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.

Kings and Queens of Mercia
Discover the monarchs of the kingdom of Mercia, from King Icel in the early 500’s all the way through to Ælfwynn who annexed the kingdom to Wessex in 918.

Disease in the Middle Ages
Filth was a fact of life for all classes in the Middle Ages, with plague and infectious diseases flourishing in such conditions…

The Love Life of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I began her reign on 17th November 1558 as a young woman of only 25 years of age. However, by the time Elizabeth gave her first speech to Parliament in early 1559 she declared that it would be ‘sufficient’ for her to ‘live and die a virgin.’

Introduction of Tobacco to England
The usual date given for the arrival of tobacco in England is 27th July 1586, when it is said Sir Walter Raleigh brought it to England from Virginia…

Anne Mortimer, the forgotten Plantagenet
Inside the Church of All Saints in the small Hertfordshire village of Kings Langley lays the tomb of a young woman whose bloodline flows through 600 years of English monarchy. And yet Anne de Mortimer was just 20 years old when she died in 1411…

Cecil Rhodes
The story of Cecil Rhodes, empire builder and founder of the colonies of Southern and Northern Rhodesia.

King Henry II
King Henry II was the first Plantaganet King of England, famous for his stormy relationship with Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Thames Frost Fairs
Between 1607 and 1814, there were a total of seven major frost fairs held on the frozen River Thames in the heart of London. These fairs hosted bull-baiting, pop-up pubs, and even saw a king or two taking part in the festivities!