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Part of the tibia of an early human believed to be Homo heidelbergensis discovered at the Boxgrove archaeological site in West Sussex. Source: © The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London

Puzzling Identity of the Most Ancient Humans in England

In the latest string of research and studies shedding light on the incredibly complex history of human evolution, fossils found in Boxgrove, England have been compared to fossils found at Sima de los...

Queen Elizabeth Ran a Lottery and One Prize Was a Get Out of Jail Free Card

As you wait with baited breath for your lottery numbers to be called out, spare a thought for the people who took part in England’s first state lottery in the 16th century. Seen as an ideal solution...
Medieval Knight. Many of the Knights of the Round Table were fated to an early death. Source: Tony Marturano / Adobe Stock

King Arthur's Tragic Knights of the Round Table

Few stories in English folklore have had the staying power of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. While many people are familiar with the legend, few people realize how many different...
Knight giving an oath of allegiance. Source: Andrey Kiselev

The Legendary Origins of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

Monarchies collect a whole host of traditions through the centuries, and the United Kingdom is no exception. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an ancient order of chivalry that dates back to 1348...
King Charles I was beheaded with one blow of the axe blade. The identity of the executioner is unknown, as the official executioner credibly denied responsibility. Source: Nomad_Soul / Adobe Stock

King Charles I: The Only English Monarch Executed for Treason

Quite a few European monarchs met their fates at the end of an executioner's axe. One of the most famous examples is King Charles I of England, sentenced to death for treason. Unlike many executions...
Footprint beds at Formby Point. Source: Jamie Woodward / University of Manchester

Footprints Exposed on a Merseyside Beach Reveal Irish Sea “Serengeti”

Hundreds of perfectly preserved human footprints, dated between 9,000 and 1,000 years old, have been exposed on Merseyside’s Formby Beach on the Irish Sea. And that’s not all. The ancient footprints...
Drone photograph of the excavations of the royal hall unearthed at Rendlesham. Source: Suffolk County Council

1,400-Year-Old Royal Hall of East Anglian Kings Unearthed in Suffolk

An ongoing community archaeology project in southeast Suffolk, known as Rendlesham Revealed , has uncovered a royal hall “of international importance” dating back 1,400 years. Termed the “Hall of the...
St. Edward's Crown, the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Credit: The Royal Collection Trust

St. Edward’s Crown to Be Worn Again at King Charles III’s Coronation

The royal coronation of the newly proclaimed King Charles III will take place a few months from now. During this ancient ritual, which dates back nearly 1,000 years, the king will have placed upon...
The then Prince Charles visiting Canada, 2014. Source: Korona Lacasse / CC BY 2.0

King Charles III: What’s in a Name? More Than You Think

Ready to assume the English throne following the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the former Prince of Wales has chosen the name King Charles III as his official title. His ascent to the...
A couple living in a historical home in a village in North Yorkshire, England found a rare coin hoard, more than 260 coins, under the kitchen floor they were renovating, and soon they will receive a small fortune from the auctioneer. Source: Spink & Son

UK Couple’s Home Renovation Leads to Rare Coin Hoard Worth $280,000

When a couple living in an 18th-century North Yorkshire village home embarked on a renovation project, they were ready to spend money, and redoing the old kitchen floor was on the list. But before...
Medieval alehouses were often a community gathering space.  Source: Eco-Pim studio / Adobe Stock

East Yorkshire Site Yields a Possible Medieval Alehouse or Hostel

At a site in East Yorkshire, an archaeological dig has been in progress for three weeks to uncover the secrets of a medieval village. Now, archaeologists believe they have discovered a centuries-old...
Augustinian friars found to be full of parasites being excavated by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit. Source: Cambridge Archaeological Unit

“Night Soil” Riddled Medieval Monks with Unholy-Trinity Of Worms

Archaeologists in England have found medieval holy men were “riddled with worms.” What did they expect to find in a group of people who consumed their own feces? Every once in a while, a group of...
Representation of a ritual human sacrifice on an altar. Source: archangelworks / Adobe Stock

Blood for the Gods: 10 Cultures that Engaged in Ritual Sacrifice

Since the dawn of humanity, countless civilizations have engaged in ritual sacrifice. Often, these sacrifices involved other humans, and were so common they were considered a normal aspect of life...
Splat pattern. Source: Ruslan Gilmanshin / Adobe Stock By Sahir Pandey

William the Conqueror’s Body Exploded in a Grotesque Shower at Funeral

The first Norman king of England met an untimely and turbulent death, although, to be fair, the situation really ‘exploded’ after his death. William the Conqueror, sometimes known as William the...
Majestic sunrise at Castlerigg Stone Circle in the Lake District, one of many sites located on ley lines. Source: Danoz/Adobe Stock

Ley Hunters: Were Bronze Age Britons Really Following Ley Lines?

Google Earth is an amazingly useful tool for investigators to explore the sacred landscapes of prehistoric Britain. For sure, its accuracy cannot be denied. Indeed, one can even survey and measure...
This almost perfect medieval lion pendant found by the HS2 archaeological project. Source: HS2

Royal Medieval Lion Pendant Released To Spur On the Ladies at Wembley

A crowd of almost 88000 filled the stands to watch the finals of the Women’s Euro 22 soccer championship on Sunday, July 31 at Wembley stadium, most cheering madly for the English team. The...
Replica of the “Saxon Princess” bed burial at Kirkleatham Museum. Source: Prioryman/CC BY-SA 3.0

Bed Burials Linked to Medieval Christian Husband Hunters

A burial practice among elite medieval Europeans was to be interred on their beds, a rite which archaeologists call “a bed burial.” An English researcher has now completed an analysis of 72 bed...
Egyptian mummy head found in an attic in Ramsgate, England. Source: James Elliot / Paleoimaging

Egyptian Mummy’s Head Discovered In English Attic Scanned

Archaeologists and hospital staff in England have been working together. They’ve CT scanned an ancient Egyptian mummy’s head that was discovered in an English attic. In the 1820s a 2,700-year-old...
One of the two perfectly preserved Purbeck marble gravestones cargo of the oldest known English shipwreck, Dorset. Source: Bournemouth University

England’s Oldest Known Shipwreck Found, With A Morbid Cargo

A wreck hunter in England has discovered a rare 13th century ship, the oldest shipwreck known in English waters. Onboard her well-preserved hull, buried among a collection of valuable marble stones,...
A statue of Alfred the Great in Winchester. Descended from a long line of kings of the Kingdom of Wessex, Alfred the Great was the son of King Aethelwulf of Wessex. Source: Tony Baggett / Adobe Stock

The Kingdom of Wessex and the Birth of England

The early history of England was characterized by instability, disorder and uncertainty. The Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex was the first formation of the modern idea of England, and in its early...
An imaginary depiction of Cerdic of Wessex from John Speed's 1611 "Saxon Heptarchy." Source: John Speed / Public domain

The Question of Ancient Kings: Cerdic of Wessex, First Saxon King of England?

Historians of the ancient world face a myriad of challenges when studying the past. Centuries of legends and myths become intertwined with recorded facts, leaving behind a complex web of mystery...
Archaeologists excavating a grave at the recently discovered graveyard at the ‘Duropolis’ site in Dorset, England.	Source: Bournemouth University

Sacrifice Remains From 100 BC Dug Up At ‘Duropolis’, Dorset

A team of 65 Bournemouth University archaeology students exploring an Iron Age site in Dorset County in southwest England have been credited with a significant discovery. While digging at a location...
Britain’s Earliest Humans Found In the Suburbs of Canterbury

Britain’s Earliest Humans Found In the Suburbs of Canterbury

Hunter's tools excavated in England over a century ago have been dated to, wait for it, between 560,000 and 620,000 years ago! These latest discoveries made on the outskirts of Canterbury confirm the...
This phallus has insulting Roman graffiti above it that was meant for another Roman soldier. The insult reads: “You shi**r!”	Source: Vindolanda Charitable Trust

Roman Graffiti Shows Carved Phallus With Insult Found at Vindolanda Fort

A sizable, engraved penis has been discovered at the Vindolanda Roman fort in England, with a clear insult carved above it. The Roman graffiti insult, aimed at another Roman soldier, reads: “You shi...

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