History

A History of the World in 100 Objects – BBC Sounds

Neil MacGregor's world history as told through things. This week he kicks off with an exquisite miniature version of the sort of high tech vessel that was to take Europeans right around the world.

History

A History of Mystery by Cal Flyn - The Secrets of Nature

Cal Flynn explains how the Scientific Revolution changed our relationship with the natural world.

History

The Rest is History, Mad Victorian Sport (BBC Sounds)

How and when was football invented, and what are the origins of football clubs? Which is the most historically important sporting ground in the world? Who was Richard Banks - the Lionel Messi of the Victorian period - and what did he achieve?

History

You're Dead to Me - Geoffrey Chaucer (BBC Radio 4)

Greg Jenner is joined in medieval England by Professor Marion Tuner and comedian Mike Wozniak to learn all about Geoffrey Chaucer, author of the Canterbury Tales.

History

Kings, Queens, and Dastardly Things – with Robert Hardman and Kate Williams

Love and death: Queen Cleopatra, Mark Antony, and the truth about that asp.

In this second episode on Cleopatra, Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams follow the Egyptian queen through the final and most famous chapter of her life.

History

You're Dead to Me – Eleanor of Aquitaine (Radio 4)

Greg Jenner is joined by historian Gabby Storey and comedian Rachel Parris to take a look at the action-packed life of Eleanor of Aquitaine. She was the only woman ever to be queen of both England and France. She took to the seas on a crusade and packed her entire household with her. She bore ten children and defended a castle, yet most of her life was spent clearing up her offsprings' mess. So just why is this badass queen’s legacy eclipsed by that of her sons?

History

Here For The History – Why do English people love tea?

How and when did tea arrive in the UK? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson take a look at the mythological origins, the role of a Portuguese princess and even going to war for a cuppa. We’ll start our journey with the first appearance of tea in England in the 1600s and its popularisation in the English royal court thanks to the Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza who married King Charles II. The story takes a dark turn as the British East India Company seeks to break China’s monopoly on tea production leading to the Opium Wars and corporate espionage. Finally, how tea fuelled Britain’s industrial revolution. Key Sources: A Social History of Tea - Jane Pettigrew A journey to the tea countries of China - Robert Fortune Dinner with Dickens - Penn Vogler

History

The Neolithic Hall: Reconstructing History at Stonehenge – with Amy Matthews

This week, the English Heritage Podcast brings the sights, sounds, and even the smells of 4,000 BC to life as host Amy Matthews visits Stonehenge for a remarkable experiment in archaeology: the building of a full‑scale Neolithic Hall.

Join host Amy as she explores a groundbreaking experimental archaeology project: the construction of a full-scale Neolithic Hall and discover how English Heritage curator of properties Win Scutt, experimental archaeologist Luke Winter, and English Heritage volunteer Suzie are using authentically recreated stone tools and ancient techniques to bring prehistory to life.