the way lesbians were perceived by the press and the public for decades. Lucy is also joined by the historian Alexis Coe, author of Alice + Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis, who helps Lucy uncover exactly what drove Alice to kill the woman she loved.Lucy wants to know what this case tells us about women's lives in the southern states of America at the end of the 19th century, particularly the lives of LGBTQ+ women, and what it tells us about queer women's lives in America now. Today in Tennessee the LGBTQ+ community feels under increasing threat with legislation banning books in schools which portray gay or trans people and bans on drag acts. Lucy asks the drag artist and activist Magical Miss Mothie to find out more from members of the community during their annual Pride festival in the city.The story of Alice and Freda is complex and disturbing, and it culminates in the destruction of two young lives. But it reminds us that queer people have always been there and always will be; in the teeth of opposition from everyone around her Alice refused to see why she should not live her life with the woman she loved.Produced in partnership with the Open UniversityProducer: Jane Greenwood Readers: Clare Corbett, Bill Hope and Laurel Lefkow Sound design: Chris Maclean Series Producer: Julia Hayball Executive Producer: Kirsty HunterA StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4New episodes will be released on Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. But if you're in the UK, listen to the latest full series of Lady Killers first on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds - Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley - Available Episodes: http://bbc.in/3M2pT0K
Lucy Worsley travels back in time to revisit the unthinkable crimes of 19th century murderesses from the UK, Australia and North America.Lucy Worsley travels to Buckland Brewer, Devon, to investigate the death of a young servant girl on a remote farm. Far from bucolic idyll with roses around the door, this is the location of a grizzly crime where a teenage girl, Mary-Ann Parsons, is found dead, her emaciated body horribly bruised and battered.Guest Detective Baroness Helena Kennedy, a leading barrister and expert on human rights and modern slavery, joins Lucy to examine the crime. The alleged Lady Killer is Sarah Bird, a young farmer's wife and the mother of four children. Could she really be capable of this brutal murder? Together with Lady Killers' in-house historian Professor Rosalind Crone, the team examines how Mary-Ann Parsons comes to work as a Parish Apprentice at Gawland Farm, and how a toxic culture of abuse becomes the norm. With a wealth of experience in modern slavery, Baroness Helena Kennedy unpicks how people become trapped in domestic servitude today and what it takes to turn someone into an enslaver.Produced in partnership with the Open University.Producer: Emily Hughes Readers: Clare Corbett and Jonathan Keeble Sound design: Chris Maclean Series Producer: Julia Hayball. A StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4New episodes will be released on Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. But if you're in the UK, listen to the latest full series of Lady Killers first on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds - Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley - Available Episodes: http://bbc.in/3M2pT0K
Lucy Worsley travels back in time to revisit the unthinkable crimes of 19th century murderesses from the UK, Australia and North America.In this episode Lucy is joined by Evy Poumpouras, former special agent with the Secret Service, where she protected five US presidents as part of the Presidential Protective Division.Lucy and Evy investigate the case of Mary Surratt, a 42 year-old widow, mother and pious Catholic who was arrested in April 1865 for conspiring to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. He had been shot by former actor John Wilkes Booth while watching a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC. One of the most sensational trials in US history followed, with prosecutors pushing for death sentences for everyone involved in the murder.Lucy and Evy want to find out why the authorities were so sure that Surratt was involved in the assassination. They want to know what her story tells us about the lives of women at the close of the American Civil War. And they ask what happens when women step outside the domestic sphere and dare to get involved in protest and politics?To find out more about the background to the Civil War and Lincoln's assassination, Lucy asks Dr Nikki M Taylor, Professor of History at Howard University Washington DC, to go to Ford's Theatre and to the Surratt House Museum, formerly Mary's Surratt's tavern in Maryland. Mary Surratt, she discovers, was a slave-holder and, like John Wilkes Booth, was horrified by Lincoln's intention to end slavery and enfranchise African Americans.Mary Surratt is an elusive and divisive woman. Lucy wants to know if she was a devoted mother attempting to make her way in the world - or a hard-hearted conspirator, a slave-holder and fanatical Confederate trying to reignite the civil war.Produced in partnership with the Open UniversityProducer: Jane Greenwood Readers: Bill Hope, Jonathan Keeble and Laurel Lefkow Sound design: Chris Maclean Series Producer: Julia HayballA StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4New episodes will be released on Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. But if you're in the UK, listen to the latest full series of Lady Killers first on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds - Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley - Available Episodes: http://bbc.in/3M2pT0K
If you're enjoying a glass of port during the festive period, you have the world's oldest treaty to thank.Winston Churchill once described the Anglo-Portuguese alliance as ‘without parallel in world history.' Forged in the backdrop of the Hundred Years War 650 years ago, the alliance is the oldest in the world.In this episode Dan explores the medieval roots of this diplomatic friendship, which has benefitted both nations politically, culturally, and commercially.Hear why John of Gaunt travelled to an unassuming town outside Porto to lay the foundations of the alliance in the 1300s, and find out how often the treaty's been invoked in the six centuries since. From the hills of Porto to west London, Dan and the History Hit team uncover the incredible history of the world's oldest alliance.Produced and mixed by Mariana Des Forges and Charlotte Long. Special thanks to Jorge Coelho from the Vizela Tourism Board.Don't miss out on the best offer in history! Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 for 3 months with code BLACKFRIDAY sign up now for your 14-day free trial https://historyhit/subscription/.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
In this special 4-part series, we look back at the life of Adolf Hitler. With the help of Frank McDonough, a leading historian of the Third Reich, we follow Hitler from childhood to adulthood and learn how this awkward, aspiring artist became one of history's most infamous dictators.In this first episode, we trace Hitler's childhood and upbringing to learn what we can about his personality and desires. We hear how the First World War gave him a sense of purpose, and how the upheaval of Weimar Germany shaped his politics. Finally, we end with his disastrous first attempt to seize power - the Beer Hall Putsch.Produced by James Hickmann, Mariana des Forges and Freddy Chick. Edited by Dougal Patmore.Don't miss out on the best offer in history! Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 for 3 months with code BLACKFRIDAY sign up now for your 14-day free trial https://historyhit/subscription/.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
Despite her being a household name, how much do we really know about Pocahontas? Where did she come from? How old was she? And what was her real relationship with the colonists?Don is joined for this episode by Camilla Townsend, a Historian of Early Native American and Latin American History at Rutgers University. Camilla is the author of 'Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma' and, most recently, 'Indigenous Life After the Conquest: The De la Cruz Family Papers of Colonial Mexico'.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Siobhan Dale. The senior Producer was Charlotte Long.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.Don't miss out on the best offer in history! Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 for 3 months with code BLACKFRIDAY sign up now for your 14-day free trial https://historyhit/subscription/We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
This month on Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb investigates four of history's most notorious murders and brutal crimes.In this first episode, she's joined by Charles Nicholl to dig deeper into the mystery of the 1593 murder of the brilliant and controversial playwright Christopher Marlowe, who was stabbed to death in a house in Deptford. The official account stated it was a violent quarrel over the bill.But as Charles Nicholl explains, critical evidence about that fatal day points to Marlowe's shadowy political and intelligence dealings.This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
This is the story of the incredible rise and fall of Mary, Queen of Scots. She was queen of Scotland, she was queen of France, and she could have been queen of England. She led armies, lived as a fugitive, became embroiled in love affairs and spent nearly two decades in jail.Dan is joined by the great Kate Williams, a presenter, historian and professor at Reading University, to take us through the twists and turns of Mary's tumultuous life.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
The Malleus Maleficarum, or the 'Hammer of Witches', was a 15th-century book that sparked mass hysteria about the existence of witches in Europe - and it wasn't long before North America had fallen for the same obsession.In a special Halloween episode, Dan is joined by the co-host of the Gone Medieval podcast, Eleanor Janega, to take us through the most famous example of a witch-hunt in action. Eleanor explains how old grudges and grievances boiled up as the citizens of Salem, Massachusetts turned on one another. Hundreds of people were accused of witchcraft and just shy of two dozen were executed for it. So what happened in Salem? Why were almost all of the accused women? And what was a witch anyway? Tune in to find out.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
In celebration of recently winning a gold Signal Award, we are revisiting our series from last year on the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun.1. On the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor lie the burial chambers of some of Ancient Egypt's greatest pharaohs - Ramses II, Seti I and Tutankhamun. From Luxor, Dan delves into the history of the Valley of the Kings with Alia Ismail whose current project is 3D mapping the tombs. He ventures deep into the earth inside the most magnificent of all the valley tombs- Seti I - as he and celebrated Egyptologist Salima Ikram tell the story of Giovanni Belzoni and the many explorers and archaeologists who set the stage for Howard Carter's discovery of the century.Listen to the rest of the series via the link below.2. Tutankhamun: The Discovery of a Lifetime - https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/2-tutankhamun-the-discovery-of-a-lifetime3. Tutankhamun: The Life of a Boy Pharaoh - https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/3-tutankhamun-the-life-of-a-boy-pharaoh4. Tutankhamun: Inside the Tomb - https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/4-tutankhamun-inside-the-tombThis podcast was written and produced by Mariana Des Forges and mixed by Dougal PatmoreDiscover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
Dan attends the funeral of British and American soldiers, over 240 years after they died fighting one another at the Battle of Camden. He takes us through the battle step by step, walking the fields of South Carolina and speaking with archaeologists, locals and soldiers to bring this British victory back to life.Dan ends at a funeral procession that commemorates the lives of the men who died, and reminds us that the cost of war transcends the centuries.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
Also known as the October War and the Ramadan War, this conflict was initiated by Egypt and Syria on October 6, 1973, as a surprise attack on Israel during the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur and the Muslim month of Ramadan. It was motivated by a desire among Arab states to regain territory taken by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967, particularly the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights. The initial stages of the war caught Israel off guard, but they were able to regroup and mount a strong defence. The war ended with a ceasefire brokered by the United States and the Soviet Union. Israel returned the entire Sinai Peninsula to Egypt and in exchange Egypt recognised Israel as a legitimate state - the first Arab country to do so.It had a profound impact on the region and the seismic waves were felt across the world. Against the backdrop of the Cold War, it's been described as a proxy war between the US and the Soviet Union with Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries imposing an embargo against the United States in retaliation for the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military. This became a key contributor to the energy crisis of 1973, felt particularly in Britain.Commentators have made comparisons between the surprise attack by Hamas on the 7th of October 2023, with that first surprise attack made by the Arabic coalition in the Yom Kippur War. Today, Dan is joined by Dr Alexander Burns- Assistant Professor at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, a Historian of the eighteenth-century Atlantic World, American Continental Army, and Military Europe to look at those comparisons and run through a play-by-play of the 1973 conflict and its impact on the region and global order. Produced by Dan Snow, Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal PatmoreDiscover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
During WWII, the sailors of the British merchant navy played a vital role in keeping the UK fed and armed. They carried essential supplies across the treacherous Atlantic - and many paid with their lives. What's less well known is that many of those sailors were Chinese - volunteers who came to Britain to help the war effort and settled predominantly in the port city of Liverpool. But after the war, many of those Chinese sailors who returned home suddenly disappeared without a trace. For years families believed they'd decided to abandon them, but the reality was far worse.Dr Lucienne Loh, from the University of Liverpool, has been uncovering what happened to those sailors who endured war for Britain and how Britain turned its back on them. In previously secret Government documents, she discovered a shocking truth...Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!You can take part in our listener survey here.
Was ever a ship more aptly named? In 1845, HMS Terror (and its forgettably named sister ship HMS Erebus) set off from Victorian Britain. Their quest was to discover the fabled Northwest passage through the Arctic ice. The crew were heroes in waiting. Yet by the end, the rules that govern life on board Royal Navy vessels collapsed into chaos and cannibalism.Maddy tells Anthony this story about life in the Royal Navy, Arctic winters, badly written poetry, and the thin line that separates us from horror.Written by Maddy Pelling. Mixed by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!You can take part in our listener survey here.
One thing royal families strive for is the common touch. Whilst some have struggled with it, King James IV and V in the 15th and 16th centuries excelled in it. It could be said, however, that they took the term ‘common touch' too literally, as it wasn't uncommon for them to have sexual liaisons with their subjects. Who were some of the women they had their many affairs with? And what does this tell us about how liberal life north of the border was back then? Today we're joined by author Linda Porter, to find out. This episode was edited by Siobhan Dale, and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
The Hundred Years' War plunged England, France and their allies into over a century of conflict. This bleak period of history had rebellions, assassinations, open warfare and even the Black Death as the two rival dynasties went head-to-head for the French throne.Dan is joined by the historian and former Justice of the Supreme Court Lord Jonathan Sumption to help rattle through this 116-year period of bloody history.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
The renowned conqueror Alexander the Great was known as 'the two-horned one' by his enemies, and for good reason. His campaigns were bloody affairs even by the standards of the time. But the city of Tyre was not going to be intimidated - Alexander would have to think outside the box if he was going to take it.Dan is joined by Katherine Pangonis, a historian of the medieval Mediterranean world, to tell us the tale of Tyre from bloody beginnings to the bitter end.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
By the early 1990s, the Colombian city of Medellín was at the centre of the world's largest drug empire. The fearsome Medellín Cartel, led by the notorious drug lord and narcoterrorist Pablo Escobar, brought murder and mayhem to the city and the world for nearly two decades.In this episode, Dan is joined by the men portrayed in the critically acclaimed series Narcos, ex-DEA agents Javier Peña and Steve Murphy. They tell us the true story behind the rise and fall of the infamous Pablo Escobar.Produced by Freddy Chick and James Hickmann, and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
In light of the complex and tragic situation unfolding in Gaza and Israel, this episode looks at the past 100 years of the history of the region of Palestine. As well as an explanation from Dan, we hear from experts who have been on the podcast before to explain the background to the conflict we're seeing today. Historian Simon Sebag-Montefiore explores why Jerusalem is so important to both the Israelis and the Palestinians. Yara Hawari, a senior policy analyst for Al-Shabaka, describes the Palestinian perspective of the Mandate of Palestine after the First World War and Benny Morris, a former professor of History at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, provides insight into the Israeli mindset during the first crucial months of the State of Israel established in 1948. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!You can take part in our listener survey here.
This is everything you need to know about the famed conqueror Alexander the Great. Alongside Tristan Hughes, host of the hit podcast The Ancients, Dan follows Alexander on a whistle-stop tour from his life in Macedonia to his epic battles with the Persians and eventually, to his death in Babylon.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
David Mitchell joins Dan in today's episode to ask the all-important question - who was England's greatest monarch? From the 'overrated' William the Conqueror to the tantrum-throwing Henry VIII, anyone is up for grabs.Produced by Mariana Des Forges, James Hickmann and Beth Donaldson. Edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.PLEASE VOTE HERE for Dan Snow's History Hit in the 'Best Individual Episode - History' category for the 2023 Signal Awards. Every vote counts, thank you!We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
This episode contains themes of a sexual natureAchilles is one of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology. The son of Peleus, a Greek King, and Thetis, a divine sea nymph, Achilles was a demigod with extraordinary strength and courage. The perfect combination to make a great warrior, he is perhaps best known from Homer's epic poem the Iliad, which details his adventures in the final year of the Trojan War.He's also gone down in history for his passionate love for his companion, Patroclus. Sources and mythology differ as to the nature of their relationship, and in this episode, we ask the question: was it really erotic? What do the sources say? Does our definition of love differ from that of the Ancient Greeks? And, how did it inspire one of the greatest military generals in history: Alexander of Macedon?To help explore these themes, host Tristan Hughes is joined by returning guest Professor Alastair Blanshard from the University of Queensland.Voiceover: Lucy DavidsonScript Writer: Andrew HulseEditor: Aidan LonerganAssistant Producer: Annie ColoeSenior Producer: Elena GuthrieDiscover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.PLEASE VOTE HERE for Dan Snow's History Hit in the 'Best Individual Episode - History' category for the 2023 Signal Awards. Every vote counts, thank you!We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.
Dan tells the extraordinary tale of Captain James Cook. Born a labourer's son, he would rise to become one of history's greatest explorers. He went about as far as it was possible to go, sailing the Pacific Ocean and arriving on the shores of Australia and New Zealand.For these voyages, he assembled an A-Team of maritime explorers - marines, scientists, and a Polynesian explorer who had memorised the constellations of the stars. So what trials did he face on these epic voyages? Which peoples did he come across? And how did it all end? Tune in to today's Explainer to find out more.Written by Dan Snow and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.PLEASE VOTE HERE for Dan Snow's History Hit in the 'Best Individual Episode - History' category for the 2023 Signal Awards. Every vote counts, thank you!We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What did it take to become a Roman emperor? Pliny the Elder wrote that a ruler should be generous, victorious in battle and a father to his people. But how many emperors were able to live up to these expectations? And were these really traits that the typical Roman cared about?Dan is joined by the acclaimed scholar of Ancient Rome, Mary Beard, author of Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient World. Mary explains how the system of one-man rule was established, the skills it required, and why the Roman people put up with it.Produced by James Hickmann and Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In March 1582, a number of women from the small Essex village of St Osyth were hanged for the crime of witchcraft. Several others, including one man, died in prison, in what was a shocking and highly localised witch-hunt. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Marion Gibson, who offers revelatory new insights into the personal histories of those who were denied the chance to speak for themselves.This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On the 4th of June 1942, the US Navy took on the might of Japan's Imperial Navy in the battle of Midway. It was America's Trafalgar! At the end of the fighting devastating losses had been inflicted on the Japanese and the entire strategic position in the Pacific was upended in favour of the Allies. Never again would Japan be able to project power across the ocean as it had done at Pearl Harbour. In this explainer episode, Dan takes you through this key turning point in the Pacific War. He examines the key intelligence that allowed the American Navy to turn the tables on the Japanese fleet, a blow-by-blow account of the battle itself, the terrible human cost of the fighting and the aftermath of this decisive American victory.Edited by Dougal PatmoreDiscover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's the 13th of December, 1642, and Parliamentarian soldiers have just stormed the city of Winchester. They burst into the city's grand cathedral on horseback, and begin tearing it apart. The soldiers smash windows, burn tables and tapestries and steal anything of value. Stashed away in ornate wooden chests, they stumble across something unique - inside are the sanctified bones of English kings and queens, diligently collected over hundreds of years. But they are of no material interest to the rampaging soldiers, who turn the chests inside out and shatter many of the bones to dust.Nearly four hundred years later, Dan is joined by historian and bioarchaeologist Cat Jarman, to talk about her new book, The Bone Chests. Cat picks up this intriguing tale, and explains what the remaining fragments can tell us about the world of England's Anglo-Saxon forebears.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.