I’m Caitlin Chapman and I’m a proud Committee member of the Katherine Swynford Society. I’m also on the Editorial Team, where I write articles for our twice yearly Journal andRead More
307a Renaissance Warfare by Ben Jacobs
Ben Jacobs talks about how the demands and costs of Renaissance warfare changed the nature of Europe for ever Wittenberg to Westphalia Podcast Ben Jacobs is the hostRead More
Sh 34 John Clare – the Peasant Poet - Members Only
John Clare was for a while a sensation – a poet who gives us access to nature, and also the lives of England’s villagers and society in a time ofRead More
307 All Around the World
For a couple of years in the mid 1570s Elizabeth nixed proposed exploration projects for fear of Spain. At the same time she was discussing a secret voyage with a selectRead More
Transcript for Sh 34
Now, this is something of an experiment and a departure. First of all, shedcast biographies so far have by and large been in the same chronological phase as I wasRead More
306 A Devil and No Man
Together the Elizabethan explorers, and authors like John Dee and Richard Hakluyt built excitement about the possibilities of global exploration. Francis Drake gave it expression. The Spanish MainRead More
305 The Frog Prince
From 1578 to 1582 the courts of France, Spain and England buzzed with the possibility of the latest office romance – between the Queen of England and Duke of Anjou.Read More
Bun Fight Fete January
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304 Seeds of Irish Nationhood
By the 1580s, the English atrocities and the rebellion of James Fitzmaurice and the Earl of Desmond, Catholicism and its association with resistance ot English rule was clearly established. Events atRead More
Margaret Omnibus 3 EPs 7-9 - Members Only
Margaret and Henry Stafford made a home at Woking Palace during a time of changing lifestyles which prompted changes to the great houses. Despite a seemingly happy life, the vicissitudesRead More
Margaret 9 Readeption - Members Only
Warwick the Kingmaker supreme
Transcript for Margaret 9
Before we can consider the Staffords’ dilemma, though, I think we need to go back a step and understand the political situation. Seriously there can be few periods of greaterRead More
Margaret 8 The Life Domestic - Members Only
Margaret seems to have fallen on her feet and her marriage from 1458-1471, as far as we can tell, would seem to have been happy and fulfilled, working together onRead More
Transcript for MB8
Ok, so sorry about last week, I was distracted by the intricacies of the life and environment of your great late medieval house. Unfortunately it is you, not I, whoRead More
quiz test
Margaret 7 The Great House - Members Only
The image is of the Great Hall at Haddon Hall. Note the wooden screen in front of the 3 arches, which in rutn lay before the Buttery and Pantry, andRead More
Transcript for MB7
You may remember that Margaret and Henry had been granted the royal manor of Woking; Woking as you may know is known locally as the Eternal City, or Seven GatedRead More
303 Shane the Proud
The later Tudors faced a choice in their policy towards Ireland – would they resign themselves to the old ways, ruling through the Old English with minimal control; or wouldRead More
302 England’s Garland
This beautiful technical drawing of Revenge was left by Matthew Baker; unlike the equally beautiful Anthony Roll of 1545, it is technically accurate, created by one of England’s greatest shipwrights.Read More
MB Omnibus 2 EPs 4-6 - Members Only
In an extraordinarily dramatic few years, the painfully young Margaret goes through the events that will shape her life – two marriages and a child.
301 Black Tudors
Black Africans began to make their way in increasing numbers to England – firstly mainly via trading countries like Spain and Portugal, but increasingly direct. What sort of lives didRead More
Margaret 6 After Towton - Members Only
Margaret’s marriage to Henry Stafford appears to have started as it would go on – reasonably happily as far as we can tell. But the political chaos of theRead More
Margaret 5 Widow’s Weeds - Members Only
Though protected by the walls of Pembroke Castle, the death of Margaret’s husband left her vulnerable – something of a catch on the marriage market. Margaret, probably on the advice andRead More
Margaret 4 A Short Marriage - Members Only
Against a background of increasing political turmoil and military violence, Margaret turned 12 and was married in 1455. Despite her tender age, she was soon pregnant as she and EdmundRead More
300 Trade and Exploration
Elizabeth’s reign famously saw England enter the search for new markets with which to trade and explore. In this episode, we focus on trade with West Africa, and John Hawkins’ infamousRead More
299 West Africa
A horribly brief introduction to the West African kingdoms with which the Portuguese started to trade and a smidge of their backstory, before the English began to arrive inRead More
Sh 33 Thomas Gresham - Members Only
Written up as a sort of national patriotic hero by the Victorians, Thomas Gresham was in fact as hard as nails, a deal maker, a money man, a controller. ButRead More
Margaret Omnibus 1 EPs 1-3 - Members Only
Margaret's reputation, lineage and childhood
298 A Curate’s Egg
What started as a curate’s egg of an episode, ends up with an introduction to a new player, Francis Walsingham, and the story of the St Bartholomew’s Day massacreRead More
Margaret 3 A Short Childhood - Members Only
Margaret's childhood was short, but seemingly happy
Transcript for Margaret 6
As you may also know, in Anna Karenina, old Leo wrote that ‘All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way’; or an least that’sRead More
Margaret 2 Family - Members Only
Margaret's family history would shape her life
Transcript for Margaret 5
Margaret pretty quickly identified the best answer to her sticky situation. It lay just 2 miles away in Pembroke, where there was a massive, powerful and well maintained castle –Read More
Transcript for Margaret 4
In the months and years after 1453 during which Margaret continued her childhood at Bletsoe and Maxey, the English world darkened. In July 1453, the English were defeated at ChastillonRead More
Transcript for Shedcast 33
There I was enjoying the delights of Sunday breakfast, Tea, toast and Rose’s Lemon and Lime marmalade, when I came across a review of new biography by John Guy, oneRead More
297 Servant of Crime
Through the 1560s, the progress of the reformation gave both the Protestant Godly and Catholics much leeway and wriggle room. A series of events in the late 1560’s and earlyRead More
Margaret 1: Margaret through Time - Members Only
Margaret Beaufort through the eyes of historians
Transcript for Margaret 3
Margaret Beaufort would have a famously short childhood, but be that as it may this is what we are going to hear about today – only one short episode neededRead More
Transcript for MB 2
Episode: MB 2 Title: Family It is universally acknowledged that the wars of the Roses is an impassable marsh of poisonous names and titles. The Earl of Somerset, where’sRead More
Transcript for MB 1
Well here we are then, at the trail not of the lonesome pine, but of a new biography of a character in medieval English history – Margaret Beaufort. By andRead More
Transcript for Shedcast 33
Hello everyone and welcome… There I was enjoying the delights of Sunday breakfast, Tea, toast and Rose Lemon and Lime marmalade, when I came across a review of new biographyRead More
296 Rising of the North
The saga of the life and times of Mary Queen of Scots continues, but in 1568 something stirs in the north of England… Transcript Last time, I left you withRead More
Marshal 26 No Finer Knight - Members Only
Just the French and the Grim Reaper to go...
Marshal Omnibus 8 EPs 23-26 - Members Only
From zero to hero and back to zero
William the Marshal end of Shedcast Quiz
Test yourself - how much about William's life do you remember?
Transcript for Marshal 26
Well actually, the victory at Lincoln was not, in fact, to win the war. It was very close, but there was no cigar. It had however, put Marshal into theRead More
295 Marvellous Good Order
In Scotland Mary’s grasp on her kingdom begins to wobble. In 1566, Elizabeth’s parliament also gives her serious grief, drawing an increasingly waspish response. Read More
Transcript for Marshal 25
While everyone one pondered who should be the young king’s protector, they found out that John had already thought all about that, and covered it in his will. There wasRead More
25 Guardian - Members Only
As John lay dying at Newark he dictated his will. It laid down that Henry III’s minority should be managed by 13 Ordainers. So how did we get fromRead More