The English Heritage Podcast

English Heritage
  • 4.6 (208)
  • History
  • Updated Weekly

Every object has a story to tell. But how can one mystery item lead us on a journey through history, people and places?  In the English Heritage podcast, comedian and writer Amy Matthews brings you entertaining tales from unexpected places. Each week, we begin with a mystery item and with the help of English Heritage experts and special guests, Amy explores what our past can tell us about our present and perhaps our future. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

  1. 3h ago

    King Arthur, goblins and dragons - how prehistoric sites got their names

    From Long Meg and her Daughters to the Devil’s Arrows to Hetty Pegler’s Tump, the British Isles is dotted with ancient places with curious names. But who came up with those titles and what inspired them?   This time, Amy is joined by English Heritage’s Curator of History, Al Oswald and Curator of Properties, Stonehenge and the West, Win Scutt, to uncover the myths and folklore that have been woven around these sites. Join them to discover, amongst other things, the inspiration for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, why dancing on the sabbath was a terrible idea if you’re a woman, why counting stones could be fatal and why the Devil wasn’t a very good shot.  Join English Heritage: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/⁠     Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.*       Support our work: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/⁠        The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.        *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. 3d ago

    The Bayeux Tapestry: 1066 Comes Home | Episode 1

    Welcome to the first episode of our brand-new, seven-part English Heritage Podcast video series exploring the historic events of 1066.    This episode unravels the years long journey to bring the iconic 70-metre Bayeux Tapestry back to English soil for a landmark exhibition at the British Museum. From negotiations and transport logistics to hidden embroidery secrets and missing end panels, discover how this 11th-century masterpiece survived and how it still captivates us today.    Join host Amy Matthews as she kicks off our journey with two expert guests: Jeremy Ashbee, Head Curator of Properties at English Heritage, and Professor Michael Lewis, Curator of the Bayeux Tapestry Exhibition at the British Museum.    Step back nearly 1,000 years and watch or listen now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. Oct 1

    Skeleton 1863: Reconstructing the face of “Conquest Man”

    In this episode, host Amy Matthews is joined by Kevin Booth, English Heritage’s Head Curator of Collections, and Professor Caroline Wilkinson, Director of Face Lab at Liverpool John Moores University. Together, they explore how forensic science created a lifelike facial depiction of "Conquest Man" found buried at St Peter’s Church in Barton-upon-Humber around 50 years ago and known archaeologically as skeleton SK1863.   What can three mysterious applewood wands and a grass pillow reveal about his burial? How do tooth isotopes and 3D digital facial mapping uncover the overseas roots and facial features of someone who lived at the time of the Norman Conquest?   Discover how cutting-edge technology can bridge the gap to an ordinary person from the past and breathe new life into history life one thousand years later.  Join English Heritage: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/⁠     Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.*       Support our work: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/⁠        The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.        *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. Sep 24

    From food to florals: The rise of the rockstar gardener

    The English Heritage Podcast goes live! Host Amy Matthews records in front of a live audience at Audley End House during the 2026 Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair.  Joined by English Heritage experts Andrew Hann, Michael Klemperer and Emily Parker, Amy explores how gardening evolved from a practical necessity into a passion for beauty, leisure and horticultural showmanship.  From the rigid geometry of Tudor gardens to Capability Brown’s sweeping natural landscapes, discover how changing tastes transformed the way we garden. Hear about the lives of the people who made these gardens possible - including the head gardeners who became the horticultural celebrities of their day.  Plus, a rare 18th-century apprentice gardener’s diary from Audley End offers a fascinating glimpse into what it was really like to learn the trade.  Follow this podcast wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review if you love the show.     Join English Heritage: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/⁠      Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.*        Support our work: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/⁠         The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.         *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. Sep 17

    Hidden lives: slavery in Roman Britain

    In this episode, we explore how a simple piece of Roman pottery - a red Samian bowl - can reveal the hidden lives of people living in Britain nearly 2,000 years ago.     Found at Corbridge Roman Town, this artifact features a unique bit of ancient graffiti translating to "Nico slave of Atticus".    Joining host Amy Matthews are English Heritage historian Dr. Andrew Roberts and Collections Manager, David Hanks. Together, they unpack what this discovery tells us about the social fabric of Roman Britain. We dive into the complex and often oppressive world of Roman slavery, where individuals like Nico might have possessed personal items, or even managed businesses, despite being legally considered property.     From the poignant reality of iron shackles to inspiring stories of freedom, we bring to light the human traces left behind by those whose voices are rarely heard in history books.    Join English Heritage: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/⁠      Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.*        Support our work: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/⁠         The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.         *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. Sep 10

    The sights, sounds and smells of a Roman fort

    Housesteads Roman Fort on Hadrian's Wall is Britain's most complete Roman fort. From the remains of its buildings, we can get a good idea of what it looked like. But how did the bathhouse smell? Or, perhaps more importantly, what about the latrines? What did the food taste like? And what sounds would the Roman soldiers stationed there have heard?  Join Amy, English Heritage Curator of History, Andrew Roberts and sensory archaeologist Dr Giacomo Savani on site as they explore this remarkable fort.  Follow this podcast wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review if you love the show.   Join English Heritage: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/⁠    Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.*      Support our work: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/⁠       The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.       *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. Sep 3

    Harmondsworth: One of England’s Medieval Great Barns

    Step through the doors of Britain’s surviving medieval barns and you enter a space that once fed whole communities. This week, Amy Matthews meets Dr Lydia Miller and Dr Nick Holder to explore the surprising power of England’s great barns. This year marks 600 years since the construction of Harmondsworth Barn, an agricultural workhorse that sat at the heart of medieval life. Far from the quiet buildings we know today they were once places of noise, hard work and very high stakes. Hear about the legacy of the people that once used this place: from mysterious carved horses and protective symbols to the astonishing carpentry that raised these timber giants. With Heathrow now humming nearby and modern debate gathering pace, these humble barns have stories to tell us about community, survival and heritage in the modern day too. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show  Join English Heritage: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/⁠  Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.*    Support our work: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/⁠     The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.       *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. Aug 27

    From monastery to mansion: The colourful history of Audley End House

    Audley End House in Essex is still one of England’s finest mansions. To look at it today, you’d never know it started life as Walden Abbey, a Benedictine monastery dissolved by Henry VIII. The story of its journey from monastery to mansion involves intrigue, fraud, brazen ambition and a cast of colourful characters. Join Amy, art historian and curator, Dr Peter Moore, and volunteer researcher, Fiona Wilkinson, as they bring the tale to life – quite literally!   Follow this podcast wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review if you love the show. Join English Heritage: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/⁠    Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.*      Support our work: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/⁠       The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales.       *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, on life memberships or renewals.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Hosts & Guests

4.6
out of 5
208 Ratings

About

Every object has a story to tell. But how can one mystery item lead us on a journey through history, people and places?  In the English Heritage podcast, comedian and writer Amy Matthews brings you entertaining tales from unexpected places. Each week, we begin with a mystery item and with the help of English Heritage experts and special guests, Amy explores what our past can tell us about our present and perhaps our future. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

Information

  • Creator
    English Heritage
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    395
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The English Heritage Podcast

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