History Extra
Keeping up appearances
From the second half of the 18th century, an ambitious plan for a stylish New Town created lavish, desirable homes for wealthy Edinburghers. CONNIE ROUT visits one townhouse restored to its Georgian pomp
2 min |
March 2026
History Extra
Sea changes
The title of this wideranging book is misleading: an overview of the medieval history of the Baltic lands, it starts before the crusades proper and follows the story through to the Reformation.
1 min |
March 2026
History Extra
Retro-style 1970s prawn cocktail
ELEANOR BARNETT relishes a once-derided dinner-party classic and traces its origins back to the early 20th-century US
2 min |
March 2026
History Extra
Direct connection
To celebrate 150 years since the first telephone call was made, Michael Kay and Coreen McGuire describe how the device reshaped social interactions in Britain - and the somewhat surprising ways it was first used
10+ min |
March 2026
History Extra
WHY CHURCHILL POKED THE RUSSIAN BEAR
It's 80 years since the war victor delivered his 'Iron Curtain' speech, sounding the alarm for a perilous new age. The speech, given as tensions with Stalin soared, is among the most famous in modern history. Yet, asks Richard Toye, has it been misunderstood?
10 min |
March 2026
History Extra
Quiet complicity
A clear-eyed exposé of British royal involvement with the slave trade is long overdue, says HANNAH CUSWORTH
2 min |
March 2026
History Extra
Money talks
JESS VENNER welcomes a wide-ranging look at how non-elite people in ancient Roman society managed to get by from day to day
2 min |
March 2026
History Extra
“I cannot abide the smell of hot meat since”
While some foods were believed to boost sexual appetites and performance, others were considered to provide protection from associated risks.
1 min |
March 2026
History Extra
Q&A
A selection of historical conundrums answered by experts
8 min |
March 2026
History Extra
Rock'n'roll survivor
In 1961, when Stuart Sutcliffe left The Beatles, Paul McCartney switched from guitar to bass.
1 min |
March 2026
History Extra
The game's afoot
Having previously made two films starring Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes, it seems Guy Ritchie remains as fascinated as ever by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective.
1 min |
March 2026
BBC History UK
Is it true that the Roman emperor Claudius was killed by a mushroom?
Maybe! That's a cop-out, sure – but the same cop-out that our two main ancient sources took when describing Claudius's death scene.
1 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Elizabeth Marsh The corsair's captive
Taken hostage by a Barbary ship's captain in the 18th century, a young Englishwoman found herself fighting for her freedom in Marrakech. ADAM NICHOLS introduces a brave captive who later wrote a book about her dramatic experiences
6 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
If walls could talk
Several major moments in English history played out at the Midlands' mightiest castle. SPENCER MIZEN explores the story-soaked stone walls, soaring towers and gloomy dungeons of the Kingmaker's lair
2 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
29 DECEMBER 1170: Thomas Becket is murdered in Canterbury
Knights loyal to Henry II rid him of the “low-born cleric”
2 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Murder most female
Women accused of violent murders have often faced assumptions about their motives and disbelief that the 'gentle sex' could commit such bloody crimes. Rosalind Crone investigates four cases from the 19th century
9 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
How did the teddy bear get its name?
Perhaps the question should be: would we have the beloved toy at all if a US president had enjoyed more luck on a hunting trip?
1 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
What lies beneath
Sea monsters have haunted human imaginations for millennia. From the Akraken to killer serpents, Prema Arasu explores what five mythical creatures reveal about our deepest fears
8 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Rule like a Roman
James Osborne meets the makers of a new game that offers you the chance to govern a conquered settlement at the height of Rome's power
2 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Jane Austen was a brilliant observer of Georgian Britain But she couldn't speak for everyone
The author's books depict an evocative slice of early 19th-century life, but many aspects of the Regency era are only hinted at in her novels, as Lizzie Rogers reveals
10 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
The Last Days of Pompeii: The Immersive Experience
Delve into the culture of daily Roman life, witness the momentous eruption of Mount Vesuvius, and follow its fallout in Immerse LDN's new exhibition. In a blend of cutting-edge technology and vivid storytelling, this exhibition launches visitors into Pompeii's rich history with recreations of the ancient city's beautiful pre-eruption landscape, a 360-degree virtual reality Roman amphitheatre experience, and a digital metaverse recreating Pompeii's 'Villa of Mysteries'.
1 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
On the skids
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's smash musical Oklahoma! opened on Broadway on 31 March 1943.
1 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Memories of Malaya
I read Kavita Puri's article on the Second World War in Asia (Hidden Histories, December) with great interest.
3 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Santa Claus v Father Christmas
The true identity of the white-bearded, red-robed figure who fills children's stockings at Christmas has long been debated. Thomas Ruys Smith sizes up the merry contenders
8 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
What are the origins of the Yule Lads?
To learn about the Jólasveinar (Yule Lads), we must start with their mother, the terrifying ogress Grýla. Her name appeared in Icelandic texts as early as the 13th century, although it wasn’t until later that those 13 mischievous lads became associated with her. Folk tales and poems tell how she descends from the mountains with an empty sack to stuff full of children. Grýla owns the monstrous Jólaköttur (Yule Cat), which roams the countryside on Christmas Eve, searching for children to gobble up if they're not wearing new clothes.
1 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Frontier friction
Set in Washington Territory in 1854, The Abandons is a Western that's unusual for having two matriarchs, women whose lives become entangled, at its centre.
1 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Bath in five places
In the Georgian era, Bath became arguably Britain's most fashionable destination. KIRSTEN ELLIOTT promenades five historic highlights
3 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Small pleasures
Memory is imperfect, but what if you could get a professional model maker to recreate a moment from the past?
1 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
Did Japanese emperor Hirohito really love Disney films and characters?
He did. In 1975, he even visited Disneyland in California, where he was given a Mickey Mouse watch - of which he was enormously proud. He is said to have worn it regularly after returning to Japan, including on official state occasions.
1 min |
Christmas 2025
BBC History UK
End times
Why do civilisations that dominated their epoch fail? In an era of autocracy, climate change, the rise of Al and a first-hand understanding of how deadly pandemics can be, it's a question that seems pertinent.
1 min |