Speaking with Shadows
Speaking with Shadows
When you're wandering about a historic place, what voices do you hear echoing off the walls? Are they the ones you learnt about at school - or do you wonder about the shadowy, quiet voices that may have gone unheard? Speaking with Shadows from English Heritage is the podcast that listens to the people that history forgot. From castles on the south coast to Hadrian's Wall in the far north, join pre…Social links:
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Vigilant State – York Cold War Bunker and the Royal Observer Corps
Josie Long visits York Cold War Bunker, one of over 1,500 bunkers and monitoring posts across the UK that were in operation during the Cold War, and the only example which still exists without alterations today. But perhaps the most interesting thing about the bunker are the people who worked the…
34:44
The Polish Special Forces Soldiers of Audley End
In this episode, Josie Long uncovers a group of daring Polish soldiers and their secret wartime history in Essex. She visits Audley End House, known during the Second World War as Station 43, to find out about the Cichociemni: elite special forces soldiers who volunteered to go above and beyond fo…
42:58
The Patients of Chiswick House Asylum
If you’ve heard the horror stories of experimental pre-20th-century psychiatry, this episode might surprise you. Josie Long heads to Chiswick House in south-west London to find out about its life as a private asylum for people with mental illnesses in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Who were th…
38:30
James Chappell, the Heroic Servant of Kirby Hall
Josie Long heads to Kirby Hall in Northamptonshire on the trail of a mysterious man who saved the life of the owner of this fine house. James Chappell’s heroic story lives on in local legend, but who was this black servant, living as a free man? And what new questions does his story raise or add t…
32:29
The Workhouse at Framlingham Castle
This time, we’re turning the cruel, inhumane image of Victorian workhouses on its head. Josie Long heads to a Suffolk village to unravel the evolution of poor laws as well as the birth of modern health and social care. Framlingham Castle once served as a workhouse, lodgings and administrative cent…
32:31
Bolsover Castle’s Philosopher Duchess
Josie Long traces the footsteps of the indomitable 17th-century duchess Margaret Cavendish: a writer, philosopher, feminist and author of one of the first ever sci-fi novels. This student of the human mind and spirit dressed against convention and made her way into the prestigious but male-dominat…
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Speaking with Shadows Returns on Tuesday 29th March
Josie Long returns on Tuesday 29th March with a brand new series of Speaking with Shadows. Once again, Josie is travelling the country to uncover the hidden histories of English Heritage sites, with incredible stories that throw a new light onto our nation's story. She'll challenge the image of h…
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Far From Home – The People of Hadrian's Wall
Set on a spectacular ridgeline in the Cumbrian hills, Birdoswald Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall was once a meeting place for communities from across the Roman Empire. Men, women and children travelled from as far afield as Spain and Syria in order to serve at the empire’s north-western frontier. At B…
27:30
Bonus Episode: Tracing the Origins of Witchcraft Beliefs
In this bonus episode you’ll hear the extended interview with Professor Diane Purkiss from episode 5 of the podcast. In her discussion, Diane explores the origins of witchcraft beliefs and how the figure of the witch was born. This episode contains content that may not be suitable for younger list…
06:51
From Queen to Captive – Witchcraft, Women and Power
It's the winter of 1420 and Joan of Navarre, Queen of England has been imprisoned by her stepson King Henry V. A rich widow and an influential political figure, Joan has been accused of witchcraft and plotting to kill the king and now awaits her fate imprisoned in the keep of Pevensey Castle. In …
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