Ten things you should know about the Battle of Shrewsbury….

  My introduction to the Battle of Shrewsbury was at school, when Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part I had to be studied for ‘O’ levels. I didn’t like Henry IV then, and I don’t like him now. He was a usurper who murdered his cousin Richard II in order to plant his Lancastrian backside on the… Continue reading Ten things you should know about the Battle of Shrewsbury….

Battling to save a great old house….

The Country House Rescue series (all of them) are hit and miss for those who love all things medieval. But Season 4 Episode 2 is about Chapel Cleeve Manor, near Minehead in Somerset. It is a great 15th-century house with much history and is now in grave need of rescuing. The unbelievably stoic efforts of… Continue reading Battling to save a great old house….

Gone Medieval Podcast

I’ve Gone Mediaeval. That may not be a surprise to most, but now you can come with me. I am co-hosting a new podcast from History Hit called Gone Mediaeval. I present an episode every Saturday, mostly covering the high and late medieval period. The other host is Dr Cat Jarman, a bioarchaeologist, who specialises… Continue reading Gone Medieval Podcast

10 Facts About Simon de Montfort

Following his successful Henry III biography, here is Matthew Lewis’ contribution to History Hit about Simon de Montfort, the rebel who secretly married Henry’s sister before capturing him and Prince Edward, then being killed in battle at Evesham.