A Very Cotswold Christmas: Burford, Breakfast, and the Blessings of Country Life
There’s something delightfully unhurried about the rural British approach to the festive season. While city lights dazzle and department stores pulse with urgency, in the countryside, Christmas arrives by way of gardens, greenhouses, and the smell of mulled cider. On...
Oliver Cromwell—God’s Soldier and England’s Unlikely Despot
Let’s start with the backdrop: the English Civil War (1642–1651), a brutal and bewildering conflict that split families and the kingdom alike. On one side were the Royalists, or Cavaliers — the aristocratic, flamboyant defenders of King Charles I. Think of them as...
The Castle That Contained a King—Lincoln and The Anarchy
It was quiet the day we visited Lincoln Castle. The sun bounced off the high curtain walls, the grass in the old motte was lush and soft, and the Victorian prison—now a museum—hummed faintly with the sounds of schoolchildren and subdued commentary. But make no...
Magna Carta and the Making of a Nation—Lincoln’s Legacy of Liberty
There’s something thrillingly unassuming about Lincoln’s copy of the Magna Carta. For such an iconic document, it’s not much to look at—just a modest sheet of medieval vellum covered in cramped Latin script. But don’t let its size fool you. This unpretentious...
Medieval Justice — Blood, Faith, and Sovereignty
In medieval England, justice was more than a legal process—it was a performance of power. Punishment often took place in full public view, and frequently within the kingdom's most symbolic spaces. These rituals reinforced divine-right monarchy and served as stark...
Lincoln Castle—Justice, Silence, and the Architecture of Control
Set high on the hill beside the Cathedral, Lincoln Castle has always loomed large—both literally and symbolically. , On a recent visit with my husband, Glenn, and our youngest daughter, Lauren, as we wandered its stone walls and peered into the prison cells, I...
What I Didn’t Know at Exeter—And What’s Next for Entertablement Abroad
Forty-two cathedrals, ten years, and one curious Canadian I didn't set out to build a catalogue of cathedrals. Or stately homes. Or rebellious reformers. Or ecclesiastical power plays. I just liked beautiful places. It began with a trip to Devon and a visit to Exeter...
Power, Principles & the Trouble With Legacy
Henry II and Simon de Montfort Walk Into a Parliament... You know what's tricky about history? The people who make it happen are often the very ones you wouldn't trust with the keys to your wine cellar. Take Henry II and Simon de Montfort—two of the most influential...
Simon de Montfort: Parliamentarian, Powerbroker, Martyr?
To challenge a king, he needed a vision. To rule like one, he needed ambition. Let’s talk about Simon de Montfort—because he’s one of those historical characters who refuses to fit neatly into the box marked “hero” or “villain.” He was a French noble who married into...
Henry II: Empire Builder, Lawgiver, Betrayed King
He built a kingdom on law and loyalty—then watched both fail him. If you’re looking for a medieval king with flair, look elsewhere. Henry II wasn’t flamboyant, he wasn’t pious, and he certainly wasn’t warm. What he was? Smart. Restless. Ruthlessly capable. The kind of...
- A Very Cotswold Christmas: Burford, Breakfast, and the Blessings of Country Life
- Oliver Cromwell—God’s Soldier and England’s Unlikely Despot
- The Castle That Contained a King—Lincoln and The Anarchy
- Magna Carta and the Making of a Nation—Lincoln’s Legacy of Liberty
- Medieval Justice — Blood, Faith, and Sovereignty
