Podcasts · History

The History of England

David Crowther

300 episodes

This my re-telling of the story of England. I aim to be honest, and rigorous - but always loving of my country's history. It is a regular, chronological podcast, starting from the end of Roman Britain. There are as many of the great events I can squeeze in, of course, but I also try to keep an eye on how people lived, their language, what was important to them, the forces that shaped their lives and destinies, that sort of thing. To listen free of adverts, support the podcast, access a library of 150+ hours of shedcasts of me warbling on, and get new shedcasts every month, why not become a member at https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk/become-a-member ? You know it makes sense...

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Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. The Uprising

    · 14 min

    Paul Greengrass' The Uprising covers the Peasant's Revolt in 1381 from start to bloody finish. Did you see it? What did you think? This is a few minutes from me about how I found it, and an invitation tio come along to…

  2. English Food with Neil Buttery

    · 57 min

    Eating in England and indeed Britain is delightfully varied, with a diversity mix of heritages and styles from across the world. Neil Buttery, chef, food historian and host of the British Food History Podcast, joins me…

  3. 455 The Immortal Seven

    · 43 min · S9 E25

    The very same day that the Seven Bishops were acquitted, another seven men met at a secret meeting, and together composed as letter. The ex-admiral, Arthur Herbert, smuggled it to the Netherlands, to present it to…

  4. 454 Trial of the Seven Bishops

    · 44 min · S9 E24

    Full of confidence at his progress, in 1688 James decided he would suffer no more equivocation from the Church of England. The Indulgence was re-issued, this time with a command that it be read by every priest from…

  5. 453 Royal Indulgence

    · 49 min · S9 E23

    1686 had seen progress for James - but he was puzzled and frustrated by Anglican opposition from the English and Scottish parliaments. 1687 saw a continuation of the old strategy to raise the status of Catholics, and…

  6. 452 A New Reformation

    · 43 min · S9 E22

    From a happy start in 1685, James had begun to hit resistance in England to his campaign for Catholic emancipation. In 1686, he planned to accelerate the process. He expected rapid success in Ireland and Scotland, and…

  7. 451 Exodus

    · 45 min · S9 E21

    As the English parliament was preparing to sit, news came in of a protestant cataclysm in the making in October 1685, and soon after refugees started arriving with horror stories of persecution. The rumours were…

  8. 450 Beat Your Drums

    · 47 min · S9 E20

    At the parliament on April 1685, Scotland demonstrated how loyal subjects should treat their king - an example which was duly followed by their southern neighbours soon afterwards. Yet despite this enthusiastic…

  9. 449 King James II of Great Britain

    · 46 min · S9 E19

    The reign of James II and the Glorious Revolution was a central part of the national story built by Whig historians. But since the 20th century the picture has been heavily revised with new perspectives, such as the…

  10. AAG 1666-1685 How Merrie is your Monarch?

    · 1 h 08 min · S9 E18

    The Dutch raid on the Medway effectively brought the Second Anglo Dutchto an end, and also the honeymoon period. From 1667 to 1681, Charles sought to play off factions in parliament, to keep his freedom of action,…

  11. 448 Not So Merrie

    · 48 min · S9 E16

    After dismissing parliament of Oxford in 1681, Charles pursued alliance with the Tories and emasculation of the Whigs and Dissenters at all political levels. He pursued a strategy with determination and consistency he…

  12. English Objects with the Three Ravens

    · 41 min

    Eleanor and Martin of the Three Ravens podcast and I have one (probably last) walk round some objects that we think make us lie back and think of England. For maps, resources, transcripts or to become a member, head…

  13. 447 The Exclusion Brouhaha

    · 47 min · S9 E15

    In 1680 and 1681, Shaftesbury led an increasingly shrill and effective campaign, asppeling to popular opinion to force Charles into calling a new parliament. There he could be forced to learn about the power of the…

  14. 446 The Popish Plot

    · 41 min · S9 E14

    In 1678 a fantasist and charlatan, Titus Oates, made a series of wild and dramatic accusations of a Catholic plot to assasinate the king. A series of extraordinary co-incidences seemed to confirm his accusations, and…

  15. 445 Carnage

    · 45 min · S9 E13

    In 1677, Danby finally seemed to have cracked Charles' problem with parliament - until a diplomatic game of will-he-won't-he in the Anglo Dutch war rose to the level of farce, and derailed everything. In the middle of…

  16. 444 Danby's New Way

    · 46 min · S9 E12

    Thomas Osborne, Earl of Danby had a plan as Charles' new 'Prime Minister', to repair the damage from the disastrous Third Anglo Dutch War. To rebuild his master's prestige on the pillars of financial stability, and…

  17. 443 Charles' Great Game

    · 46 min · S9 E11

    In 1672, Charles sought to put the Treaty of Dover into operation; to join Louis XIV in making war on the Dutch Republic. The plan was to replace de Witt's government with William of Orange as Stadholder, capture key…

  18. Roifield and David's Stories of England in 50 Objects

    · 23 min

    Roifield and David talk about 5stories of England as part of the Very English Chat project, to tell stories of England in 50 objects. ‘A very English chat’ works is a wonderful project to escape division and…

  19. 442 The Treaty of Dover

    · 46 min · S9 E10

    After a half an episode on the really important stuff - Nell Gwyn, Aphra Behn and Restoration theatre, we reach possibly the most remarkable treaty any British monarch has made, ever. The Treaty of Dover. For maps,…

  20. 441 The Duellist

    · 45 min · S9 E9

    1667 had not been a great year for Charles, with the humiliation at the Medway, and his pro French strategy in ruins. So he needed a scapegoat, and he needed to re-assert the primacy of the Royal Prerogative. For…

  21. The Rage of Party with George Owers

    · 49 min

    The period from 1670 to 1714 is a period of astounding and dramatic change; the Exclusion crisis, the Glorious Revolution, years of war, the formation of Geat Britain - and the birth of sulphurous party politics.…

  22. AAG 1660-1666 Restoration

    · 59 min · S9 E17

    The settlements following the Restoration didn't turn out exactly as the Three Kingdoms or indeed Charles imagined, but nonetheless for the moment king and his parliaments were in a honeymoon period. Soon to be…

  23. 440 The Kingdom is Undone

    · 42 min · S9 E8

    In the wake of the Great Fire, Charles worked with parliament to prepare for the 1667 campaigning season in the Second Anglo Dutch war. But there was a problem, and the problem was money. In the end a plan was hatched…

  24. 439 London Reborn

    · 46 min · S9 E7

    'Where there's muck, there's brass', and that was certainly the case with rebuilding London from the mess of ash and rubble that remained. And developers like Nicholas Barbon knew how to make as much brass as possible,…

  25. Crucible of Modernity with Dr Jeevun Sandher, MP

    · 57 min

    Jeevun Sandher and I discuss some highlights from the story of how England and Britain made itself into a modern democracy, and some of the contribution it made towards the development of the modern world For maps,…

  26. 438 Burned to Sticks

    · 35 min · S9 E6

    The war with The Netherlands in 1665 ended on a low, with the Thames blockaded. Poor London - trade was devastated by war, trade was devastated by plague. Hopefully 1666 would be better, as the royal court rumbled back…

  27. 437 The Pale Horseman

    · 39 min · S9 E5

    In May 1665, worrying reports of plague cases crop up inside the walls of London; by June the summer heat was oppressive and it became clear - the plague had returned. Charles and his court left to terrorise Oxford…

  28. 436 Three Horsemen

    · 40 min · S9 E4

    It is possible that Charles and his Privy Council didn't necessarily want war - certainly Clarendon did not; but they were prepared to rattle the sabre and man the brink to try and force trade consessions which some…

  29. School for Scandal by Gavin Whitehead

    · 1 h 05 min

    Gavin Whitehead of the Art of Crime Podcast tells us the story of the art historian, soviet spy and traitor - Anthony Blunt For maps, resources, transcripts or to become a member, head for…

  30. 435 The Anglican Tyranny

    · 40 min · S9 E3

    In 1661 fresh elections brought together another Long Parliament. This, the Cavalier parliament, would sit, off and on, for 18 years. It was not inspired by a spirit of compromise. The programme they introduced tried…

  31. 434 Return of the King

    · 45 min · S9 E2

    In 1660 the King returned and immediately sought to rebuild the damaged prestige of the Crown. And in popular memory, Charles II's reputation has been among the best - the Merrie Monarch, a polymath and breath of fresh…

  32. 433 9.1 Restoration, Revolution and the English Enlightenment

    · 35 min · S9 E1

    In this first episode of Series 9, a a chance to talk about some of the themes which will drive our period of 1660 to 1715. The continuing role of religion in politics, the Rage of Parties, the varying fortunes and…

  33. 432b Europe XIII The Age of the Sun King Pt II

    · 48 min

    Throughout Europe, nations made sweeping social changes, driven the demands of war, the ideas of Absolutism and the growing belief in reason and improvement. This is the age of many of the great names of European…

  34. 432a Europe XIII The Age of the Sun King Pt I

    · 50 min

    Late 17th century and the 18th century Europe was dominated by French culture, wealth, and military exploits. In the first of two epiosdes on the period between 1660 and 1715 (ish), we consider emerging themes in…

  35. French and English Revolutions Q&A Part II

    · 42 min · S8 E80

    Part II of the Q&A where Will Clark of The French Revolution & Napoleon Podcast and I compare and contrast the French and English Revolutions and try to answer all your questions For maps, resources, transcripts or to…

  36. French and English Revolutions Q&A Part I

    · 58 min · S8 E79

    Will Clark of The French Revolution & Napoleon Podcast and I compare and contrast the French and English Revolutions and try to answer all your questions For maps, resources, transcripts or to become a member, head…

  37. The Greatest Welsh Ruler: Episode 2 (1066-1415)

    · 46 min · S8 E78

    Welcome to our search for the Greatest Ruler of Wales. In these two Podcasts, Stephen aims to introduce some of the leaders who shaped Medieval Welsh History. Along the way, We’ll give a very succinct survey of the…

  38. The Greatest Welsh Ruler: Episode 1 (350 to 1063)

    · 56 min · S8 E78

    Welcome to our search for the Greatest Ruler of Wales. In these two Podcasts, Stephen aims to introduce some of the leaders who shaped Medieval Welsh History. Along the way, We’ll give a very succinct survey of the…

  39. When Theatre Refused to Die by Philip Rowe

    · 42 min · S8 E78

    Philip of the History of European Theatre podcasts talks about how theatre kept itself alive through the days of the Republic and burst into life once more at the Restoration For maps, resources, transcripts or to…

  40. AAG 1654-1660 Protectorate and Restoration

    · 1 h 08 min

    The course of the Protectorate was by no means smooth; but by 1658 the prospect of the return of the monarchy was remote indeed, stability had re-appeared, prosperity was returning. With a spirit of compromise and…

  41. 431b A World Turned Upside Down?

    · 27 min · S8 E77

    What does the English Revolution mean for you? Did it change anything or, was John Dryden right when he wrote in 1670, 'Thy wars brought nothing about’? Although they clearly left business which would take until 1689…

  42. 431a Afterlives

    · 32 min · S8 E76

    One of two self indulgent episodes to usher out the first phase of the English revolution, this episode is about the fates of some of those people in whose companies we have lived for some time, and what happened to…

  43. 430 The Comeback Kid

    · 40 min · S8 E75

    The Army had mounted another coup, and its Committee of Safety now sought to carve out yet another form of the Republic in the face of the Rump's defiance - and the deep weariness of most of the ordinary people of…

  44. 429 The Good Old Cause

    · 40 min · S8 E74

    The transfer of power between the first Protector and the second was smooth and uneventful; in December 1658 it appeared that England was, and would remain, a republic. But when parliament reconvened, it quickly became…

  45. Oliver Cromwell: Life and Times with Miranda Malins

    · 1 h 07 min · S8 E73

    Miranda Malins is an historian, author, novelist and a member of the Cromwell Association. She takes a look back at Cromwell, his life, times, achievements and failures, and the myths and opinions which have grown up…

  46. 428 Make Haste to be Gone

    · 37 min · S8 E72

    In 1658, the year started with hopeful clarity. There was a new constitution om a firmer footing, and a new parliament was about to sit. There was little sign any more of royalist rebellion, the Commonwealth name was…

  47. 427 Republic: Learning, Philosophy, Science

    · 43 min · S8 E71

    Thomas Hobbes has been described as 'one of the true founders of modernity in Western culture'. His most famous work Leviathan was inspired by the issues raised by the Revolution, published in 1651 as he came home -…

  48. 426 Living with the Republic

    · 39 min · S8 E70

    In London, and towns like Oxford, the Protectorate saw the return of stability, economic change and a revived social scene - and the arrival of the Coffee house, and the penny university. Stability and old rythmns…

  49. 425 Republic: Court and Culture

    · 37 min · S8 E69

    Cromwell's court struck a balance between the status required of a head of state, and the Cromwell's own openbness and informality. It was a court full of music, as was the supposedly joyless puritan state. There was…

  50. 424 King Cromwell

    · 54 min · S8 E68

    After a year of the rule of the major generals, there was no money to support their militia. Now, the obvious solution was to repeat and continue the decimation tax; but the Council of State felt that parliament must…

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