The World of Medieval Dogs
The people of medieval Europe were devoted to their dogs; one great French dog-lover declared that the greatest defect of the species was that they ‘lived not long enough’.
Natural History
The Natural History: Gilbert White's Selborne
Despite his influence on the likes of Charles Darwin, the 18th-century ‘parson-naturalist’ is sorely underrated.
Tiger Tiger
No other creature has embodied so many attributes: magic spirit, vermin, guardian of holy men, symbol of mother India, an incarnation of evil yet also its vanquisher.
‘Gardens and Gardening in Early Modern England and Wales’ review
Gardens and Gardening in Early Modern England and Wales by Jill Francis explores four centuries of horticultural endeavours.
‘Birds in the Ancient World’ by Jeremy Mynott review
Birds in the Ancient World: Winged Words by Jeremy Mynott explores the role birds played in intellectual, practical, and emotional lives.
The Curious Creatures of Victorian Taxidermy
The exotic dead animals that appeared in the menageries of Victorian Britain’s grand exhibitions were far from perfect specimens. Stuffed, stitched, painted hybrids – accuracy was not a priority.
The Wolf Must Be in the Woods
The real and mythical dangers of the wilderness.
Hippos of the Thames
The discovery in Victorian London of the remains of ancient animals – and a fascination with their modern descendants – helped to transform people’s ideas of the deep past, as Chris Manias reveals.
The Monkey Trial
Evolution and religion went head-to-head in a landmark case of 1925.
Shakespeare’s Horse-borne England
Outside the London of Shakespeare's time, writes Anthony Dent, coaches were few and most travellers were horse-borne.