November 6th, 1217: On This Day England’s longest-lasting law, the Charter of the Forest, is sealed extending freedoms to the common people.

The Bayeux Tapestry returns to England but what is its significance?

Dispelling some myths that Medieval people did not bathe.

A brief introduction to crime and punishment in Merry Ol' England.

Dispelling myths that towns and villages in the Medieval period were dirty, smelly places in which to live.

A beginners guide to Medieval games.

Despite the best efforts of historians, the internet is still awash with misconceptions about the Middle Ages. Many of these ideas were the product of Victorian writers and historians reflecting Mediæval life through the lens of their own society, as was done by antiquarians before them and by historians since. However, after more than a century in popular culture, and being taught in schools, these sometimes broad, sweeping assertions remain deeply rooted in everyday conscio

Debunking the idea that people in the Middle Ages were ignorant and uneducated.

Dispelling the myth of the two-finger salute or V-sign originated in the Medieval period.

Despite the best efforts of historians, the internet is still awash with misconceptions about the Middle Ages. Many of these ideas were the product of Victorian writers and historians reflecting Medieval life through the lens of their own society, as was done by antiquarians before and by historians since. However, after more than a century in popular culture, and taught in schools, these sometimes broad, sweeping assertions remain deeply rooted in everyday consciousness, esp

In the September edition of BBC History magazine Anatoly Liberman, professor at the University of Minnesota and author of An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology, wrote on the origin of the phrase “by hook or by crook”, meaning “to get something done, no matter how”. Although the rhyme’s derivation is far from clear, this has not stopped popular theorising. According to Professor Liberman, some people point to AD 1169, the year King Henry II invaded Ireland. This theory l

After several years of wishing we could be involved a chance encounter while “pirating” in Scarborough has led to Tastes Of History’s first performance at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, Yorkshire. We were delighted to offer a taste of mediæval food to spectators at the live-action International Jousting Tournament over the Easter bank holiday weekend. From Friday 29th March to Monday 1st April the museum’s impressive jousting arena resounded to the cheers of crowds an

The legend Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw [1] originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featuring in popular culture, literature and film. According to legend, customarily set in England during the reign of King Richard I ‘the Lionheart’, Hood was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the story, he is depicted as being of noble birth, and in modern retellings he is sometimes depicted as having fought in the Crusades before returni

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

An introduction to the Mediæval kitchen. During the period household meals were cooked on an open hearth in the middle of the main living area, making efficient use of the heat. For most of the Mediæval period this was the most common arrangement, even in wealthy households, where the kitchen and dining hall were combined. Later separate kitchens began to appear.

As spectacle wearers and costumed interpreters, we wondered where and when these corrective optical devices were invented.

Medieval recipes suitable for celebrating the Battles of Bosworth Field, the final battle in England's Wars of the Roses.

The Forme of Cury (‘The Method of Cooking’ is an extensive 14th-century collection of medieval English recipes.

It is often asserted on television and online that a skilled Welsh or English longbowman could shoot about 12 arrows per minute. But what is the origin of this claim, and just how true is it?

Dispelling the myth that a Medieval sword's fuller acts as a "blood groove" so the blade does not get stuck in a body.