King Arthur, goblins and dragons - how prehistoric sites got their names
From Long Meg and her Daughters to the Devil’s Arrows to Hetty Pegler’s Tump, the British Isles is dotted with ancient places with curious n...
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The English Heritage Podcast
English Heritage cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites, and brings the story of England to life for over 10 million people each year.
Episodes
20 of 395 episodes
The Bayeux Tapestry: 1066 Comes Home | Episode 1
Welcome to the first episode of our brand-new, seven-part English Heritage Podcast video series exploring the historic events of 1066. This...
Skeleton 1863: Reconstructing the face of “Conquest Man”
In this episode, host Amy Matthews is joined by Kevin Booth, English Heritage’s Head Curator of Collections, and Professor Caroline Wilkinso...
From food to florals: The rise of the rockstar gardener
The English Heritage Podcast goes live! Host Amy Matthews records in front of a live audience at Audley End House during the 2026 Gardeners’...
Hidden lives: slavery in Roman Britain
In this episode, we explore how a simple piece of Roman pottery - a red Samian bowl - can reveal the hidden lives of people living in Britai...
The sights, sounds and smells of a Roman fort
Housesteads Roman Fort on Hadrian's Wall is Britain's most complete Roman fort. From the remains of its buildings, we can get a good idea of...
Harmondsworth: One of England’s Medieval Great Barns
Step through the doors of Britain’s surviving medieval barns and you enter a space that once fed whole communities. This week, Amy Matthews...
From monastery to mansion: The colourful history of Audley End House
Audley End House in Essex is still one of England’s finest mansions. To look at it today, you’d never know it started life as Walden Abbey,...
Coastline Special 6: Time and tides – conserving our coastal history
With their monasteries and castles, historic ports and seaside towns, our coastlines can feel timeless. But the truth is these landscapes, a...
A Voice for After-Ages: The radical life of Margaret Cavendish
Step into the "blazing mind" of Margaret Cavendish, the 17th-century Duchess of Newcastle who challenged the conventions of her age. In this...
Coastline Special 5: A Very British Summer: The Victorian Seaside Boom
A day out at the seaside is still a summertime staple for many British families. From fish and chips on the promenade to a classic 99, messi...
More than a missionary: The social work of Kamal Chunchie
This week, join host Amy Matthews and Howard Spencer, English Heritage senior historian for blue plaques, Judith Garfield MBE, executive dir...
Coastline Special 4: Where the sacred meets the sea
What it is about our cliffs, beaches, islands and headlands that makes them so perfect for pilgrimage, prayer and retreat? In the fourth of...
From Mob Rules to the Modern Match: A History of Football
To celebrate the men's football World Cup this year, join host Amy Matthews as we dribble through the surprisingly long history of the beaut...
Coastline Special 3: Henry VIII’s Super Forts
When Henry VIII separated from the Catholic Church, he was left feeling vulnerable to invasion from France and Spain. His answer was to buil...
Laurence Olivier: The making of an icon
Sir Ian McKellen recently unveiled an English Heritage Blue Plaque at 22 Lupus Street in London’s Pimlico. That was the childhood home of th...
Coastline Special 2: Shorelines, ships and the secrets of trade
England’s coastline isn’t just a story about keeping invaders at bay. For centuries, our shorelines were bustling gateways, connecting commu...
Seeking Sanctuary: fleeing conflict in the Middle Ages
Throughout the ages, people have been forced to leave their homes due to conflict and instability and find refuge in another country - or a...
Coastline Special: Romans by the sea
Did you know that Roman emperors had a weakness for English oysters? The Romans arrived in Britain around 43AD and one of their first settle...
The Neolithic Hall: Reconstructing History at Stonehenge
This week, the English Heritage Podcast brings the sights, sounds, and even the smells of 4,000 BC to life as host Amy Matthews visits Stone...