Questions tagged [england]

For questions relating to the historic Kingdom of England prior to 1707, or the country of England within the modern United Kingdom that is one of Britain's Home Nations.

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How could someone claim benefit of clergy after an act of attainder?

In some Tudor-period acts of attainder (laws passed by Parliament declaring certain people to be guilty of crimes and ordaining their punishment), there is a stipulation that the named person will not ...
alexg's user avatar
  • 833
1 vote
1 answer
182 views

How much did Queen Elizabeth I spend on her wardrobe over her reign?

Queen Elizabeth I of England had over 2000 expensive bejeweled gowns when she died. While she was thrifty by refurbishing her gowns when possible and giving some away to maids as payment what would ...
Kadance's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
1 answer
442 views

What about dairy pasteurisation might have made the issue so important to Lord Rothschild?

It’s known that in 50+ years of Lordship, Lord Rothschild only addressed the house twice: Once was about the Zionist question The other was about instituting compulsory pasteurisation of dairy It’s ...
TylerDurden's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
6k views

Has it been common for Lords to only address the House twice in their entire career?

It is often stated by conspiracy theorists that Lord Rothschild only ever addressed the House of Lords twice in his entire 52 year career, once about Palestine/Israel, and once about mandating the ...
TylerDurden's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
107 views

How was ethnicity's role in the voting enfranchisement envisioned after the English Civil War?

I am reading Democracy in Europe: A History by Luciano Canfora. In his short section on the English Civil War he states There is another element in the Levellers' thinking that should also be taken ...
16π Cent's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
265 views

Did English archers use thumb rings?

Essex Dogs by Dan Jones describes in passing English or Welsh archers 1 using thumb rings during the hundred year's war. I can find (unreliable) references to Roman thumb rings, and certainly the ...
MCW's user avatar
  • 33.6k
0 votes
2 answers
180 views

Would the battle between Thornton and Ashford have been armed?

This question was previously migrated from Law, but then rejected and returned on the grounds that it was already answered on Wikipedia. But this essential aspect of the question is not addressed on ...
TylerDurden's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
119 views

Was Alice Perrers a Lollard?

A footnote on page 141-142 of E S Holt John De Wycliffe1 claims Alice Perrers was a Lollard. I know her reputation has been revised recently but is there any evidence for this? a footnote on page ...
Christina Eastwood's user avatar
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0 answers
79 views

Travel between London and Lisbon in the 1350s: Philippa of Lancaster and King João I of Portugal context

Given the historical union between Philippa of Lancaster and King João I of Portugal in the late 14th century, there would have been significant communication and travel between England and Portugal. ...
perrier's user avatar
  • 11
4 votes
1 answer
360 views

Were there Old English speaking enclaves within the Danelaw?

I believe the language of the people that settled in England to create the Danelaw was Old East Norse. Do we know if the Danelaw became a homogeneous Old East Norse speaking region, or did it become ...
John Rennie's user avatar
20 votes
1 answer
5k views

Does a year 1900 meeting in a Masonic Hall imply that it was a meeting of Freemasons?

I am researching an individual who lived in the north of England in 1900. He is reported in a local newspaper as having attended “a large an influential meeting” in the local Masonic Hall. The meeting ...
jl6's user avatar
  • 545
18 votes
1 answer
4k views

Are there any medieval manuals relating to castle building?

I'm doing research on the medieval castle, specifically what was required to build one. I'm particularly interested in learning about this from a medieval perspective, so I wondered if there are any ...
Kebab's user avatar
  • 181
5 votes
0 answers
198 views

How much could £40pa rent you in 1972?

In this case a premise was rented by the Duke of Westminster to someone in Pimlico (reasonably central London, at least by today's standards, and a fairly expensive area if i'm not mistaken) for £10 ...
TylerDurden's user avatar
23 votes
2 answers
3k views

Why did Henry III of England give his sons English names, other than naming them after his favourite saints?

Was the decision by King Henry III to give his two sons the very Anglo-Saxon, 'English' names of Edward and Edmund rather than any names of French derivation commented on at the time by contemporaries,...
user22453's user avatar
  • 1,353
2 votes
0 answers
167 views

Did James I of England have both male and female lovers?

I've read multiple biographies of James, and there is no consensus on whether he was bisexual. He had four children with his wife, Ann of Denmark, but he also had many repeated male favorites, some of ...
JamesGee's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
197 views

Can anyone help identifying markings on this artillery shell casing?

Inherited this shell casing from my grandfather who emigrated from England around war time (WW2) but I don't have any real information or dates. My mother just remembers it always being around. My ...
Mike Morton's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

By what legal mechanism was Catherine Howard deprived of her title of Queen of England?

To the best of my knowledge, under English (and later British) law, a peerage can only be revoked via a conviction for treason by a bill of attainder. Peerages have sometimes been surrendered ...
Tom Hosker's user avatar
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12 votes
2 answers
363 views

What is meant by this medieval reference to combat 'under-ground'?

I was reading The History of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of London, by William Herbert (1836), and came across an interesting turn of phrase. In a section discussing early guilds predating the ...
justCal's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
754 views

How could nonconformist Protestants be buried in graveyards controlled by the established Church before 1880?

Further to my question here, I am attempting to continue to research the wider family of the individual memorialised by a gravestone in St Bridget's Church, near Cockermouth. This church, and the ...
CDJB's user avatar
  • 797
6 votes
1 answer
250 views

What is the origin of the crest on this coat of arms found in a graveyard in the north of England?

While researching local history in the town of Cockermouth, in Cumbria, England, I came across the coat of arms below on a gravestone. The gravestone is listed on the Find a Grave website here, and is ...
CDJB's user avatar
  • 797
8 votes
2 answers
605 views

How were expelled ministers "witnessed" during the Great Ejection of 1662?

While investigating the local history of a meeting house in the town of Cockermouth, in Cumbria, England, I came across a reference to a "Brief Memoir of the Late Isaac Brown, Esq. of Cockermouth,...
CDJB's user avatar
  • 797
9 votes
2 answers
3k views

Why was it tradition to offer 'half-baked cake' to departing students?

According to my copy of The Annotated Christmas Carol by Michael Patrick Hearn, it was traditional for schoolmasters to offer leaving students home-made wine and half-baked cake. Here he produced a ...
Richard's user avatar
  • 524
4 votes
3 answers
408 views

Prior to 1963 did a British nobleman ever disclaim or renounce his title? What would have happened if someone had tried?

British nobles could not disclaim their titles prior to 1963, and even then it had to be done within a year of succeeding to to the peerage. Why did the British make it so difficult to relinquish a ...
Nick Gidaro's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
151 views

What did male motorcyclists wear in 1930s England?

What did male motorcyclists wear in 1930s England? I'm assuming the outfits from Watch This Club Ride Vintage 1930s Motorcycles Across France are probably pretty accurate, as well as the top image ...
jth's user avatar
  • 131
4 votes
0 answers
129 views

In Medieval or early Renaissance times, how could England close its ports to prevent escape?

From time to time I read that in Medieval or early Renaissance times the King/Queen/Privy Council "closed the ports" to prevent someone escaping England. How could this be done effectively? ...
Mark Olson's user avatar
  • 7,726
-2 votes
2 answers
333 views

What were the last decisions that an English or a British monarch made that were forced on Parliament?

For example, when was the last time an English monarch made a decision to start a war? Or spend money without being limited by the constitution? Or expel rivals? Or raised the taxes? Based on the ...
OMGsh's user avatar
  • 105
3 votes
1 answer
118 views

How accurate is Belloc's version of European economic history in The Servile State, with regards to the seizing of the monastic lands?

This is my own short summary of Belloc's version of European economic history, which he lays out in The Servile State (1912): In 1541, the lands of the monasteries were expropriated by Henry VIII. ...
user270124's user avatar
-3 votes
1 answer
174 views

Who was the last Emperor of England? [closed]

Queen Victoria assumed I guess in 1865 the title of Empress, do you know if and when that title was dropped?
charlie's user avatar
  • 97
1 vote
0 answers
234 views

What happened to the British universities during WWII?

For one of my courses at university, I chose to work on the topic of British students during the Second World war. I suppose many of them interrupted their studies to go and fight, but what was the ...
Benoite Gott's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
261 views

What benefit was there in executing Anne Boleyn instead of poisoning her and pretending she was ill?

When Henry VIII decided to abandon Anne Boleyn in favor of another woman, due in part to the lack of Anne Boleyn providing a male heir, he had her investigated for treason, adultery, and incest, and ...
Jamin Grey's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
512 views

At the time of her death, were there any surviving witnesses to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II?

Title says it all. My guess is that some of the page boys maybe? or perhaps some members of the choir? Even someone in their early teens at the time would have had to make it through to their mid-...
ConanTheGerbil's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is the exact meaning of England vs. Britain before/during/after the formation of the Kingdom of England in the Middle Ages?

I have been reading for the past few hours about all the various players in Western/Northern Europe: Celts Gauls Germanic People Anglo Saxons Britons Iberians Aquitani etc. Wikipedia says of the ...
Lance's user avatar
  • 2,227
4 votes
1 answer
726 views

How did one get accepted into university in 19th century England?

So, here's all I (believe to) know on this topic and some follow up questions: Only the more wealthy (upper and middle class) did have the resources to send their offspring (of course mostly only the ...
The word's user avatar
  • 305
1 vote
0 answers
200 views

Why did the British people switch from the Celtic language to Old English?

There is a widely held theory that when the Romans left England in the 5th century AD the island was defenceless against Anglo-Saxon invading armies. In the south and east the Britons were defeated in ...
M. Wind's user avatar
  • 127
9 votes
2 answers
3k views

Was Mary Stuart's execution not accompanied by attainder?

James VI and I, of Scotland and England respectively, was Mary Stuart's son. Given that Mary was executed for treason and an attainder (which resulted in corruption of blood) was automatic in cases of ...
Marcus Junius Brutus's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
63 views

What was typical of Ireland England court system in the 1700’s?

In the 1700’s there were Court proceedings called ExChequer Court of Equity Bill Books (e.g) in Ireland. I found records of one of my ancestors in the early 1700’s who was a defendant several times ...
Lallie Johnson's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
77 views

In Mughal India, which factors determined which countries were allowed forts?

I'm roughly halfway through this excellent extensive book: Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company. One of the more memorable sections to me was the account of how the first gestures ...
Arash Howaida's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
200 views

Is there an English translation of Nicolas de la Mare's 1722 work "Traité de la Police"?

Most places on the Internet (or maybe just the sites with the best SEO) put the origins of Western policing with Scotland Yard. For example, this article says policing came to the U.S. via England, ...
Curious Layman's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
878 views

How many people were executed during the reign of Henry VIII?

I've read something from a few online sources that I don't quite trust (probably because I'm British), but I suspect the reality of the suggestion is in fact highly likely. Going on the data we have ...
Sam Cottle's user avatar
27 votes
3 answers
9k views

Why is Lady Jane Grey called Lady instead of Queen?

Lady Jane Grey claimed the English throne 19 July 1553, nine days later she was replaced by Queen Mary. To history she is always called Lady instead of Queen. I just wonder why? Its true she had no ...
Dave's user avatar
  • 443
0 votes
1 answer
183 views

How many visits did the Mitford sisters or Oswald Mosley make to Nazi Germany?

The youngest Mitford sister, Unity, first met Hitler in Munich 1934, who invites her older sister Diana over to meet him in April 1935. Sometime in 1935 Unity delivers the televised speech at ...
user610620's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
624 views

Why were French maids apparently so common outside France?

Wikipedia article doesn't help at all. It's surprisingly thin and essentially doesn't explain anything. It's only vaguely implied that this was a thing outside of France. Why exactly did so many ...
Yengkong C's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
786 views

What was the role of Scotland during the Hundred Years War?

Scotland was the enemy of England, as they had regained their independence. It made sense for them to join hands with the French forces. And I heard something like that in an Extra Credits video. But ...
Harshit Jaiswal's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
108 views

Were any prominent people exiled from France during the Hundred years war? Especially between 1390-1397

Were any notable figures (such as noblemen, or mercenaries, politician [idk what they called them back then] etc. ) that were exiled from France during Hundred Years War between 1390 to 1397. Or any ...
Harshit Jaiswal's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

What does it mean to grant a church to a priory?

I am trying to piece together the early history of Eversholt Church in Bedfordshire, UK. The earliest record found so far is in The Cartulary of Newnham Priory from 1166. Simon [II] de Beauchamp, who ...
emrys57's user avatar
  • 1,071
9 votes
0 answers
192 views

How to understand the gift of tithes to a priory in 1166 [closed]

I am trying to piece together the early history of Eversholt Church in Bedfordshire, UK. The earliest record found so far is in The Cartulary of Newnham Priory from 1166. Simon [II] de Beauchamp, who ...
emrys57's user avatar
  • 1,071
8 votes
1 answer
366 views

What did 'bookseller' cover as an occupation on British census documents during Victorian times?

I have been researching some of my husband's ancestors who lived in the poorest parts of Liverpool during the second part of the 19th century. Two of his female relatives who had been widowed turned ...
Catherine 's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
580 views

How did the United Kingdom government come to be responsible for defence of the Channel Islands?

The government of the United Kingdom is responsible for the defence of, and foreign relations of, the Channel Islands. How did this arrangement come about? Was there a specific agreement/decision/...
Nemo's user avatar
  • 155
-2 votes
1 answer
105 views

Question about pilgrims [closed]

I wanted to ask a pretty silly question about the English colonization of America. This book that I read said that the puritans were immigrating away from England to America for religious reasons, ...
Yeetman's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is the corruption that John Winthrop mentions in "Reasons for the Plantation in New England" (1628)

In John Winthrop's "Reasons for the Plantation in New England", we read: The fountains of learning and religion are so corrupted that most children (besides the unsupportable charge of ...
d_e's user avatar
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