THE ENGLISH HERITAGE PODCAST
Every object has a story to tell.
But how can one mystery item lead us on a journey through history, people and places?
In the English Heritage podcast, comedian and writer Amy Matthews brings you entertaining tales from unexpected places. Each week, we begin with a mystery item and with the help of English Heritage experts and special guests, Amy explores what our past can tell us about our present and perhaps our future.
The illuminating story of stained glass
Churches and buildings around England are home to beautiful stained glass enjoyed by communities and visitors every day. But less well known are the fascinating stories and histories behind these national treasures.
This week on the English Heritage Podcast, Amy Matthews is joined by Michael Carter and Susan Harrison to piece together what collections both in situ and in store can tell us about Christianity, the dissolution of monasteries, and the journey of stained glass into churches and buildings that stand today. Glass held both symbolic and intrinsic value to many people, from skilled glaziers to parish priests and opportunistic individuals. After monasteries were dissolved, their glazing lived some surprising second lives.
Plus, Susan explains how we are painstakingly piecing together the fragments of glass that were overlooked by our ancestors.
Listen HereFrom the archive: episodes we’re revisiting this month
To mark Pride month this June, here are some stories we're enjoying from the archive.
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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?
Travel from 17th-century Northamptonshire, where we hear about the heroic servant who may have become Britain’s first black pub landlord, to wartime Essex, where Polish special forces soldiers trained in secrecy for life or death missions to their homeland.
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