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

    By David Crowther 2 Comments

        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

    By David Crowther 9 Comments

    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

    304 Seeds of Irish Nationhood

    By David Crowther 2 Comments

    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

    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

    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

    By David Crowther 0 Comments

    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

    By David Crowther 2 Comments

    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

    By David Crowther 0 Comments

    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

    300 Trade and Exploration

    By David Crowther 1 Comments

      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

    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

    299 West Africa

    By David Crowther 11 Comments

      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

    298 A Curate’s Egg

    By David Crowther 7 Comments

      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

    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

    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

    By David Crowther 1 Comments

      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

    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

    By David Crowther 15 Comments

      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

    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

    By David Crowther 3 Comments

    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

    Transcript for Beaufort 1

    Well here we ar3e then, the trail not of the lonesome pine, but of a new character in medieval English history – Margaret Beaufort. By and large, Margaret has playedRead More

    Margaret Beaufort

    Margaret Beaufort had a life a remarkable life. Coming from one of the grandest and well-connected families of the 15th century, she found her life turned upside down by herRead More