The Alchemy Craze in Medieval London
If you were living in London in the mid-15th century, you may have got caught up in the alchemy craze. The idea of turning base metals into gold and silver was seducing many people, including the King of England.
Eyeglasses’ Arrival: How Immigrants Transformed Medieval England’s Vision
Eyeglasses can be considered one of the most important inventions of the Middle Ages. A recent study shows that by the 1440s people in England could buy their own spectacles, thanks to a group of immigrants living just outside of London.
Early medieval site discovered under National Gallery in London
Early medieval London extended further west than previously thought, as archaeologists have uncovered remains of buildings underneath the National Gallery at the north end of Trafalgar Square.
Collaborative Research in the Digital Age: Crowdsourcing the Get to Know Medieval Londoners Project
Delving into the collaborative possibilities that advanced technology offers, this seminar will showcase a unique partnership between historians and a group of volunteers unrestricted by geography or traditional academic structures.
A Medieval Dream
A pregnant woman in medieval London dreams of a log of wood and a slab of marble. What does it mean?
New source about the Norman Conquest of England discovered
It is rare to find new information about the Norman Conquest of England, but a historian has uncovered a document revealing William I’s relationship with London shortly after 1066.
Tavern Names in Medieval London
What were the names of taverns in the Middle Ages? A list from late medieval London reveals over 50 names, which were inspired by animals, everyday objects and saints.
New Medieval Books: London: A Fourteenth-Century City and its People
A look at the daily life of medieval Londoners using the abundant records from the city. Over 40 different topics are covered, ranging from sanitation to crimes and roads to religion.
The Great Fire and the end of Medieval London
How long was London a ‘medieval’ city?
Government Jobs in the Middle Ages: 14th-century London
What were the kinds of jobs that medieval people did in a city government? A book from 14th-century London offers details about the positions and roles of civic officials in that city, ranging from the Mayor to Scavengers.
Corrupted Air and Water: Pollution in Medieval Cities
When poop and entrails filled the Thames. Dealing with urban pollution in the Middle Ages.
Household Goods in Medieval London with Katherine French
Material goods are a rich and fascinating source for finding out more about the ordinary lives of the people of the Middle Ages. This week, Danièle speaks with Katherine French about what Londoners’ homes were like both before and after the Black Death, what they filled them with, and how we know.
Famine in Medieval London
How climate change, supply chain issues and inflation helped to create massive food shortages and starvation in medieval London.
Crafting Communities: Masons in Medieval London
A look at how misteries, guilds and fraternities worked to create a sense of community for the masons of medieval London.
Gilds and Things: Keeping the Peace in 10th Century London
In the early 10th century, the inhabitants of London and the surrounding region formed one of the first recorded guilds in England – the so-called ‘peace gild’.
Inner Circles: Reading and Writing in Late Medieval London
New findings reveal that London’s clerks and scriveners, who moved between English, French, and Latin, formed professional ‘communities of practice’, which played a significant part in the dissemination of literary manuscripts.
King Henry III of England: an interview with David Carpenter
Ian Stone talks with David Carpenter about his book Henry III: The Rise to Power and Personal Rule, 1207-1258
‘We are the Commune of the City’. Elections, Exemptions and Exclusions in Thirteenth-Century London
In 1272 the election of London’s mayor descended into chaos
Plagues were spreading faster in centuries after Black Death, researchers find
Researchers who analyzed thousands of documents covering a 300-year span of plague outbreaks in London, England, have estimated that the disease spread four…
Murders in Medieval London
What happens when someone was murdered in the Middle Ages? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle is joined by Peter Konieczny to take a look at the Coroner’s Rolls from 14th century London. These records offer many insights into violent deaths, detailing the who, what, where, when and sometimes why of murders that took place within the city.
London in the Age of Becket: The 12th century Thames
Becket was born in Cheapside and raised in London, and this short talk will look at the city that Becket would have known during his lifetime, and it’s development into the 13th century, in the years after his martyrdom.
A Marriage in Medieval London: The Brother’s Tale
On January 15, 1472, in the case of Elizabeth Isaak versus John Bolde, the deposed witness was Elizabeth’s brother, Walter Isaak.
Vi et Armis: Londoners and Violent Trespass Before the Common Pleas in the Fifteenth Century
The Londoners who entered pleadings in this court between 1405 and 1415 have left a fascinating glimpse into both interpersonal violence and the world of savvy litigators.
London Under Danish Rule: Cnut’s Politics and Policies as a Demonstration of Power
In 1016, London was one of very few English cities of European significance. This reflected London’s prominence as a trading port, an economic and administrative hub, and population centre, rather than any status as a nascent capital city.
Archaeologists discover 500 year-old burials at the Tower of London
An archaeological excavation undertaken within the walls of the Tower of London, just outside the main entrance of the Tower’s historic Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, has uncovered the remains of two people an adult female and a young child, who were buried about 500 years ago.