From 1066 to 1500 towns and cities in England transformed beyond recognition. The Norman conquest brought stability, trade and resources and the construction of large castles and cathedrals. Towns became the economic focus of their rural hinterlands. Meanwhile, a generation of hundreds of planned towns emerged with involvement from King Edward I himself.

Medieval towns had to survive the Black Death, Fires and dramatic changes in economic fortunes.

We will discover the largest settlements in the medieval period and see how their fortunes changed.

Whilst cathedrals, castles, guildhalls and town walls would dominate architecturally, ordinary citizens lived in filth and squalor with limited sanitation and constant risk to health. This was however a period in which early governance emerged and towns developed limited autonomy.

Join us on our exploration of the origins and development of English cities. If you haven’t listened already, the episode Settling in Stone: Tracing the First Steps of British Towns traces the very beginning of settlement in Great Britain.

Send us a text

After a brief historical overview our podcast explores the city in four categories:

Politics & War: the royal connections to the ancient cathedral including Catherine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots

Science & Industry: a city expanded by railway industry, brickmaking, and engines. Two pioneering female scientists.

Arts & Culture: The Peterborough Chronicle, a key national record, and insight into the evolution of the English language

Urban landscape: a new town joined onto a historic city centre home to one of the great cathedrals of England

As ever, we will give our opinions on the city and scores for historic interest.

Send us a text

Join us on a historical tour of Liverpool. World famous for The Beatles and its football clubs, Liverpool has a rich and influential history and magnificent architectural heritage. Ye Olde Guide explores the history of English towns and cities in four categories: Politics & War, Arts & Culture, Science & Industry, and Urban Landscape.

In the fourth of four parts covering Liverpool we’ll explore the rich architecture of the city, including the monumental Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture. Liverpool has one of the largest Georgian centres in the country, a mercantile banking district and the famous three graces by the waterfront. We will discuss St Georges Hall, the two magnificent cathedrals, and the legacy of the enormous shipping industry. We will explore how housing conditions changed over the centuries.

We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on the episode. Please get in touch by visiting yeoldeguide.com or tweet us @yeoldeguide

Send us a text

Join us on a historical tour of Liverpool. World famous for The Beatles and its football clubs, Liverpool has a rich and influential history and magnificent architectural heritage. Ye Olde Guide explores the history of English towns and cities in four categories: Politics & War, Arts & Culture, Science & Industry, and Urban Landscape.

In the third of four parts on Liverpool we’ll be covering the industrial history of Liverpool, including the essential role of Liverpool's docks in world trade. The wealth brought by the docks led to large infrastructure development such as the Liveprool Overhead Railway and numerous tunnels.

Don’t miss episodes one and two, which told the story of migration, the role of Liverpool in the second world war and enormous musical influence.

We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on the episode. Please get in touch by visiting yeoldeguide.com or tweet us @yeoldeguide

Send us a text

Explore the fascinating history of the impact of the Olympic games on English towns and cities. The history of venues from the groundbreaking White City Stadium built for the 1908 Olympics, to the 2012 Aquatics Centre. Delve into the transformation of venues over the years, including the use of military facilities in the 1948 "Austerity Olympics" and the extensive regeneration projects for the 2012 London Games. Discover the stories behind iconic locations like Wembley Stadium, the role of private clubs, and the lasting legacies of these monumental events. Join us for an engaging journey through Olympic history, architecture, and urban development.

Ye Olde Guide is a podcast is a living history of the towns and cities of England. Find out more, and get in touch at yeoldeguide.com

Send us a text

Join us on a historical tour of Liverpool. World famous for The Beatles and its football clubs, Liverpool has a rich and influential history and magnificent architectural heritage. Ye Olde Guide explores the history of English towns and cities in four categories: Politics & War, Arts & Culture, Science & Industry, and Urban Landscape.

In the second of four parts on Liverpool we’ll be covering the incredible musical history of Liverpool including Merseybeat and waves of musical innovation covering half a century. We will also be talking about the football teams, horseracing and Liverpool’s fantastic art.

Don’t miss episode one, which told the story of migration, the role of Liverpool in the second world war and the turbulent politics of the city

In later episodes we will be exploring the industry of Liverpool's vast docks, and remarkable architecture around the city.

We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on the episode. Please get in touch by visiting yeoldeguide.com or tweet us @yeoldeguide

Send us a text

Join us on a historical tour of Liverpool. World famous for The Beatles and its football clubs, Liverpool has a rich and influential history and magnificent architectural heritage. Ye Olde Guide explores the history of English towns and cities in four categories: Politics & War, Arts & Culture, Science & Industry, and Urban Landscape.

In the first of four parts on Liverpool we will be giving a brief historical overview before exploring our first category Politics and War. We will discuss the role of immigration on Liverpool, giving rise to its large Irish, Caribbean and Chinese communities amongst others. We will discuss the politics of twentieth century Liverpool and its legacy both in local urban planning and national politics. We will be discussing the crucial role Liverpool played in the second world war and historical associations with the American Civil War.

In later episodes we will be exploring the music of Liverpool, the vast docks, and remarkable architecture around the city.

We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on the episode. Please get in touch by visiting yeoldeguide.com or tweet us @yeoldeguide

Send us a text

Museums are at the heart of storytelling for towns and cities. We discuss how the scope, excitement and emersion of local museums helps narrate the history of urban development and culture.

Our conversation explores the significance of local museums in preserving culture and democratising history. It delves into the presentation of town history, highlighting examples such as York Castle Museum and Sea City in Southampton. Fun and uniqueness aspects are also discussed, featuring Ipswich Museum and Black Country Living Museum. Additionally, the podcast touches on the scope of museums, including their coverage of various topics beyond local matters such as Coventry and Hull transport museums, and the immersive experiences offered by museums like Milestones in Basingstoke and Black Country Living Museum.

Send us a text