The mothership. #SenateHouse tonight.

And back towards Senate House, past more Charles Holden loveliness... ❤️

Surrounded by gorgeous maps and views for my talk at the City of Westminster Archives Centre this evening. Looking forward to sharing #London #history from #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems, and showcasing the work of @vch-london.bsky.social.

More new *draft* text from @vchgloucester.bsky.social on the parish of #Coates, near #Cirencester. All corrections, additions, or clarifications welcome! #Skystorians #LocalHistory

I'm hugely honoured and very excited to be giving this year's Historical Research #Lecture at @ihr.bsky.social, on 'Can popular #history be radical? Historical research and writing for the #public'. Tuesday 4 November, all welcome. More info in AltText. Book here: www.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...

This looks like a good event from @senatehouselib.bsky.social! #Railway200 www.london.ac.uk/senate-house...

I'll never forget the older lady who yelled at my young children (4 & 9) when they paused on our daily walk to climb a tree (we had no access to outdoor space at home). "That's not exercise!" My kids were very upset. I was furious. She was sitting on a park bench www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

On the main table in my local Waterstone's, Bromley. The book of the year. #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems

😍😍

'Be gentle', advised my producer, when I recorded #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems for BBC Radio 4. 'People like to listen in bed at night.' My efforts paid off, as the series is now featured on BBC Sounds 'Wind Down': 'A soothing collection of stories, sounds and documentaries to fall asleep to'. 😴😄

A perfect evening at the #BeachHut with my son 🧡 #Southbourne #Dorset

I cannot recommend this highly enough. Engaging, thought-provoking, informative with a warmth and lightness of touch that delights. The book is definitely going on my Christmas list.

New draft material available from our friends at VCH Essex: all comment/feedback or corrections gratefully received and acknowledged! #LocalHistory #Skystorians

A favourite pick-me-up as a grad student was to pop into the Leicester Square Claire's with a friend, pick up a Surprise Bag each, then head to a pub. You took turns to reveal an item and put it on. The full Surprise assemblage would then be worn. Happy memories. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Just 2 days before @cathamclarke.bsky.social speaks at the Westminster Archives on #London history in poetry. Last few tickets available! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/author-tal...

For the last 6 months, every day, we've added to this thread - and on Saturday, it finished. Glad not to feel the pressure of missing a day (was only late on 2 days, both due to technical issues!), but on also a bit sad to have stopped. It was such an interesting way into our project! #Railway200

Coming up this Wednesday, our friend and colleague John Chandler, editor of the next @wiltshistory.bsky.social volume on #Chippenham will be speaking on Maud Heath, and 'her' causeway, an important Chippenham area landmark for @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social. Online, tickets £10. #Skystorians

Happy Monday morning from the clifftop. Sound on for the waves... #Southbourne #Dorset

Come & hear me speak in Leicester on Fri 28 November, 2025. 'From Nation to Local: Re-Discovering England's Places through #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems'. Thanks to my friends at the Centre for Regional and Local History + the Centre for Urban History for the invitation. All welcome! Link in AltText.

'A History of England in 25 Poems' by @cathamclarke.bsky.social A delightful, thoughtful and original new way to understand England's history. #shopindie @villagebooks.bsky.social 📖 sample to peek inside and share www.jellybooks.com/cloud_reader...

A History of England in 25 Poems by the brilliant @cathamclarke.bsky.social on display at @blackwells.bsky.social Broad St, Oxford! 💚

Two can play at this - Waterstones in Tunbridge Wells this morning. Outside and in!

Brought to you by faded pink hydrangeas in the garden and my pink jumper (knitted by my mum): today's review in the FT Weekend, by Nathan Brooker, editor of FT Money. #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems

Sitting next to Michael Palin is the dream.

My colleague @evehayes123.bsky.social is an internationally-regarded expert on #digitalidentity. Her thoughts are worth paying attention to...

Jeans, but make them #WilliamMorris... Couldn't resist when these appeared in my social media feed - especially as they were a steal from Tu at Sainsbury's!

Today is the last episode of #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems on Radio 4 - the remarkable poem 'The Groundsman' by Zaffar Kunial, opening up questions about England past, present & future. Pictured here: my initial notes on this poem for the chapter. I love climbing inside a poem - where will it take me?

The highlight of publishing #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems? Tough call, but possibly this gorgeous bespoke #book #bunting created by the team at Penguin Press - now adorning my office!

I hope @cathamclarke.bsky.social is properly proud of an amazing collection that speaks of now but also of where we have come from. The pearl is possibly my favourite, raw, powerful, and completely unexpected speaking of love, loss and grief over the centuries www.ft.com/content/6948...

A celebratory evening marking the publication of the 250th Big Red Book of #local & #place based #history from @vch-home.bsky.social: Westmorland vol 1, from VCH Cumbria (Cumbria County History Trust). Many congratulations to Sarah Rose and her colleagues, and to all the local contributors involved.

The whole series of #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems is incredible. I was unfamiliar with most of the poems so it was a delight to discover them, and hear Catherine unwrap and explain the words and their context. The absolute best of audacious empathy

What can we do with a #poem in under 15 minutes? Tune into #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems on Radio 4 tomorrow / BBC Sounds to discover the surprising story behind Auden's 'Funeral Blues'. This episode may interest English teachers, as well as anyone who loves #history. @englishassociation.bsky.social

Ian Miller, 1976. #illustration #1970s #IanMiller #Beowulf

We are delighted to flag that @vch-home.bsky.social has refocused its work in #London - including all those areas now in Greater London that were once in the counties of #Middlesex, #Surrey, #Essex and #Kent under the banner of 'VCH London' - @vch-london.bsky.social. Please give them a folllow!

Pamela Fisher - @leicsvcht.bsky.social - has written for the @ihr.bsky.social 'On History' blog about her recent community history project on the minute holiday resort of Nanpantan. A handful of farms, a pub, a crossroads, a leisure space for the working people of #Loughborough. #Skystorians

"FR Leavis, this ain't." Perhaps my favourite moment in the lovely review of my book in the Financial Times today. #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems #history #book

A lovely review by Nathan Brooker in the Financial Times (coming in print at the weekend, I think). "While being lightly written, Clarke’s book is deeply researched, and takes us to some very unexpected places." #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems www.ft.com/content/6948...

Love a historical kitchen? Tune into #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems on Radio 4 tomorrow to go 'below stairs' in an eighteenth-century country house. Our guide is Mary Leapor, a labouring class poet who worked in domestic service. Beneath the worlds of Bridgerton & Jane Austen - who did the washing up?

Our Co-General Editor, @adamchapman.bsky.social, joined us in 2013. Since then, we have published just over 40 books and Adam has edited or co-edited 37 of them. The most recent is our 250th #BigRedBook, Westmorland volume 1. Join us on Wednesday to learn more.

History curious? You don't need to be in London (or the UK) to attend many Institute of Historical Research seminars, although if you're in Bloomsbury you'll enjoy doing so. Most are hybrid (online/in person). They're free, usually fortnightly and open to the public. Starting this week:

The VCH is working in #London again, on a short history of #Soho! And there is now a donations page, if you'd like to help keep it going (or maybe even expand...): cafdonate.cafonline.org/28318#!/Dona...

Enjoying #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems on Radio 4? Join us on 1 October to discover #London #history through #poetry. You'll also be able to learn about the work of the Victoria County History in London - and support @vch-london.bsky.social by buying my book. www.westminster.gov.uk/event/author...

Have a listen to this excellent programme @cathamclarke.bsky.social on #history through #poetry ( & vice versa…) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟⬇️ www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

I really cannot recommend this more highly - from my brilliant IHR colleague @cathamclarke.bsky.social Catch her on Start the Week today too! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

'set in a silver sea...' View towards #Purbeck this afternoon. Tomorrow's episode of #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems on Radio 4 features 'this sceptered isle' from Shakespeare's Richard II - one of the most iconic but also trickiest texts for making ideas of #England... Tune in at 11.45am.

Just finished listening to the first episode of #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems. Did they play me out with Elgar's Nimrod? Of course they did! Broadcast every day this week at 11.45 (repeated at half past midnight) + on BBC Sounds: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...

Come and join us on Wednesday to learn more about our 250th Red Book (and something of the 249 before that!).

Getting in your Christmas shopping early? Gorgeous inspo from the V&A shop (as ever), featuring my book - the perfect stocking filler! Thanks to my colleague and spy Mette for spotting these! Those three birds really are beauties... #AHistoryOfEnglandIn25Poems #history #book #gift

Excited to hear @cathamclarke.bsky.social reading Old English on Radio 4 today! So inspiring!