It is highly unlikely that Mediæval divorce was ever settled by combat. Yet a handful of sources do mention judicial duels fought between men and women, most famously Hans Talhoffer’s Fechtbuch ( “ Fight Book ” ) of 1467. This richly illustrated volume explains how a couple could clash, the man buried up to his waist, in a fight to the death, with God deciding who was the wronged party. Yet judicial duels and trials by ordeal were viewed with extreme scepticism in the Middle

A brief history of food and their origins. This time, Peacock.

Introduction What follows was inspired by a @HistoryFilmClub tweet shown right . Like many who responded, naming just one historical inaccuracy in a film or TV show proved far too difficult. Sadly, and contrary to the claims of directors, producers, costume designers et al., far too many historically themed media productions are beset with inaccuracies. Not wishing to be unreasonably critical, we thought there was an opportunity to highlight some of the more common errors a

Where does the name "Beefeater" for the British King's bodyguard come from?

On television 'Trench Art' is frequently described as objects handcrafted by soldiers in the trenches of the First World War. The truth is less clear-cut. Find out why as we dispel some myths.

The ‘Scold’s Bridle’, sometimes known as ‘The Gossip’s Bridle’, was a punishment used officially and unofficially in England to discipline people, almost invariably women, who gossiped or spoke too freely.

Explaining the difference between the historical punishments known as pillories and stocks, which are often confused.

Dispelling the popular misconceptions that people were shorter and didn't live as long in the past.

Science overwhelmingly agrees that urine is not safe or healthy to consume. Despite what some might claim, drinking urine offers no health benefits and actually could cause you harm.

Do statues of a horse and rider reveal how the named person died. In the United Kingdom, and the United States, this is a popular urban myth.

For those of us of a certain age, you might remember being told at school that the children’s rhyme "Ring a Ring a Roses" was all about the Great Plague that swept Britain in AD 1665 to 1666. The evidence from studying folklore suggests its all a myth.

You could be forgiven for thinking the medical procedure known as Caesarean section was named for Roman statesman and general, Gaius Julius Caesar. It is, however, a myth. Find out why.

Most people in western culture recognise the "thumbs up" gesture as one that indicates all is well, while conversely "thumbs down" means the exact opposite. Reinforced by movies and the media, nearly everyone accepts that the gestures hail from the days of the Romans. But it's a myth. Find out why.

Dispelling the popular myth that Cleopatra's Needle, an ancient Egyptian obelisk in London has any connection with the Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt.

In April 1606 Britain adopted a new national flag, but is it a "Union Flag" or a "Union Jack"? Find out here.

Once again a recently broadcast popular UK television programme promoted yet another “factoid”. A throw away comment, on camera, repeated the fiction that people in the 17th-century believed the Earth was flat. Sadly this myth was debunked ages ago.

In an effort to continually improve our knowledge we came across “History…The Interesting Bits!”, a blog by Sharon Bennett Connolly. In October 2019, the blog posted a piece by guest writer James Wright, a buildings archaeologist with Triskele Heritage, who busted several myths surrounding the construction of castles.

Look up whilst you are visiting castles and you will often see voids in the overhead masonry. Find out how these "murder holes" aided the defence of a castle.

Sometimes when watching a television programme or film, the simplest thing can ruin its enjoyment. For example, an officer walks into a room and a soldier salutes. All well and good but where does the idea of saluting come from?

Mention the word "swastika", or worse draw or display the image, and today you risk causing offence for so many valid reasons. Discover how this symbol was once commonly used over much of the world without stigma, because quite simply it represented good luck.