History Category
“We shall fight on the beaches”
In 1940 the war with Germany was not going well. Belgium, The Netherlands and France had all…
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle was originally built in the 12th century in the time of the Scottish King David…
The Domesday Book
The invasion of Britain by William the Conqueror in 1066 was devastating for the English nobility, because…
£.s.d.
Until UK currency changed in 1971, when the pound (£) became equivalent to 100 pence (called ‘decimalisation’),…
The first King of England
The first man who could seriously claim to be ‘Rex tot. Brit.‘, as shown on the coins…
The Restoration
It must be said that King Charles I’s reign was a complete disaster, which ended in 1649…
Guy Fawkes Night
The 5th November is known as Guy Fawkes Night, or Bonfire Night, as it commemorates a treasonous…
Queen Elizabeth I
Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn.…
Witches
For centuries, Britain was a multi-faith zone, where pagans practised their nature-based healing and spirituality just as…
Smugglers and wreckers
During most of the eighteenth century Britain and France were at war and this gave rise to…
Ulster planters
In its empire-building phase of the sixteenth century, England took control of its neighbour, Ireland. When King…
The Peasants’ Revolt
English village peasants – poor workers owned by rich landowners – had finally taken enough harsh treatment…