Often referred to as the ‘Hungry Decade’, the 1840s was characterised by social unrest, military losses and economic hardship ...

George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham, was a powerful and divisive figure, who won the heart of King James I but in doing so alienated those fellow ambitious courtiers surrounding him. His ...

The legacy of Rhodri ap Merfyn, commonly known as Rhodri the Great (Rhodri Mawr in Welsh) reaches far beyond his lifetime. The ruler of Gwynedd, Rhodri was one of the earliest Welsh leaders to unite ...

Four days before Lord Chelmsford’s invading force ended the Anglo-Zulu War by defeating King Cetewayo’s army at the Battle of Ulundi, a Zulu impi killed Louis Napoleon, the heir to the French throne.

Druids occur in many mystical tales of Prehistoric Britain. In one, a Druid, Figol, threatened to bring fire to rage on his enemies and prevent the men and their steeds from going to the toilet! Their ...

Glance upwards as you approach or enter many of Britain’s great cathedrals and churches, and it is more than likely you will catch sight of the Green Man gazing looking down at you. But who is this ...

What do Margaret Thatcher, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath and Teresa May have in common? They were all educated at state grammar schools. When you look at the list of Prime Ministers, you will find that ...

At only ten years of age, Richard II assumed the crown, becoming King of England in June 1377 until his untimely and catastrophic demise in 1399. Meanwhile, the English Parliament were quick to make ...

After the outbreak of civil war in August 1642, soldiers’ uniforms on the battlefield became windows into their hearts; in this divisive era, even hairstyles provoked fierce arguments. As a result, an ...

“There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as a good tavern or inn.” So wrote Samuel Johnson and for many, this remains true today. Think of an ...

History is not all swords and daggers and the simple things we often take for granted can prove to be just as thrilling in their discovery. Before we pick up a trowel, open the library door or click ...

The period 1700 – mid 1800 was marked by British naval dominance, as evidenced by the expansive colonial empire and victories in the War of Spanish Succession and Napoleonic Wars. These triumphs were ...