Ballads of Love and Death

What really went on at the court of King William Rufus?William the Conqueror's son and successor was fierce and ruthless. He taxed heavily, refused to conform to the ideals of kingship, and reportedly presided over a court of extravagant young men and sexual licentiousness. But h ...  Show more

How did a cloistered, twelfth century nun become a visionary, composer, healer, preacher, and adviser to popes and emperors?Despite having visions from childhood - even in the womb, she claimed - Hildegard of Bingen waited until the age of 42 when she heard a divine command to “w ...  Show more

**This podcast contains graphic descriptions of murders and the punishments of those convicted**

Gruesome murders carried out by women captivated the public imagination in Early Modern Britain. Pamphlets, ballads, and woodcuts spread the stories of t ...

Accessing stories from the past can be difficult, but how do we access smells from the past?

In today's episode, Kate is joined by Eleanor Jackson, curator of a new British Library exhibition, <a href="https://medievalwomen.seetickets.com/time ...

When so much of history is written by men, Margaret Paston's letters offer us a rare insight into the life of a woman and the world around her in 15th century England.

How did she cope with waves of plague wiping out her town? What did she do when the War of the Rose ...

Where did the idea of the bunny boiler come from?In this episode we're exploring how single women got such a bad rap in popular culture. From Miss Havisham to Bridget Jones, Caroline Young joins Kate once again.Caroline is the author of 'Single and Psycho: How Pop Culture Created ...  Show more