The place to learn about the past and present,
It's a myth that since King William conquered, barely a single foreign attacker has set foot on British shores without some natives in connivance, but here are eight times Britain suffered seaborne raids you might not know about. Southampton and Portsmouth Sacked, Nearly Destroyed, 1338-9 King Edward III launched a military campaign in 1337 against... Continue Reading →
Unlike the hundreds before and after, one woman survived jumping into the chasm of Avon Gorge from the bridge that spans it. Find out what quirk of fashion saved Ms Henley from her attempt to end her life. The city of Bristol, UK, is a charming place in England’s West Country. It’s famous for a... Continue Reading →
It was an awkward moment when Mantao representative George McLauchlan crossed the Atlantic to present a commemorative clock to Bideford town's officials, only for them to not have a clue why. Find out what happened here. The sky above was white and seagulls could be heard in the distance being a nuisance. David Riley was... Continue Reading →
The legend of a Marquis' drunken antics resulted in an epic night in town... painting it red despite the townsfolk's spluttering rage. Read about the chaos this posh wild child caused. One day in spring 1837 at the Thorpe End tollgate in the fine old English market town of Melton Mowbray, with its half-timbered Tudor... Continue Reading →
The story of when the king of Britain adopted a feral child from the forests of Germany into his royal court When King George I brought a feral boy into the British Royal Court in 1726 he caused a sensation among London’s high society. ‘Peter the Wild Boy’ as he came to be called, neither... Continue Reading →
Why a friendly, sociable local killed 12 people was a mystery to most. Here, his life is scrutinised to expose how it unravelled before its fatal climax A puzzling episode of Cumbrian history that bewilders locals to this very day. After an angry confrontation with some colleagues, a man named Derrick Bird shot dead his... Continue Reading →
Shed a tear for three British aristocrats, with their millions of pounds and stately homes, who suffered such misfortune, one might barely distinguish them from commoners Privileged aristocrats are human and so suffer poor luck and judgement like the rest of us. But for us unwashed masses there is a certain guilty pleasure in seeing... Continue Reading →
The little known story of two English nobles who fought the last ever private battle on English soil. The rural folk of one quiet corner of Great Britain have let much of the island's long, tumultuous history pass them by. In the year 1470, a traveller might have set out from London and headed due... Continue Reading →
History and Things 