From love spells to enthral the object of your desires, to charms to influence the outcome of a trial, people turned to cunning folk for all kinds of practical magic in medieval and Tudor England. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian Tabitha Stanmore reveals the amount of power these magical people could have within their communities, and explores some of ... Show More
Yesterday
Why Greenwich is the home of time
Why is a small observatory in south east London so important to the story of how we tell the time? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Emily Akkermans, Curator of Time at the Royal Museums Greenwich, shares the history behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). From 17th-century efforts to solve th ... Show More
35m 42s
Feb 3
James Gillray: life of the week
James Gillray was one of Georgian Britain’s most ruthless satirists, using his prints to mock kings, politicians and generals, turning politics into popular entertainment. From the print shops of London, he reduced figures such as Napoleon to objects of ridicule while capturing t ... Show More
32m 52s
Nov 2024
Practical Magic: Spells, Prayers & Cunning Folk
<p>Long before witch trials, magic was the domain of ‘cunning folk’ who were part of the fabric of medieval and early modern life. Their charms, filters and spells - for personal advancement, aiding fertility, predicting the future, even exacting revenge - offered people sol ... Show More
33m 59s
May 2023
Episode 168: Witches, Demons and Fairies
In this episode, we explore the Elizabethan fascination with witchcraft and mysterious creatures like fairies and demons. Those subjects feature prominently in the literature of the period, and they reveal a lot about the world view of the people who lived in England in the late ... Show More
1h 56m
May 2019
Harry Potter A History of Magic Part 1 of 2
The history of magic is as long as time and as wide as the world. In every culture, in every age, in every place and, probably, in every heart, there is magic.
Harry Potter: A History of Magic reveals some of the hidden stories behind real-world magic and explores some of J.K. R ... Show More
6h 11m
Oct 2025
RE-AIR: Conversations: Dragons! Witches! Werewolves! The Ancient Supernatural w/ Daniel Ogden
This episode originally aired in October 2022! Liv speaks with professor and (prolific!) author Daniel Ogden about all things Spooky! Find his many books on ancient werewolves, dragons, magic, and more wherever you get your books! Submit your question for the next Q&A via email o ... Show More
1h 9m
<p><strong>Title:</strong> <em>The Curse of the Whispering Shadows</em></p><p><strong>Level:</strong> Advanced (C1-C2)</p><br><p><strong>#Story:</strong></p><p>Isabella Montgomery inherits a haunted manor in the village of Ashbourne, a place cursed by whispers and restless spirit ... Show More
