Oxford’s Oldest College
I recently posted about the Battle of Neville’s Cross. This was a battle fought between King David II of Scotland and the English commanded by Baron Ralph Neville. King David II succeeded Robert I (the Bruce) who had succeeded John Balliol, whose father founded...
The Battle of Neville’s Cross
The Battle of Neville’s Cross took place on 17th October 1346, a mile to the west of Durham. To appreciate the Battle of Neville's Cross, we must first understand the geopolitical landscape of 14th-century Europe. The Hundred Years' War between England and France was...
Dorothy L Sayers and the Golden Age Queens of Crime
There’s an article in October’s issue of Red Herrings titled “A Celebration of Lord Peter Wimsey”. I always find something to inspire or educate me in the CWA monthly bulletin. I already knew that Sayers had a first-class degree in Modern Languages from Somerville...
Pilgrimage of Grace
The Pilgrimage of Grace began on 13th October 1536, almost immediately after the suppression of the Lincolnshire Rising. One of the primary catalysts for the Pilgrimage of Grace was the religious upheaval brought about by Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church....
My Favourite Film
I’ve written in Readers Club about my favourite book, The Last Enemy, by Richard Hillary. So perhaps it’s time to identify my favourite film. The shortlist would include Casablanca, The Battle of Britain, The High and the Mighty, In Which We Serve, Robin Hood Prince...
Henry IV & Tottenham Hotspur
On 30th September 1399 King Richard II’s abdication was read in parliament by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Henry IV replaced him. Whether the abdication was genuine or not is a matter of debate. Richard II's reign was marred by political instability, economic...
Harold Harefoot
As I researched my last post on the Battle of Stamford Bridge, I was struck that King Harold, of Battle of Hastings fame, Harold Godwinson, was King Harold II. So who was King Harold I? He was Harold Harefoot, named after his hunting prowess. Harold Harefoot was the...
Stamford Bridge
King Harold II, Harold Godwinson, won the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25th September 1066. He defeated King Harald Hardrada of Norway and his own exiled brother, Tostig Godwinson. The Battle of Stamford Bridge took place during the tumultuous year of 1066, a period...
Ben Jonson – Playwright
On 22nd September 1598 the playwright, Ben Jonson appeared in court at Shoreditch indicted with the manslaughter of the actor Gabriel Spencer. Jonson was 26 years of age, and had shared a prison cell with Spencer the previous summer, when Jonson’s play, “The Isle of...
Oxford’s Oldest College
I recently posted about the Battle of Neville’s Cross. This was a battle fought between King David II of Scotland and the English commanded by Baron Ralph Neville. King David II succeeded Robert I (the Bruce) who had succeeded John Balliol, whose father founded...
The Battle of Neville’s Cross
The Battle of Neville’s Cross took place on 17th October 1346, a mile to the west of Durham. To appreciate the Battle of Neville's Cross, we must first understand the geopolitical landscape of 14th-century Europe. The Hundred Years' War between England and France was...
Dorothy L Sayers and the Golden Age Queens of Crime
There’s an article in October’s issue of Red Herrings titled “A Celebration of Lord Peter Wimsey”. I always find something to inspire or educate me in the CWA monthly bulletin. I already knew that Sayers had a first-class degree in Modern Languages from Somerville...
Pilgrimage of Grace
The Pilgrimage of Grace began on 13th October 1536, almost immediately after the suppression of the Lincolnshire Rising. One of the primary catalysts for the Pilgrimage of Grace was the religious upheaval brought about by Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church....
My Favourite Film
I’ve written in Readers Club about my favourite book, The Last Enemy, by Richard Hillary. So perhaps it’s time to identify my favourite film. The shortlist would include Casablanca, The Battle of Britain, The High and the Mighty, In Which We Serve, Robin Hood Prince...
Henry IV & Tottenham Hotspur
On 30th September 1399 King Richard II’s abdication was read in parliament by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Henry IV replaced him. Whether the abdication was genuine or not is a matter of debate. Richard II's reign was marred by political instability, economic...
Harold Harefoot
As I researched my last post on the Battle of Stamford Bridge, I was struck that King Harold, of Battle of Hastings fame, Harold Godwinson, was King Harold II. So who was King Harold I? He was Harold Harefoot, named after his hunting prowess. Harold Harefoot was the...
Stamford Bridge
King Harold II, Harold Godwinson, won the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25th September 1066. He defeated King Harald Hardrada of Norway and his own exiled brother, Tostig Godwinson. The Battle of Stamford Bridge took place during the tumultuous year of 1066, a period...
Ben Jonson – Playwright
On 22nd September 1598 the playwright, Ben Jonson appeared in court at Shoreditch indicted with the manslaughter of the actor Gabriel Spencer. Jonson was 26 years of age, and had shared a prison cell with Spencer the previous summer, when Jonson’s play, “The Isle of...