The Battle of Brunanburh was one of the bloodiest and biggest battles of early medieval history. Fought 1100 years ago, Athelstan - the king of the English - opposed a coalition of Irish, Scots, Northumbrians and Vikings and won a decisive victory. The enemy shield wall was penetrated. Their troops ran back to their ships for safety. Thousands died. Apart from this we know little else. No physical evidence exists of where the battle was even fought. But recently, a stunning discovery has been made.
Just east of where the Strand turns into Fleet Street in London, there is a small stone archway. Walking through it, one stumbles across a hidden world – one that is leafy, serene and historic. Most of the people who wind their way here don’t realise that the whole area was actually the stronghol...
In 865 AD, England was invaded by the Great Heathen Army. The Great Viking Army, as it was also known, was made up of a coalition of Scandinavian warriors mainly from Denmark and, legend has it, four of the five sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, including Halfdan Ragnarsson, Ivar the Boneless, Bjorn Irone...
Joan of Arc received her first mystical vision when she was still a child, an event which was to chart the course of the rest of her turbulent life. She took upon herself the mission to save France and bound her fate to that of her country. In this episode we hear her story told as never before i...
