How much damage did the Great Fire of London cause? How long did it take to put out? And did it really start in Pudding Lane? Rebecca Rideal responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries about the devastating blaze that swept through the capital in 1666.
Rebecca Rideal is the author of 1666: Plague, War, and Hellfire (Thomas Dunne Book ... Show More
Apr 30
George Orwell's final chapter
Did you know that George Orwell only found national acclaim as an author in the final years of his life, as his health was worsening? Or that, with the growing prospect of death looming increasingly large, he sought refuge on a remote Scottish island? Historian Robert Colls tells ... Show More
40m 12s
Apr 28
Was Elizabeth II's reign a golden age?
When the late Queen acceded to the throne in 1952, Britain, though left bankrupt and reeling from the Second World War, was still a major global power. By the end of Elizabeth II’s reign in 2022 – the longest in Britain’s history – the nation and its place in the world was marked ... Show More
37m 45s
Jul 2023
Wars of the Roses: Jack Cade's Rebellion Explained
<p>It’s one of the most dramatic stories you might never have heard. Featuring a seaborne assassination, a vengeful manhunt and London Bridge in flames, the rebellion of Jack Cade in 1450 shook the English Crown to its very core, and lit the spark that began the Wars of the Roses ... Show More
37m 34s
Dec 2022
SYMHC Classics: History's Unforgettable Fires
In this 2011 episode, previous hosts Sarah and Deblina recount some of history's most famous fires, Including the Peshtigo Fire, the Great Fire of London, the Great Fire of Meireki, and the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio ... Show More
27m 6s