William of Normandy sailed across the Channel and swiftly conquered England in 1066 – or at least that’s how the story goes. But, in this Long Read written by Sophie Thérèse Ambler and James Morris, we reveal how the northern stronghold of Cumbria remained untouched for another 26 years.
HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History ... Show More
May 31
Nell Gwyn: England's mistress
Nell Gwyn became famous for her love affair with Charles II, and for her love of drinking, gambling and carousing. Yet, as this Long Read written by Sophie Shorland explores, this upwardly mobile celebrity was also a canny political operator who wielded substantial power in court ... Show More
18m 29s
May 17
How medieval mothers took back control
In the Middle Ages, the bearing and raising of children defined women’s lives. But, as this Long Read written by Elinor Cleghorn explains, there were women who had other ideas and boldly challenged attitudes towards motherhood. Today's feature originally appeared in the April 202 ... Show More
22m 25s
Feb 2022
1066: What Became Of The Anglo-Saxon Children?
<p>1066 is a year carved into the history of western Europe. It radically transformed the cultural, political and built landscape of England in a way that is hard to overstate - and yet its immediate aftermath is often forgotten. By Domesday, just 20 years later, around 94 percen ... Show More
32m 14s
Sep 2023
The Bones of Anglo Saxon England
<p>It's the 13th of December, 1642, and Parliamentarian soldiers have just stormed the city of Winchester. They burst into the city's grand cathedral on horseback, and begin tearing it apart. The soldiers smash windows, burn tables and tapestries and steal anything of value. Stas ... Show More
27m 14s
Jul 2023
Scottish Kings' Sex Lives
<p>One thing royal families strive for is the common touch. Whilst some have struggled with it, King James IV and V in the 15th and 16th centuries excelled in it. </p><br><p>It could be said, however, they took the term ‘common touch’ too literally, as it wasn’t uncommon for ... Show More
47m 17s
Nov 2022
Dark Age bullies & forgotten kingdoms: busting early medieval myths
The traditional story that’s told about Britain from the end of the Roman period through to the arrival of the Vikings is one of coalescing kingdoms, leading inexorably towards the rise of Wessex as the last man standing. However, the real story is much more complicated, as Thoma ... Show More
43m 50s
Jul 2023
Britain’s love affair with Edward VII
The death of King Edward VII in 1910 pitched Britain into a frenzy of mourning, as the nation marked the passing of a symbol of continuity and stability in an ever more unpredictable world. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Martin Williams reveals how the ageing, conservative king emerg ... Show More
35m 30s
Aug 2023
Æthelstan: First King of the English
<p>The grandson of Alfred the Great, Æthelstan the Glorious was the first King of England, reigning from 924 to 939. Æthelstan inherited the title King of Mercia from his father Edward the Elder, but was not immediately accepted as King of England. Shortly after his cro ... Show More
26m 49s