These days we all have easy access to maps and our local administration is likely run by some sort of government office, elected or otherwise. That wasn’t always the case especially in the U.K. where the role of the church was hugely important. With churches across the whole country, it was important to know what… Continue reading Beating the bounds
Tag: Medieval
Cloaked in history or I wish I could wear a cloak
It probably says more about what I watch on television or in the cinema that so many people seem to wear cloaks. We tend to think of cloaks as a little Medieval but both ancient Greek and Roman men and women wore cloaks. The Greek-styled Roman cloak, or pallium, was shaped like a square and sat on… Continue reading Cloaked in history or I wish I could wear a cloak
Football to the beautiful game from the deadly one
Not quite Halloween related, heaven knows I have written enough of them over the last 10 years but something still a little bit gory to get our fangs into. I’m a great one for unfortunate deaths in times gone by, it inspired me to write 101 Most Horrible Tortures In History. For some reason this… Continue reading Football to the beautiful game from the deadly one
King Alfred and his burned cakes… recipe inside!
Before we get further into King Alfred and Winchester, I thought it would be a change of pace to write a little on one of the little gems of old English folk history. You can read about King Alfred on this old post but basically where this story takes place is in the midst of… Continue reading King Alfred and his burned cakes… recipe inside!
Thomas Becket Play and Pageant 2022
Whilst I was giving a Roman Tour on Saturday, my guests and I happened across a mini rehearsal fora special event coming up later this week in the Guildhall Yard. Two very large figures were inthe process of being taken apart. At first I thought it might be Gog and Magog but I quickly worked… Continue reading Thomas Becket Play and Pageant 2022
A Grotesque Gift – The difference between a gargoyle and a grotesque!
As I write this, yesterday I received a mysterious box from Oxford University and for a split second I wondered what it might be but then I realised it must certainly be a gift from my tourist friend Lorraine in Australia. We’d been to Oxford as part of our epic North of England tour, Oxford… Continue reading A Grotesque Gift – The difference between a gargoyle and a grotesque!
Christmas through the ages
It seems unavoidable, the big day has almost arrived. Whereas last year I wrote a post on debunking myths surrounding Christmas and in 2015 on the history of Father Christmas and Santa Claus this time around I thought I would write a little on what Christmas was like through the ages. I like Christmas but I… Continue reading Christmas through the ages
Stephen Liddell 