Amazing to see Women Who Ruled the World: 5000 Years of Female Monarchy being read out in the wild… wait, is that @juleshumphrys.bsky.social 😆 #womenwhoruledtheworld

On this day in 1338 French and Genoese raiders launched a surprise and highly destructive attack on Southampton. At the time there were no defensive walls on the dockside, making it easy for the attackers to get into the town. These impressive fortifications were built following the raid.

I'm writing about Tudor Cambridge for a special edition of Tudor Places magazine. Here's the gatehouse vault of St John's College. It commemorates its foundress, Margaret Beaufort with her portcullis badge, marguerites (a play on her name) & forget-me-nots (a play on her 'souvent me souvient' motto)

I absolutely love guiding round the Great Tower of Warkworth Castle in Northumberland. What might first appear to be a confusing maze of rooms, passages and staircases is in fact a carefully thought out layout designed to allow the household to function as efficiently as possible. #castles

Where better to eat a slice of simnel cake than on Piel Island, Cumbria, scene of a landing in 1487 by a certain Yorkist pretender to the throne? The castle there's well worth a visit, even though you have to take a boat to get to it. #lambertsimnel

19 April 1775 'OK, chaps. We'll just nip over to Concord and seize a few weapons. Nobody will do anything about it and it'll all be forgotten in a couple of weeks.' To find out what really happened, check out my article on the HistoryExtra website www.historyextra.com/period/georg...

Looking forward to speaking on this in my home town! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-battle...

Just back from a great reunion at Emmanuel College Cambridge. The college chapel was certainly looking its best for the event. #cambridge #christopherwren

Stunning views from the roofs of the great tower of Dover Castle & the bell tower of St Peter's Church in Sandwich. We visit both (plus Winchelsea, New Romney & Rye) on the Dover and the Cinque Ports tour I'm leading on 9-11 July. See www.traveleditions.co.uk for details

February 1945. Operation Veritable. No comment. 🙁 #WW2 #HISTORY

There was just enough time yesterday for a stroll round old Southampton before the inevitable disappointment of watching the city's football team. That's St Michael's Church in the background. #southampton #historichampshire

On the way home from leading a tour to Normandy. Our trip to Caen included a visit to the Abbaye aux Dames. Its foundress, Matilda of Flanders, Queen of England and wife of William the Conqueror, is buried in the church. #Caen

@thejazzemu.bsky.social Loved the sock love-in in Guildford last night. Imagine my joy this morning when I was scrolling through your YouTube videos and this advert cropped up

Great St Mary's Church, Cambridge. In 1506 Henry VII donated 100 oak trees to build its roof. But it later transpired the trees weren't his to give as the estate they came from actually belonged to the Abbot of Westminster and Henry was obliged to write him a letter of apology.

16 Feb 1646. Parliamentarians defeat Royalists at Great Torrington, Devon. Its church, which was being used as a powder store, was damaged by an explosion at the end of the battle; it was largely rebuilt 5 years later. NB The date is Old Style, with the new year beginning at the end of March #otd

Visited Winchester Cathedral yesterday. Here's the memorial there to Sir George Prevost who defended Canada against US aggression during the War of 1812. #winchestercathedral #monuments #warof1812 #canada

Memorial stone outside Winchester Cathedral to Thomas Thetcher of the North Hants Militia. The inscription says: 'Here sleeps in peace a Hampshire Grenadier Who caught his death by drinking cold small beer Soldiers be wise by his untimely fall And when ye're hot drink strong or none at all'

Just getting in the mood to record my contribution to the Wars of the Roses Online History Festival, 21-23 March. For more info and tickets see: warsoftheroses.eventbrite.co.uk #warsoftheroses

The sun is shining so brightly through the windows of King's College Chapel, it's projecting their pictures onto the opposite wall. ##stainedglass #cambridge #kingscollegechapel

Site of the last 'battle' on English soil between members of opposing armed forces, fought on 27 Sept 1940 when men of the London Irish Rifles who were billetted in the Sportsman pub, nr Whitstable, exchanged fire with the crew of a German Ju-88 which had crash landed nearby on Graveney Marsh.

I'm currently working on a special issue of Tudor Places magazine focussing on Tudor Cambridge, and today I've been looking at Gonville and Caius College. This is the remarkable 16th century Gate of Honour which its students pass through on their way to graduate.

I rather like the variations in the spellings of the royal motto at Hampton Court Palace. We have the traditional 'Dieu et mon droit' but we also have 'Deo et mun droit' and, my absolute favorite, ' Deo et mun drit' #tudors #hamptoncourtpalace #heraldry #motto

Some blue sky for @bsky.app. Taking advantage of the break in the weather and having a wander round Hampton Court Palace. Here are some standard shots. Some quirkier stuff will follow... #tudors #hamptoncourtpalace #blueskythinking #brick

Tucked away in a corner of Holy Trinity Church in Guildford is the slightly disturbing tomb of Archbishop of Canterbury George Abbot. In 1621 Abbot found himself at the centre of some controversy when he accidentally shot dead a gamekeeper with his crossbow while out hunting.

The Church of St John the Baptist, Cirencester. On 6 January 1400 three not-so-wise men, the earls of Salisbury, Kent, and baron Lumley were seized in the town by the locals following the failure of their Epiphany Rising against King Henry IV and were quickly put to death. #Epiphany

'You are now about to witness the strength of Surrey minor road knowledge' Fantastic recreation of the early nineties, my debut as an executive producer, and a worryingly good portrayal of Mrs Peacock by Cath. #comptonsurrey #hiphop youtu.be/R7jL40i7rSU

I hope the family will appreciate my addition of a battle of Towton theme to this year's Christmas cake.

What a view of Richmond Castle we had during our all-too-brief stay in the Landmark Trust's 18th century Culloden Tower. We'll definitely be back! #landmarktrust #Yorkshire #18thcentury

The bridge over the River Tees at Barnard Castle. The castle above it was besieged during the Revolt of the Northern Earls in 1569. To find out more about the siege and also about the castle during the earlier Pilgrimage of Grace check out my article in the new issue of @tudorplaces.bsky.social

HQ and writing base for the next four days: the spectacular rococo-gothick Culloden Tower in Richmond, North Yorkshire. It was erected around 1746 to celebrate the Duke of Cumberland's victory over the Jacobites.

In Issue 15, @juleshumphrys.bsky.social delves into the history of this important County Durham castle and examines its role in two Tudor rebellions. bit.ly/4it06wo

@gregjenner.bsky.social Your glorious summer, our bleak midwinter.

Was Towton the bloodiest battle on English soil? Was Richard braver than Henry at Bosworth? How reliable are contemporary sources? Find out what I think at this online festival in March. Tickets on sale now!

St Lawrence's Church, Alton, Hampshire. On 13 December 1643 a royalist force in Alton was defeated by Waller's parliamentarians. The royalists made their last stand in its church which still bears the signs of battle with shot marks in its fabric and a loophole cut in its door. #ecw

Barnard Castle, County Durham. In Issue 15 of Tudor Places magazine I tell the story of the castle and of how it was twice besieged in the 16th century. And if you look carefully at one of the photos in the article you should be able be able to spot Specsavers

College stuff in Cambridge.

Had a great morning at Old Wardour Castle talking Civil War, siege warfare and the two sieges of the castle in particular. The second siege certainly left its mark with shot damage round windows and the destruction of part of the castle by the accidental explosion of a gunpowder mine.

The 18th Banqueting House at Old Wardour Castle. What a great location for the first of my talks this morning.

What a surprise! Prior to giving a couple of talks at Old Wardour Castle this morning I went into the Church of St John the Baptist at Tisbury to check out the graves of the castle's Arundell owners only to be blown away by this new Tom Denny east window which apparently was installed this year.

This morning I paid a visit to Southampton Old Cemetery. This is the grave of one of my great grandfathers, William James Thomas. He died in October 1913 aged just 35 after falling down the stairs on his way to watch Southampton FC play Merthyr Town in the Southern League. Saints won 3-0

Quick visit before my first Christmas drinks of the season to the old nonconformist burial ground at London's Bunhill Fields. Here's the monument to the writer, preacher and one-time Roundhead soldier, John Bunyan. #bunhillfields #graveyard #johnbunyan

Page three of the Times today! I can't wait to see the reaction in various circles. Meanwhile coverage of the disastrous flooding brought about as a result of climate change seems to have dried up completely.

Me chatting about guiding and in particular the Richard III tour I've been leading for Travel Editions for several years. Check out the tours page on my website for details of the tours I've been booked to lead in 2025. youtu.be/A8Yhr2K9QmE?...

Fascinating archaeological project at Bishop Auckland Palace investigating the mansion built for Republican Arthur Hesilrige. Demolished after the Restoration, it's rather a metaphor for the Republic & its failure. The latest episode of the excellent CavalierCast has more info: tinyurl.com/2fy74bkz

Church Street, Godalming tonight.

I do hope she found it. 18th century gravestone in Winchester Cathedral. #winchester

Despite the fact that the emergency generator at Winchester University ran out of fuel today we finished our battlefields conference in time for me to pay a visit to Winchester Cathedral. This is Antony Gormley's wonderful Sound II in its flooded crypt. #winchestercathedral #antonygormley

Some places are still left on my last English Heritage members' event of the year. It's at Old Wardour Castle in Wiltshire on Friday 6 December and I'll be discussing the story of its two Civil War sieges. www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-...

Personally I'm a proud Hampshireman but that won't stop me from wishing everyone a happy #LancashireDay

Just a reminder that if you want to pick up a copy of my monograph this is the cheapest way of doing so