What is a leper squint? Are the marks scratched into the exterior walls of churches from damned souls trying to claw their way in?

Join Matt Lewis as he welcomes back James Wright, a stonemason and historian with a passion for debunking myths about medieval buildings. Together, they explore the real stories behind architectural features like pentagrams, mason's marks, arrow stones and devil's doors. James's unique blend of practical stonemasonry experience and historical research offers fascinating insights into how these myths evolved and what they reveal about the societies that created them. Discover the hidden truths and vibrant histories once obscured by folklore in this insightful episode.

Hear James Wright unravel more medieval building myths in our previous episode here

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Amy Haddow. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

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Rodrigo Díaz - known as el Cid - lived a violently colourful life in 11th Century Spain. By turns an ambitious military leader, exile and brutal mercenary, after changing allegiances several times he carved out an independent principality.

Join Dr. Eleanor Janega and Professor Nora Berend uncover the complexities behind El Cid's legacy, from his military prowess and strategic mind to his contested historical and mythological persona. They explore why el Cid is today considered a superhero; a quasi-saint and the 'spirit of Spain', according to military dictator Franco.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega, edited and produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Join Matt Lewis and Professor Michael Livingston to unravel the legendary Battle of Agincourt.

They cover the lesser-known strategic blunders to the haunting moral dilemmas and learn about the real events that shaped this historic clash. Perfect for history buffs and medieval enthusiasts, this episode dives deep into one of the most iconic battles of the medieval era, debunking myths and shedding light on historical truths.

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Amy Haddow. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Watch the Battle of Agincourt being brought to life now in History Hit's new TV documentary with Professor Micheal Livingston. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Why are so many medieval castles left in ruins?

Join Dr. Eleanor Janega as she steps through the rubble of these fallen stone giants to close our current series on the life cycle of castles.

The technological advancements and changing comforts, such as chimneys, glass windows and not least privacy, made it challenging to maintain castles over time. Discover how societal shifts and changing fashion trends led to the decline of these historic structures that were once the ultimate symbol of power and control and how we can appreciate their historical significance today.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega, produced and edited by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

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Gone Medieval continues to explore the life cycle of castles, today considering the role for which they were explicitly designed - as fortresses to protect those within - by focussing on the incredible Carlisle Castle.

Matt Lewis speaks to Professor Jackson Armstrong about this frontier castle and the significance of its location on the border of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland. 

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’

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**This episode contains some strong language**

Few women had the luxury of writing down their thoughts and feelings during medieval times. But remarkably, there are at least four extraordinary women who did. Marie de France, a poet; Julian of Norwich, a mystic; Christine de Pizan, a widow; and Margery Kempe, a "no-good wife". What was life really like for them? Could they live independent lives? And how can we hear their stories?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Hetta Howes to talk about her new book Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife: The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women and what it reveals to u about how medieval women thought about things like sex, death and God.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. The producers are Joseph Knight and Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Old Sarum was the earliest settlement of Salisbury in Wlitshire. While there are indications of a prehistoric settlement on the site from as early as 3000 BC, its importance in Norman England has slipped from prominence.

Matt Lewis talks to archaeologist and TV presenter Alex Langlands, whose recent book - Tales of Two Cities: Settlement and Suburb in Old Sarum and Salisbury -offers fresh insights into the significance of this ancient site.

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. It was edited by Max Carrey, the producers are Joseph Knight and Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

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All this month, Matt and Eleanor are ranging across England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland to discover the stories of our greatest castles.

In this episode, Eleanor looks at one of the most iconic and strategically important fortresses. Over the centuries, Stirling Castle has reflected Scotland's changing political and cultural landscape. The early wooden structures gave way to stone fortifications, which, in turn, were transformed into a Renaissance palace with a flourishing court life, symbolizing royal power. 

Eleanor finds out more from Dr. William Hepburn, author of the recently published The Household and Court of James IV of Scotland, 1488 to 1513.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr.Eleanor Janega and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’

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Ireland has been known as the land of saints and scholars and once was the farthest reach of the known world. But it's also home to one of the densest selections of castles in Europe thanks to the bloody invaders, the Normans.

Matt Lewis visits the immense fortress that is Trim castle to learn about how castles in Ireland were built as instruments of conquest and colonisation, to crush and contain the people's of the Emerald Isle.

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Matt Lewis's TV documentaries on Castles in Ireland will be available soon on History Hit, his series Castles That Made Britain is available to watch now.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Medieval churches are among our most enduring links with the Middle Ages. But it's not always easy to understand what parts of a church to look out for and what they can tell us about the people who built them.

Dr. Eleanor Janega finds out how to achieve enlightenment through the very bricks and mortar of a medieval church from Andrew Ziminski, author of Church Going: A Stonemason's Guide to the Churches of the British Isles.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega and edited by Jo Troy. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Castles in Medieval Britain didn't just serve a military purpose, they were central to the social and cultural life of society. In the second episode of Gone Medieval's special series telling the story of castles, Matt Lewis looks at how castles were built by turning the spotlight on Conwy Castle in North Wales. Built as part of Edward I's campaign to consolidate his control over Wales, Conwy's unique construction and architectural innovations had an enduring influence on castle design across the whole of Europe.

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Listen to the first episode in this series, The Rise of British Castles, here >

Matt Lewis's video series Castles That Made Britain is available to watch on History Hit. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’

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