History Crossword for the holidays!
and talk titles released for the Wars of the Roses Online History Festival
Hello fellow history lover,
I hope you have had a restful and enjoyable Christmas and are able to rest a little before seeing in the new year!
This week:
A fun, history crossword (I’ll share the answers next week).
New British History Live show starts 6th January!
Ask a historian - put your question to Jonathan Healey about the tumultuous 17th Century!
The Wars of the Roses Online History Festival - Talk Titles revealed.
Reminder of how to express your interest in Anne Boleyn and Royal Scotland tours 2026.
In case you missed last week, this is what we covered:
British History Tours announces award!
History Anniversary
Mary I is buried - but what does her tomb say about her?
New tour coming in for 2026 - express your interest.
Get your tickets for our Spring Online History Festival on the Wars of the Roses.
Click here to read last week’s newsletter.
British History Live is back!
Join me live on Youtube for ‘British History Live’ at it’s new slot! I will now be live every other Monday at 6:30pm UK time, beginning 6th January!
Ask a Historian
Jonathan is a social historian of early modern England and directs the MSc in English Local History and the Undergraduate Diploma in Social and Local history at the University of Oxford.
His book 'The Blazing World. A New History of Revolutionary England.' published in April 2024 takes readers into the raw politics, religious divisions, civil wars, plague and witch trials as well as discussing things such as press freedom. It's a story of a strange but fascinating century with many parallels to today.
British History Crossword for the Holidays!
I’ve put this crossword together as a bit of holiday fun. Hopefully it’s not too easy or too hard. Give it a go and I’ll reveal the answers in next week’s newsletter.
Wars of the Roses | Online History Festival
Speakers and Talk Titles Revealed!
From the 21st - 23rd March 2025 I am hosting our 5th Online History Festival. Over 3 days attendees will hear from 6 eminent historians speaking on various aspects of the Wars of the Roses, plus a live Question & Answer session with all 6 speakers.
Talk Titles
Gareth Russell - The Butlers versus the Fitzgeralds: How the Wars of the Roses split Ireland and paved the path for Perkin Warbeck
Nathen Amin - The House of Beaufort
Matthew Lewis - Richard, Duke of York: King By Right
Julian Humphrys - The Fog of War: Battles of the Wars of the Roses
Elizabeth Norton - She Wolves, Upstarts and Ciphers: Queenship in the Wars of the Roses
Euan Roger - Treason in the Wars of the Roses
Tickets cost £21.50 (approx $27 USD) with discounted tickets available for members of my Patreon - click here. If you can’t make that weekend, don’t worry, all talks, plus recordings of the live Q&A and closing quiz will be available until 31st May 2025.
Reminder of how to express your interest in 2026 tours
You can now express interest in the following tours for 2026:
The Anne Boleyn Tour, 18th - 22nd May 2026
**Brand New** The Royal Scotland Tour, October 2026
The Anne Boleyn Tour 18th - 22nd May 2026
I will be directing our flagship ‘The Anne Boleyn Tour,’ along with our historian in residence Gareth Russell, for the 8th time, in May 2026. This tour, which includes 4-nights at Anne Boleyn’s childhood home of Hever Castle, sells out quickly so, if you’ve been waiting to get on this one, make sure you register your interest so we can let you know when it is going on sale.
The Royal Scotland Tour
Autumn 2026. Dates TBA
‘The Royal Scotland Tour’ is a brand new, week-long, tour for 2026. Basing ourselves in the historic city of Edinburgh, we will explore 11 historical places with links to centuries of royal history, with our historian in residence, Gareth Russell.
Both tours include: Luxury accommodation, Breakfast and evening meals, Admission, Talks and expert guides, Unique experiences and Time with your favourite historians
We expect these tours to sell out fast so, if you are interested, we strongly suggest that you register your interest by clicking on the button below. You can also use this button to suggest other tours that you would like to see on our calendar.
Get VIP Early Booking
These tours for 2026 will go on sale in the Spring of 2025. Once full tour details are released you will receive a personal email.
Members of my Patreon benefit from 7 days VIP exclusive booking access!
I will be back next week with ‘my year in books’ - the 16 history books I have read this year and those on my list for 2025!
Until next time, take care
Philippa
