Culture UK
Who are the British? Do they really drink tea, eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and never leave home without an umbrella? Find out more about true Brits; past and present, myth and legend, fact and fiction.
Isotopes and Richard III
A skeleton discovered in a car park in Leicester in 2013 displayed spinal curvature as well as evidence of a violent death. Were these the remains of Richard III, the last Plantagenet king who was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field? Luckily, isotopic analysis was on hand to help resolve this issue…
Henry VIII’s Beard Tax
There’s a bit of a mystery about the beard tax imposed by Henry VIII, and it’s not just the mystery of why the heck anyone would want to put a tax on facial hair…
The Elite Romano Woman
For almost four centuries A.D.43-410, Britain was a small province of the Roman Empire. Archaeological evidence helps greatly in filling out the picture of the…
Ada Lovelace
The second Tuesday of every October is Ada Lovelace Day, in honour of the 19th century mathematician and computer programming pioneer. She was the only legitimate daughter of Lord Byron, who was one of the most debauched and above all, poetic of Englishmen…
Vinegar Valentines: Snakes, Drunks And A Dose Of Vitriol
It’s always tricky negotiating St Valentine’s Day etiquette. Take, for example, a recent cartoon showing an irate recipient of flowers, chocs and a giant Valentine’s…
Scottish Wedding Traditions
Tying the Knot, Paying-the-Piper and Having a Dram – or a guide to traditional Scottish wedding practices and their origins!
Kissing Friday
The Friday after Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday is Kissing Friday. You may wonder why you haven’t heard of this strange custom…
How the Victorian Era affected Edwardian Literature
Lexi Burgess discusses how authors’ writing in the Edwardian era began to challenge Victorian morality and sensibilities, and the rise of technology…
