Ghosts, grief and the paranormal

For some, it's hard to imagine Britain without a king or queen. Yet, nearly 400 years ago, that prospect became a reality. In January 1649, after a bloody civil war, King Charles I was put on trial, f...

6 Dec 202437min

What was the most popular pastime of the Tudor age? Why was bathing even once a month considered dangerous? And how could living alongside your pets help save on your heating bill in the 16th century?...

5 Dec 202440min

Genghis Khan may have built a formidable land empire, but his grandson Kublai Khan mastered the seas. So how did a nomadic leader come to have such a formidable navy – and conquer China in the process...

4 Dec 202444min

The disappearance of the princes in the Tower in 1483 is one of British history's most enduring mysteries. But a brand new discovery made by Professor Tim Thornton may offer some more clues about what...

3 Dec 202434min

On 24 March 1953, a tenant of 10 Rillington Place, Notting Hill made a gruesome discovery. Inside the walls of the downstairs flat, he uncovered the bodies of three women. More were to follow. A natio...

2 Dec 202434min

By the time the Tudors took to the waves, much of the world had already been mapped by Europeans. So what was left for Tudor explorers to uncover – and should we call them 'explorers' at all? Historia...

1 Dec 202449min

Nelson and Winnie Mandela were one of the most famous couples of the 20th century. Their relationship became a powerful symbol of the freedom struggle in apartheid South Africa, but it was also dogged...

29 Nov 202438min

The Tudor world was a turbulent one, with momentous decisions reliant on the whims of those in power. But how was authority felt by the average person? And what were the consequences of losing favour ...

28 Nov 202445min