Topic: British History

Wren’s churches - England's greatest architect at work

When the Great Fire of London that Samuel Pepys witnessed had burned out, England’s greatest architect Christopher Wren got right to work.

The Puritan migration - Albion's seed sets sail

Who were the Puritans? What do you know about them? We explore David Hackett Fischers' Albion's Seed.

Have you seen this footage of The Crown Jewels?

The Crown Jewels are consistently held up as one of the most impressive collections of their kind.

The best cathedrals in England

Each of these provincial ecclesiastical fortresses merits a place on our list of the ten best cathedrals in England

Queen Emma of Normandy found buried In Winchester Castle

Are the remains of Queen Emma of Normandy among the 1,300 bones found at Winchester Cathedral?

Everything you need to know about Margaret Thatcher

On Feb 11, 1975, Margaret Thatcher defeats Edward Heath for the leadership of the British Conservative Party.

Did Henry VIII's grandmother Elizabeth Woodville die of plague

Does the discovered letter from 1511 prove that the White Queen died from the plague?

The effect the Battle of Hastings had on British history

In one battle, William the Conqueror led the Normans in sweeping away Anglo-Saxon rule.

Birthplace of Jane Grey, England's Nine-Day Queen discovered

Following in the footsteps of this tragic young Queen.

Everything you need to know about Robert Falcon Scott

Captain Robert Flacon Scott, Royal Navy officer, and the explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions. Today we celebrate his life and incredible adventures.

All the white horses - the history of Britain's chalk hillsides

From honoring King George to artistic expression here's everything you need to know about Britain's incredible white chalk horses and walkers or warriors.

Visiting Cambridge - a history lovers heaven

Cambridge - Undoubtedly one of Great Britain's best-kept secrets.

Weapons the Normans used in The Battle of Hastings

You know that The Battle of Hastings was a bloody fight between the Normans and the Saxons, but do you exactly how the Normans were armed?

Weaving life at Quarry Bank Mill

Explore the hard lives of workers and families of Georgian England at the Quarry Bank Mill's, Apprentice House, in Wilmslow.

A history of the British cotton industry

Britain once produced half the world's cotton cloth without growing a single scrap of, so just how did British textiles come to clothe the world?

Ten of the best Royal residences in Britain

For those who love the mystery and the magic of the Royal Family, let's take a walk in their shoes.

Sir Edmund Halley, a British scientific giant

English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist, and physicist, Sir Edmund Halley is best known for his discoveries surrounding Halley's Comet. How much do you know about this scientific giant?

The Venerable Bede - England's first great historian

About 1,300 years ago, the Venerable Bede was early medieval Europe's greatest scholar and the first to record the history of the English nation.

The day Buckingham Palace was bombed during WWII

Friday 13th, a day that sends shivers down everyone's spine, and is known for bringing bad luck. Even to the Royal Family and never more so than during World War II, in 1940.

The real story and places behind Alice in Wonderland

The true history of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, the life of Alice Liddell, and what remains in real life of these fantastical tales.

What you need to know about Francis Walsingham, Elizabethan spymaster

Meet the man who ordered the execution of Mary Queen of Scots while working as a spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I - Francis Walsingham

Five facts about Prince Albert

In 2019 Britain celebrated Prince Albert's 200th birthday, here are five unknown facts about Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria.

What was life like in Britain in 1607?

What was life really like for people in Britain during the 1600s, those British who emigrated to America?

Sites of Roman Britain - villas, towns and forts

Occupied by the Romans from the 1st to the 4th century, Roman historic sites abound in modern Britain. Here's where to found them.

The gilded cages of Mary Queen of Scots

Follow in the footsteps of Mary Queen of Scots by visiting the houses, castles, and areas she stayed in while imprisoned by her cousin Elizabeth I. 

The reign of Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Eizabeth II is officially the world's longest reigning monarch, but what comparisons can be made between her reign and that of Queen Elizabeth I?

Just how "black" was the Indian prison, Black Hole of Calcutta?

A genuine narrative of the deplorable deaths of the gentlemen who were suffocated in the Indian prison known as the Black Hole of Calcutta.

Is this Queen Elizabeth's finest speech?

Could this be Queen Elizabeth's best speech?

Viscount Coke: Opening the doors at Holkham Hall

Viscount Tom Coke, heir to the Earldom of Leicester, on his life running, and the history of Holkham Hall in Norfolk.

Remembering King George III's on his birthday

Today marks the birthday of King George III, King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, and we celebrate by taking a look at his official biography.

God bless the Prince of Wales

A history, swashbuckling exploits and symbolic splendor of the role created in 1284 and carried out today by Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth's eldest son.

For the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation some interesting lesser-known facts

On June 2 1953 Princess Elizabeth was crowned as Queen Elizabeth II. Here are some top facts about the her coronation 67 years ago.

Celebrating Britain's most famous composer Edward Elgar at his Birthplace Museum

Happy Birthday Edward Elgar. We celebrate by looking at his life's achievements and the Elgar Birthplace Museum and Elgar Center in Worcestershire.

Philip Sidney, 2nd Viscount De L’Isle, on the challenges of running Penshurst Place estate

Philip Sidney talks to BHT about his family estate, Penshurst Place, and how it feels to truly live, and preserve, the history.

John Logie Baird - the forgotten pioneer of television

Today (Aug 13) in 1888, John Logie Baird was born in Helensburgh. Thirty-eight years later, on Jan 26, 1926, he first demonstrated his invention, the colour television, changing the world forever. 

The military art of the Normans

Before we examine the Battle of Hastings and William the Conquer's subsequent victory, perhaps we should take a look at the history of military art in the 11th century 

The "Old Masters" mosaics of Roman Britain

The majority of Britain's mosaic masterpieces have been lost to the ages, but those that remain are absolutely stunning.

1,000-year-old British mill back in action amid COVID-19 pandemic

The Sturminster Newton Mill is in high demand as consumers are using more flour during the coronavirus lockdown.

Missing piece of Stonehenge returned after 60 years

A piece of Stonehenge, missing for more than 60 years, was finally returned in 2019 and may provide clues to the monument's origins.

The Westerham Triumvirate - Sir Winston Churchill, General James Wolfe and William Pitt the Younger

Steve Roberts takes a look at the town of Westerham, and its most famous sons.

A history of Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine was a major figure in the middle ages and a prominent figure in women's history. So what do we need to know about this remarkable woman?

In the footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie

Taking the High Road from Inverness to the Isle of Skye.

What is it that makes Stonehenge's stone circles so magical

While Stonehenge does not make Britain's other stone circles in size or setting it remains one of Britain's most fascinating tourist attractions and here's why...

Haltwhistle is still literally the center of Britain

In the heart of Roman Wall Country, the Northumbrian market town bristles with pride.

The incredible life of Sir Thomas Becket and his gruesome murder

Sir Thomas Becket changed from being a 'patron of play-actors and a follower of hounds to being a shepherd of souls.'

Historic battlefields across Britain

The fields where war was waged are historic and poignant.

Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar

Lord Nelson was a brave and ferocious leader in war. Here's a fascinating account of his life.

Country manors in Britain that are well worth a visit

Family-friendly homes of gentry and merchant to visit on your next vacation in Britain.

Lindum Colonia - ecclesiastical powerhouse and Norman fortress

From the Iron Age to the Romans and into the Middle Ages - treasures left in Lincolnshire through the centuries.

Step into spring with British Heritage Travel’s latest edition

From the wonderland of the Forest of Dean to the Cornish coast and horrible histories of Britain, our March / April magazine is just out and jam-packed full of British history and travel inspiration.

POLL: Winston Churchill - Hero or Villain?

Was Winston Churchill a hero or a villain? Take our poll and let us know what you think.

The utopian cotton-spinning factory of New Lanark

Decent homes, fair wages and the first nursery school in the world