It was. The glass threw all kinds of patterns onto the wall

In Cambridge where a combination of an early start and freezing cold weather meant that I just about had King's College Chapel to myself this morning.

Great St Mary's Church, Cambridge.

It's not as celebrated as her Armada address but the speech that Elizabeth I delivered in here during her 1564 visit to the university was a tour de force. You can find out more about her visit in my article in the latest issue of Tudor Places magazine.

Going there on Sunday. I love the scene in the Tapestry with Harold going to the church, accompanied by his dogs. There's now a 'no dogs' sign at the entrance to the churchyard!

Ashamed to say she went to my son's school, and my university.

'Go home?' But the UK is their home.

The setting sun creating its magic on the West Front of the Basilica of St Mary Magdalene in Vezelay last night. I love the shadows of the town buildings.

#burgundy

Amazing to see Women Who Ruled the World: 5000 Years of Female Monarchy being read out in the wild… wait, is that @juleshumphrys.bsky.social 😆 #womenwhoruledtheworld

On this day in 1338 French and Genoese raiders launched a surprise and highly destructive attack on Southampton. At the time there were no defensive walls on the dockside, making it easy for the attackers to get into the town. These impressive fortifications were built following the raid.

Big fan of the lion. I wonder where the bay window came from.

Played my last ever match there, for English Heritage v the National Trust. My contribution: 0 runs, 0 wickets, 1 dropped catch.

I'm writing about Tudor Cambridge for a special edition of Tudor Places magazine. Here's the gatehouse vault of St John's College. It commemorates its foundress, Margaret Beaufort with her portcullis badge, marguerites (a play on her name) & forget-me-nots (a play on her 'souvent me souvient' motto)

I absolutely love guiding round the Great Tower of Warkworth Castle in Northumberland. What might first appear to be a confusing maze of rooms, passages and staircases is in fact a carefully thought out layout designed to allow the household to function as efficiently as possible. #castles

Where better to eat a slice of simnel cake than on Piel Island, Cumbria, scene of a landing in 1487 by a certain Yorkist pretender to the throne?

The castle there's well worth a visit, even though you have to take a boat to get to it.

#lambertsimnel

19 April 1775

'OK, chaps. We'll just nip over to Concord and seize a few weapons. Nobody will do anything about it and it'll all be forgotten in a couple of weeks.'
To find out what really happened, check out my article on the HistoryExtra website

www.historyextra.com/period/georg...

Looking forward to speaking on this in my home town!

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-battle...

Just back from a great reunion at Emmanuel College Cambridge. The college chapel was certainly looking its best for the event.

#cambridge #christopherwren

Stunning views from the roofs of the great tower of Dover Castle & the bell tower of St Peter's Church in Sandwich. We visit both (plus Winchelsea, New Romney & Rye) on the Dover and the Cinque Ports tour I'm leading on 9-11 July. See www.traveleditions.co.uk for details

February 1945. Operation Veritable. No comment. 🙁 #WW2 #HISTORY

There was just enough time yesterday for a stroll round old Southampton before the inevitable disappointment of watching the city's football team. That's St Michael's Church in the background.

#southampton #historichampshire

I was travelling between Falaise and Caen yesterday and there was a monumental hailstorm.

On the way home from leading a tour to Normandy. Our trip to Caen included a visit to the Abbaye aux Dames. Its foundress, Matilda of Flanders, Queen of England and wife of William the Conqueror, is buried in the church.

#Caen

Many thanks for this. I think I need to make more of Tostig's links through Judith with William's ally Flanders in my discussions of the events of 1066.

@thejazzemu.bsky.social Loved the sock love-in in Guildford last night. Imagine my joy this morning when I was scrolling through your YouTube videos and this advert cropped up

Great St Mary's Church, Cambridge. In 1506 Henry VII donated 100 oak trees to build its roof. But it later transpired the trees weren't his to give as the estate they came from actually belonged to the Abbot of Westminster and Henry was obliged to write him a letter of apology.

Get round to the back of the church and channel your inner Tolkein

16 Feb 1646. Parliamentarians defeat Royalists at Great Torrington, Devon. Its church, which was being used as a powder store, was damaged by an explosion at the end of the battle; it was largely rebuilt 5 years later.

NB The date is Old Style, with the new year beginning at the end of March

#otd

Visited Winchester Cathedral yesterday. Here's the memorial there to Sir George Prevost who defended Canada against US aggression during the War of 1812.

#winchestercathedral #monuments #warof1812 #canada

Memorial stone outside Winchester Cathedral to Thomas Thetcher of the North Hants Militia. The inscription says:

'Here sleeps in peace a Hampshire Grenadier
Who caught his death by drinking cold small beer
Soldiers be wise by his untimely fall
And when ye're hot drink strong or none at all'

Just getting in the mood to record my contribution to the Wars of the Roses Online History Festival, 21-23 March. For more info and tickets see:

warsoftheroses.eventbrite.co.uk

#warsoftheroses