Back When | History Podcast11 Jun 2025

Ela, Sheriff of Wiltshire | A Medieval Marvel

In 1196, 9-year-old Ela was hidden away in France after becoming the third Countess of Salisbury.
After being discovered and brought back to England by a knight who supposedly sang underneath windows to find her, Ela went on to become one of the thirteenth century's most influential women.

As well as being a peeress, Ela is also known for being the Sheriff of Wiltshire, breaking social norms and defying the intensely patriarchal society she was in. As the King's representative in the county, she would’ve been responsible for upholding the Crown's law and bringing its enemies to justice, supervising the royal lands in the area, and much more.

Ela was incredibly powerful, assertive, resolute and devout – she lay the foundation stones for two religious houses, more than 16 miles apart, in a single day. The first was Hinton Priory in Bath, and the second was Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, where less than ten years later, Ela was elected its first abbess.

National Trust Historian Helen Antrobus heads to Lacock to discover the story behind this medieval marvel.

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Production
Presenter: Helen Antrobus
Producer: Jack Glover and Lily Long
Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez

Contributor: Emma Zadeh

Discover More

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/lacock

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/history/people/remarkable-women-in-history

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/history/what-happened-in-a-medieval-abbey-church

If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story idea, you can contact us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk

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