By Dr Elizabeth Matthew On a summer’s day in 1189 a group of men rode swiftly to the quayside at Dieppe after a long journey from the Loire valley, two hundred and forty miles to the south. Keen to cross… Continue reading

By Professor Emily West The festive season provides a time and space for dancing (badly or otherwise), along with socializing, eating, drinking and celebrating. As befits a Christian celebration it also grants time for religious worship and quiet reflection. One… Continue reading

Tales of Turning Milk into Wine and Festive Phlegm! By Amie Bolissian McRae [Image credit: The Milkmaid, Lucas van Leyden (Netherlandish, Leiden, ca. 1493-1533 Leiden), 1510. Image from metmuseum.org.] What would 17th century festivities have been without milk, cream, cheese,… Continue reading

By Professor Kate Williams Seven swans a swimming – well, with giving this, our ‘true love’ was really buying us something rather expensive. Swans have always been luxury goods, a medieval Gucci handbag, if you will. In the medieval period,… Continue reading

By Professor Anne Lawrence-Mathers As this is the History blog, today presents an opportunity to celebrate the Six Great Geese of History (as chosen by us).  They will be presented – obviously – in chronological order. First up is Aesop’s… Continue reading