Britain

Law of the Land

What relevance do the Norman Conquest and the events of 1066 have to contemporary British politics? Everything and nothing.

On the Ballot

Before the secret ballot, voting in Britain was a theatrical, violent and public affair. The Act that made democracy private turns 150 this year.

Get in the Sea

Rediscovering the disappeared towns and settlements across Britain.

Babies of the House

The UK Parliament was not designed for women with children and this continues to present challenges for new parents. How far have things changed? 

Women at War

How did women experience warfare in early medieval Britain?

Polling in a Pandemic

The general election of 1918 was a ‘cynical muddle’ held as influenza killed thousands across a country emerging from the First World War.

1771: The Year Britain Lost America?

Having achieved success in the Seven Years War, the following decade would be a chastening experience for Britain, culminating in the loss of its American colonies. 

When They Get to the Border

The Aliens Act of 1905 was the culmination of decades of anxiety about migrants – some of whom attempted to reach Britain by clandestine means.

Leading Ladies

The French tradition of the royal mistress gave new opportunities for women at the court of Charles II.