Cnut the Great

Cnut, or Canute, 1000 years on

For many people, knowledge of British history is an awareness of the Romans, the Norman invasion and its aftermath, and then more recent history from the War of the Roses and the Tudors onward. There are surprisingly few English monarchs who are household names from before the Norman Invasion – perhaps Alfred the Great, Æthelred…

York

The Walls of York

Given that many cities and towns in the UK were once fortified through the addition of city or town walls, it may be a little surprising to hear that only one – Londonderry in Northern Ireland – retains all of its walls in tact.  However, if you add consideration that these walls would either have…