- 1 hour 2 minutesEdgar Ætheling: The King Who Never Was
What if you were proclaimed King of England but never sat on the throne? In 1066, Edgar Ætheling possessed the strongest bloodline claim to the English crown, yet this Anglo-Saxon prince became a mere footnote in history.
Matt Lewis and Professor Levi Roach bring this forgotten heir out of the shadows. Discover his extraordinary seventy-year life of rebellions, Norman resistance, and Crusade exploits.
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Edward the Confessor
The Queer Court of William Rufus
Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Watch Matt and Eleanor's new documentary The Rise of the Plantagenets by subscribing to History Hit. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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21 August 2026, 2:00 am - 58 minutes 45 secondsGreat Buildings of the Middle Ages
How did medieval builders create monuments that still leave us awestruck? How were vast cathedrals, temples and cities constructed and embellished?
From Canterbury Cathedral and the palaces of Great Zimbabwe and Venice, to Cambodia's Angkor Wat, some of the greatest achievements of the middle ages depended on extraordinary stonemasons.
Dr Eleanor Janega is joined by Simon Warrack to hear the inside stories of the exquisite craftsmanship behind these architectural wonders.
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A Stonemason's Secrets
Mythbusting Medieval Buildings
Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Watch Matt and Eleanor's new documentary The Rise of the Plantagenets by subscribing to History Hit. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 August 2026, 2:00 am - 46 minutes 4 secondsHenry III vs. Simon de Montfort
Was Henry III overthrown by England's first constitutional revolution? How did Simon de Montfort's rebellion change the course of history?
In 1258, a revolutionary movement stripped Henry III of his authority, plunging England into a bitter crisis and a brutal civil war. As Henry fought to suppress an uprising in France, his queen Eleanor of Provence emerged as one of the most formidable political figures of the age.
David Carpenter returns to Gone Medieval to speak to Matt Lewis about the extraordinary final years of one of England's longest-reigning monarchs.
More:
How the Plantagenets Built England
King Edward I: Hammer of the Scots
Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Watch History Hit's documentary on Simon de Montfort in the new Rebel series with Mike Loades. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe
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14 August 2026, 2:00 am - 54 minutes 21 secondsGuinevere: The Queen Who Broke Camelot?
Was Queen Guinevere a traitorous adulteress who caused the tragic downfall of Camelot, or a complex political survivor? Was she even real? Dr. Eleanor Janega and Arthurian expert Dr. Mary Bateman explore the changing faces of King Arthur’s legendary wife. They discuss her early mythological Welsh roots, scandalous 'affairs' with Lancelot and Mordred, and how medieval queens used this powerful romantic legend for their own real-world political influence.
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King Arthur with Dr. Mary Bateman
King Arthur's Sex Life
Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe
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11 August 2026, 2:00 am - 48 minutes 44 secondsHenry III: England's Longest Reigning King
How did a nine-year-old boy save England from the brink of collapse? How did he transform a disastrous legacy into a remarkably stable reign?
When King John died in 1216, civil war raged, barons invited a French prince to seize the throne, and the new monarch Henry III was just nine years old. Against all odds, the boy king navigated rebellion, rebuilt royal authority after Magna Carta, and laid the foundations for one of the longest reigns in English history.
Matt Lewis finds out more from renowned Medieval historian David Carpenter.
More:
Rise of The Plantagenets
King John: Worst Medieval Monarch?
Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
7 August 2026, 2:00 am - 41 minutes 44 secondsMedieval Sex Work & Brothels
**WARNING: This episode contains explicit language and sexual content
How did prostitution become so visible in medieval towns? How could sex work flourish, sometimes in the very same buildings as schools, churches and markets?
Prostitutes were a familiar presence in medieval cities, raising fascinating questions about morality, religion, law and urban life.
Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Kate Lister, host of our sister podcast Betwixt the Sheets, to uncover a surprising world where ideals and reality often sat uneasily side by side.
Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. Audio editors are Ella Blaxhill and Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 August 2026, 2:00 am - 57 minutes 34 secondsOlaf Tryggvason: Viking Warlord or Christian King?
Matt Lewis and guest Dr Eleanor Barraclough as they dive into the turbulent world of late 10th-century Scandinavia and the extraordinary life of Olaf Tryggvason. Exiled, enslaved, raider, and eventually king of Norway, Olaf was a force of nature in an age of shifting loyalties, pagan beliefs, and rising Christianity. From Kievan Rus to the British Isles, this episode traces his violent rise and his brutal drive to convert Norway and beyond.
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Erik Bloodaxe
Leif Erikson
Norse Mythology: How to Reach Valhalla
Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
31 July 2026, 2:00 am - 57 minutesFolk Legends of Iceland
How was folklore woven into the everyday life of medieval Icelanders? How did they make sense of the darkness of their world?
During Iceland's endless nights, tales of trolls, ghosts, elves, hidden people and restless spirits were far more than entertainment: they explained an unpredictable existence, preserved history, and warned against unseen dangers.
Dr Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir, to explore the extraordinary legends and oral traditions that continue to shape Icelandic culture today.
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Norse Mythology: Creation Myths
Welsh Folk Tales
Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe
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28 July 2026, 2:00 am - 54 minutes 18 secondsHigh Kings of Ireland
What if “High King” in medieval Ireland was less a fixed office than a fiercely contested prize, won through ritual, lineage, and force? On the Hill of Tara, a would-be ruler climbs toward the Stone of Destiny, hoping for the legendary cry that marks him as chosen.
Matt Lewis and Dr Seán Ó Hoireabhárd explore a world of multiple kings, turn-taking dynasties, cattle raiding, and shifting power between church, Norse settlers, and Irish rivals. Along the way, they reveal how Tara, Brian Boru, and the Uí Néill shaped Ireland’s tangled medieval politics.
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Castles and the Conquest of Ireland
A Complete History of Medieval Ireland
Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Robin McConnell. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Watch Matt and Eleanor's new documentary The Rise of the Plantagenets on History Hit. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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24 July 2026, 8:45 am - 1 hour 1 minuteHow to Survive as a Medieval Woman
What was life really like for working peasant women in the Middle Ages? How did family, marriage, work and social class shape their choices, joys and struggles?
Taking a break from the usual queens, noblewomen and saints of the Medieval period, Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Catherine Hanley to explore the unsung experiences of mothers and daughters, wives, widows and women workers across medieval society.
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The Anarchy: Disruptive Women
How to Survive the 14th Century
Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Jangea. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Watch Eleanor and Matt's new documentary The Rise of the Plantagenets with a History Hit subscription. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early-access ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
21 July 2026, 2:00 am - 52 minutes 45 secondsEdmund Ironside: The 222-Day King
What does it take to face a Danish invasion and fight for a kingdom in just 222 days?
In 1016, England is at war as Edmund Ironside meets Cnut for a crown on the line. Matt Lewis and Dr David McDermott trace a young warrior king who fought six battles, won his name for speed and strength, and held the field at Sherston, Brentford, and beyond.
MORE
Æthelstan: First King of the English
King Cnut & the End of the Viking Age
Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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