Category: history

Posts predominantly history related.

The Tradition of Maundy Money

Often in the shadow of Christmas due to the rampant over-commercisation, it is often forgotten that Easter Sunday is the culmination of Holy Week. Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival, and the one celebrated with the greatest joy.  As we approach the annual 4-day Easter holiday weekend I… Continue reading The Tradition of Maundy Money

Fantastic Map of The Roman Empire

Whilst doing a little bit of web browsing when writing my recent series of Roman articles, I came across this wonderful map below of the Roman Empire when it was at its maximum extent.  I don’t write simple posts like this but thought it is a worthy exception especially as my old posts on Maps… Continue reading Fantastic Map of The Roman Empire

The Battle of Graveney Marsh – The last battle on British soil.

Most history books have Bonny Prince Charlie’s 1746 defeat at Culloden as the final battle to occur in this country.   Of course that is just the stock answer, the actual final combat on British soil is the the virtually unheard of Battle of Graveney Marsh in the Kent countryside  which took place 194 years… Continue reading The Battle of Graveney Marsh – The last battle on British soil.

How the last invasion of Britain was foiled by a lady with a pitch-fork.

This week sees the anniversary of the last attempted invasion of Britain.  Most people will have heard of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the last time these islands were conquered.  There were a few invasions before that occupied various parts of the country from the Romans in the south to the Vikings in the… Continue reading How the last invasion of Britain was foiled by a lady with a pitch-fork.

James Bulger 25 years on – the crime that shocked the nation.

25 years ago this week, a crime shook Britain and the city of Liverpool in particular with such revulsion that no-one who was alive at the time will ever forget.  It was a crime where society sank to a new low and thankfully in the intervening years, nothing quite so sickening has ever happened since.… Continue reading James Bulger 25 years on – the crime that shocked the nation.

Tracing words back through time

Back in the mid 1990’s when I was studying at SOAS, one of the classes that I most enjoyed were those given by Professor Alexander Piatagorsky.  He is said to have been the greatest Russian philospher of all time and one of the lesser known but greatest thinkers of the modern world.   Sasha was… Continue reading Tracing words back through time

The Roman Ruins Under A London Hairdressers

I hope you’ve all enjoyed my recent guide to some of the remaining sights of Roman London.  Since writing those posts, last week I carried out my very first Roman Walking Tour of London from someone who must have seen my posting. The tour went very well with the friendly chap from Istanbul, a city… Continue reading The Roman Ruins Under A London Hairdressers

The London Colosseum

We’re all familiar with the Coloseum in Rome, one of the architectural wonders of both the ancient world and Italy but though the Colosseum is by far the most iconic, there are actually Roman amphitheatres to be found across North Africa and the Middle East, much of Europe and also the British Isles. There is… Continue reading The London Colosseum

Watling Street – A Roman Road through the heart of Britain

Though the Romans are famed for their roads along with many other things, they didn’t invent the idea of roads but rather vastly improved upon what had gone before with better engineering, money and manpower to it easier for their vast armies to police the empire and to a lesser extent to enable trade and… Continue reading Watling Street – A Roman Road through the heart of Britain