Friday, April 26, 2024

UK/Irish History

Sometime before the start of the first millennium AD, the Celtic people of Western Europe took to boats and settled the two islands later known as Britain and Ireland. Since that time, the history of these two islands has been interconnected. The Irish invaded and created Scotland. The Norman British later returned the favour and launched an invasion that started centuries of fighting that lead to the political division of Ireland today.

Amidst this constant fighting, the two island have produced many of history’s biggest names: King Arthur, St. Patrick, Henry VIII, Shakespeare, Thomas Moore, Duke Wellington, Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, and so many more.

Food and Diet for the Rich and Poor in Tudor Times

A look at what people ate in the sixteenth century and the differences in diet between the rich and the poor. The Tudor Age (1485-1603)...

Lacock Abbey

Lacock Abbey is a beautiful country abbey, formerly the home of William Henry Fox Talbot, a pioneer of early photography. The astonishing Lacock Abbey is...

English Civil War

The English Civil War involved much blood-letting, but it also generated a lot of writing and thinking about democratic-republican government. The conflict between rising notions...

Freemasonry in England: A Short History

A succinct insight into the history of Freemasonry in England; from its origins in the Middle Ages to present day principles. Though the exact time...

The Glorious Revolution and the Reign of King William III

The bloodless revolution in England in 1688-1689 led to constitutionalism and greater Parliamentary control over the monarchy. On January 22, 1689, William of Orange convened...

Waity Katie Not the Only Royal to Wait

Much has been said about Kate Middleton waiting so long for Prince William to finally pop the question, but other royals have shown equal...

Coal Mining Ancestors – How They Lived and Worked

In the UK in the 19th and early 20th centuries the main industry was coal mining, but how did miners live by the time...

The Exhumation and Posthumous Execution of Oliver Cromwell

After leading republican forces to victory in the English Civil War, Cromwell became Lord Protector. After the Restoration, his body was exhumed and hanged. Oliver...

The Religious Landscape of the Druids

Iron Age religious rituals impacted little on the landscape. But archaeology offers tantalising clues to the spiritual beliefs and practices of the Druids. Historical Views...

The Macabre Execution of the Duke of Monmouth

On July 15, 1685 the illegitimate son of King Charles II was beheaded in one of the more gruesome executions ever to take place...