Knights in their armour is one of the most enduring images of the Middle Ages, perhaps the first thing that comes to mind and a role that many of us would have played at as children.

Yet surprisingly, there are no surviving examples of English armour from this period that we know of in the world...

Joan of Arc is a name that’s instantly recognisable to most. A controversial figure in her own day, she has remained so ever since, often being adopted as a talisman of French nationalism.

But how much do we really know—or understand—about the young woman who ignited France’s fightback against ...

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It’s a condition that can have a devastating effect on those who catch it, affecting the skin, the eyes, the peripheral nerves and the respiratory tract in people of all ages.

It’s also a di...

In the medieval world, January 1 wasn’t actually New Year’s Day (that was March 25), but the anniversary of Jesus’s circumcision (according to the church). In fact, unlike many Christmas traditions, there’s very little in the way of New Years traditions we still do today that have medieval origin...

Vikings are often depicted as fearless warriors, but they were not immune to the harsh realities of northern weather. They not only survived in countries like Greenland and Iceland but thrived. How did they adapt to the unforgiving ice and snow? In this episode, Cat is Joined by Medievalist James...

Ever wondered why we call Christmas, ‘Christmas’? And why it’s celebrated on the 25th December? Or maybe where the Christmas tree came from, the Yule log, the nativity, Father Christmas and even the advent calendar?

Well you might be surprised to learn they’re all rooted in medieval traditions. ...

For many of us, our Christmas traditions have been passed down generations. Whether we realise it or not. But where could some of these traditions originate from, and could some go back to the Viking age? In today’s episode, Cat is joined by cultural historian Herleik Baklid to discuss midwinter ...

Nonconforming beyond the limitations of what's typically expected of men and women has been happening for many centuries. A part of history and tradition which, some might say, even crossed into religion. But focusing on the years 200–1400 C.E, how were non-binary identities defined? In this epis...

What is a perpendicular church? In this episode, Cat is on location! Invited by expert stonemason Andrew Ziminski to a spectacular perpendicular church in Steeple Ashton in Wiltshire, Andrew takes us on a guided tour. From honky punks to secret libraries. We learn all about what makes this perpen...

Heralds and Heraldry share many aspects of modern sport today, from colourful kits to large gatherings of cheering crowds. But what did it mean to have a coat of arms, and what role did Heralds have in Medieval society? In this episode, Matt is joined by Peter O'Donoghue. Peter currently serves a...

Battles, murders, and forgotten treasures - the Burgundians lived life like an episode of Game of Thrones. Once one of the most powerful kingdoms in Western Europe, they are now known as a vanished empire. This week Matt is joined by historian and author Bart van Loos to discuss who exactly were ...

Queen Cynethryth of Mercia was one of the most distinguished rulers of Anglo Saxon Britain. Wife to King Offa, ruler of the Mercians (the most powerful kingdom in Anglo-Saxon Britain) and the only woman to have coinage minted in her image. So how did she end up in Cookham Monastery in Berkshire? ...

Ibn Fadlan might be familiar to many based on modern-day renditions from films such as The 13th Warrior. Ibn Traveled from Bagdad to Russia, journaling his encounters and cultural observations. Amazingly his manuscripts were preserved, but what do we know about him? In this episode, Cat is joined...

Monks. We know that they dedicated their lives to serving God, but what did it mean to be a Monk? In today's, episode Matt is joined by the Five-Minute Medievalist, Danièle Cybulskie. Author, historian, and Podcaster (to name a few), Danièle is well known to many Medieval history enthusiasts. We ...

The Medieval periods' impact on the world and how we see it today is often overlooked. From culture, society, and technology, the horizons of England are ever-changing, but how did the medieval period contribute to these advancements? In this episode, Matt is joined by one of the most prolific vo...

Discoveries are becoming quite common in today's society, from the Crusader's Sword Lost at Sea to the small gold bible recently discovered by a metal detectorist which we recently covered on Gone Medieval. Many of these finds are categorised as treasures and therefore belong to the Crown. But wh...

Centuries ago, an Anglo-Saxon noble was buried within a 90-foot ship in a mound at Sutton Hoo. It serves as the richest burial ever found in northern Europe to date. Discovered in 1939, not much survived of the original ship. However, an imprint of the ship remains on the earth. In this episode, ...

When Buffy and husband Ian Bailey went out with their metal detectors in Yorkshire, they thought they'd stumbled across a sheep's ear tag when they picked up a signal something was in the ground. A little digging and it turned out to be a piece of medieval treasure buried on land once belonging t...

Over 100 years of conflict, two warring nations, five monarchs on either side and countless casualties in a dispute over claims to the throne: in this episode, our very own Matt Lewis unravels the numbers. He takes us through the biggest turning points of the Hundred Years’ War chronologically, a...

In October 1066, William the Conqueror led his army to victory over Harold Godwinson and his Anglo Saxon forces. This was to begin the Norman invasion of England, inspire the famous Bayeux Tapestry and result in thousands of deaths. Many have argued that William's Conquest had the pope's support,...

The Medieval period saw the advancement of many countries, evolving to the provinces in Europe that we know today; Scotland is no different. In this episode, Cat is joined by Dr. Adrian Maldonado, an Archeologist and Glenmorangie Research Fellow at National Museums Scotland. With the birth of kin...

The European Eel is now categorised as a critically endangered species, but 1000 years ago they flourished in abundance, and were an important aspect of Medieval life. In this episode, Cat is joined by Medieval historian Dr. John Wyatt Greenlee, also known to many as the ‘Surprise Eel Historian’....

The National Archives can be seen as any medieval historian's candy store. It's filled with an amazing variety of materials, from the Magna Carta to mummified rats. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt is joined by Principal Records Specialist at The National Archives (TNA), Dr. Euan Roger. Eua...

The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal in the middle of the Atlantic, was said to be discovered in 1427 by Portuguese explorer Diogo de Silves. However, new studies of the land suggest the Portuguese may not have been the island's first inhabitants. The key to these studies? Mice. Similarit...