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The supernatural beliefs of medieval people – from elves and fairies to abductions and the undead

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31 October 202413 November 2024

A siren and a centaur, taken from a 1277 manuscript. Courtesy of the Getty Open Content program. Medieval people have a reputation for being superstitious – and many of the...Read More >

‘Thornback’ keeps trending – here’s why this old-fashioned term is derogatory to young, single women

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30 September 202426 September 2024

A young woman who remained unmarried by 26 or 27 was ungraciously called a 'thornback'. Highland Council, CC BY-NC-SA I am 27 years old; I have no money and no...Read More >

Women firsts in Cabinet, a long view

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9 July 20245 August 2024

Labour have won a historic landslide in the 2024 general election, but it is also a historic moment for women in parliament as Rachel Reeves becomes the first female Chancellor...Read More >

Aphrodite signified more than beauty – five other realms in which the Greek goddess also reigned

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5 July 20244 July 2024

For the ancient Greeks, Aphrodite was about so much more than love and beauty. In an overarching way, she was the goddess of consensus, as in any interaction between consenting...Read More >

Pirates and politicians: what a 300-year-old book about the most notorious buccaneers reveals about British politics

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10 June 202410 June 2024

Three hundred years ago, A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson first hit the shelves of London’s booksellers. The book...Read More >

Exploring Digital Humanities: Meet Mara Oliva

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11 April 202411 April 2024

Meet Mara Oliva and the people behind Digital Humanities at the University of Reading.

How the social structures of Nazi Germany created a bystander society

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7 February 20246 February 2024

Dr Ellen Pilsworth explores how the social structures of Nazi Germany created a bystander society during World War 2.

Straw bale hung from London’s Millennium Bridge to comply with ancient law – just part of the River Thames’ long, legal history

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26 October 202313 December 2023

Maintenance workers on London’s Millennium Bridge – which spans the River Thames – have hung a bale of straw from the bridge’s undercarriage. An ancient byelaw requires that a bridge’s owner warn passing ships…Read More >

The Sycamore Gap: four other significant tree destructions from history

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12 October 202312 December 2023

The emotional response to the loss of the Sycamore Gap is part of a long history of emblematic trees, their destruction and renewal.

How new approaches to landscape history can help democratise landscape decision-making

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15 April 202223 February 2023

We are at a critical moment for Britain’s landscape. The countryside faces huge challenges from climate change, Brexit and development pressures. But these challenges also provide an opportunity to rethink…Read More >