The History of England Magazine
Every month we present new feature articles relating to the history of this green and pleasant land. From ancient battlefields to famous people, hangings to national celebrations, we’ve got something to interest everyone.
You may also be interested in our History of Britain section covering the period from the Act of Union during Queen Anne‘s reign to the modern day.
The Life and Downfall of Thomas Cromwell
The celebrated television series ‘Wolf Hall’ is based on the rapid rise to power of Thomas Cromwell in the court of King Henry VIII. Cromwell’s life was one of power, plotting and subterfuge whilst always at risk of losing both Henry’s favour and his head…
St Amphibalus and St Guthlac – Forgotten Saints
Discover the story of St. Amphibalus, the saint named after a cloak, whose shrine lies in St. Albans Cathedral, and that of St. Guthlac, a hermit-saint tormented by demons. These are just two of England’s forgotten saints…
Surviving the Medieval Midwinter
As we snuggle down in our 21st century homes with their central heating and double glazing, let us spare a thought for those in medieval Britain. How did they survive a harsh winter, especially as this was during Europe’s ‘Little Ice Age’…
Tudor Dentistry
Queen Elizabeth I set all the trends at court – including her sugar-rotted teeth. Famous for her love of sugar and all things sweet, the queen’s blackened teeth became a beauty trend, with some people even going as far as to purposefully rot their own teeth to emulate the look.
Powder Monkeys
Admiral Lord Nelson’s decisive victory at the Battle of Trafalgar is well known. What is less well known is that without the powder monkeys, the brave young boys who ferried the gunpowder to the guns, this great victory could not have happened.
Kings of Kent
The Kingdom of the Kentish, known today as the Kingdom of Kent, was one of the great seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England. Based around its capital of Canterbury, it was the first of the kingdoms to convert to Christianity.
Cecily of York
Cecily of York, daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, is far less well-known than her older sister Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII and the first Tudor queen. Yet her own story remains fascinating, intertwined not only with the bloody conflict known as the Wars of the Roses and the subsequent rise of the Tudor dynasty, but also with great personal tribulations…
Plough Monday
Marking the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas and dating back to the fifteenth century, Plough Monday, the first Monday after Epiphany, was observed by farming communities up and down the country, celebrating the beginning of the agricultural year with dance, music and decorated ploughs…
Women on the March: Camp Followers of the 17th and 18th Centuries
Viewers of the Sharpe TV series, based on the books by Bernard Cornwell on the Peninsular War, will be very familiar with the baggage train of camp followers, the women who accompanied their menfolk on campaign. These women were the backbone of the army, their contributions often ignored…
