Historical figures

From iconic black and white films to story books, dogs have played a central role in some of the world's most-loved tales for centuries. Here are some of the most loved canine characters...

An outrageous and sexist myth? Or the biggest royal cover-up history has ever known? The story of the Bisley Boy is a curious and intriguing tale...

There's a fine line between madness and genius, and these seven maverick individuals truly committed to that line

The SS Nomadic carried film stars, millionaires and Olympians - and ferried some to their doom

The bizarre, bloody, and largely forgotten uprising that changed a quiet corner of Kent forever

Six clans that shaped modern Scotland

How German fighter pilot Franz von Werra became one of just two prisoners of war to escape from Canadian custody and return to Germany

He is venerated around the world. But who was the real St George?

From bloody battles to brutal purges, some of history’s most famous monarchs were defined by their deadly actions. But which ruler truly earned the title of the deadliest of all?

Who actually owns the land in England – and why is it important? Find out the history of land ownership in England. Some of it may surprise you!

In an attempt to turn the tide against the Nazis in World War II, Winston Churchill commissioned a top-secret MoD project on Gruinard. But what really happened here? And why was the island shut down for 48 years?

For decades, Finnish politicians have taken diplomacy off the record – and into the steam – where heat, silence and shared vulnerability help build trust and broker deals

From the lawless Wild West to the tyrannic Scottish Highlands, Graeme Green uncovers the stories behind some of the most fabled and mysterious outlaws in history

Our resilient hunter-gatherer ancestors contended with wild animals, tsunamis and the watery separation of Britain from mainland Europe, shares historian Mike Pitts. Discover what life was like for the first humans in Britain...

Academics reveal that Harold's men likely did not arrive weary at the Battle of Hastings after a 10-day march, as was previously assumed

One of the world’s most celebrated holy figures, St Patrick is revered around the globe on 17 March. Here's the surprising origin story of Ireland’s patron saint

Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department trod the same paths of the British landscapes that had once inspired the great poets of history – but for some, these landscapes were more than just a muse

From clan lands to famine ships, uncover the stories that shaped your Scottish and Irish ancestry –and learn how to start tracing your Gaelic roots today

Mercenary captain, exile and would-be Prince of Wales, he became such a threat that the English crown paid to have him killed

Said to have been cursed by a condemned murderer in 1702, the Dead Man’s Chair has inspired centuries of eerie tales, but how much truth lies behind the legend?

While some are open to visitors, others are frozen in time – look inside the childhood homes of some of Britain's greatest ever rockstars

How did a quiet Yorkshire parsonage produce three of Britain’s greatest writers? We explore the moorlands and villages that inspired Charlotte, Emily and Anne – and how much of Brontë Country made its way into their novels

Would Jane Austen have cut an imposing figure in a ballroom? She might well have, according to a dress historian

Shakespeare's words are studied by school children across the UK, but surprisingly little is known about his appearance