The last battle on British soil is commonly accepted as being the French invasion at Fishguard in 1797. One of the popular stories arising from this event centres on Welsh women in "national" costume being key to the French failure. But is this truly what happened?

On This Day, February 22nd in 1797 Britain was "invaded" for the last time in its long history.

On This Day, February 8th, 1587, after 19 years of imprisonment, Mary Queen of Scots is beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle.

On This Day, February 1st in 1709, Alexander Selkirk, believed to be the inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s novel ‘Robinson Crusoe’, was rescued after being marooned for over four years on the Juan Fernandez Islands.

On This Day, January 29th in 1856, the Victoria Cross was introduced by Royal Warrant.

On This Day, January 12th, 1976, crime writer Agatha Christie dies aged 85. In her posthumously published Autobiography, she briefly details her experiences as a Red Cross nurse in the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD). Find out more about the nurse of the VADs here.

On This day, January 7th, 1536: Catherine of Aragon, first of Henry VIII’s six wives, dies in Kimbolton Castle at the age of 50.

On This Day, January 6th, in 1066 Harold Godwinson, formerly Earl of Wessex, is crowned king in Westminster Abbey. He was the second King of England that momentous year but not the last.

On This Day, December 31st, 1705, Catherine of Braganza, widow of Charles II whom she had married in 1662, died in Lisbon, Portugal. Most notably, from our food history perspective, Catherine is said to have brought the tea drinking habit to the Royal Court.

On This Day, December 30th, a cold Sunday morning in 1945, the cargo ship Tilapa docked in Bristol. It was carrying the first bananas to be seen in Britain for five years.

On This Day, December 27th in 1675 a Royal Proclamation orders the closure of all coffee houses in London because they are seen as hotbeds of subversion. Within days public outrage forces a reversal of the decision.

On This Day, December 24th, 1914, a German seaplane carried out the first air-raid on British soil, dropping bombs on Dover.

On This Day, December 17th, 1538, Henry VIII is excommunicated by Pope Paul III.

On This Day, December 16th, 1485, Catharine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII, was born in Alcala de Henares, Spain.

On This Day (December 1st, 1581), having been convicted of high treason, English Jesuit priest Edmund Campion was drawn through the streets of London, hanged and then quartered at Tyburn.