The French have long been known for their slightly more casual approach to love and marriage and the French Kings were certainly no exception. Some were happily married, others had made political marriages with foreign princesses that took no account of common interests or even language. The mistresses they took were some of the most beautiful and accomplished women of their day, and were often greedy, meddlesome and avaricious as well. The legacies of the women themselves ranged fr... [More]

The Middle Ages was a time of great innovation in art and architecture with the massive Romanesque style merging with others to create the soaring and elaborate style known as Perpendicular in England and High Gothic on the Continent. Castles, too, grew from simple forts to grand chateaux, capable of sheltering hundreds of people in times of trouble or entertaining royalty as they travelled throughout the country. This study day will also look at some of the artistic elements of the... [More]

For intending tourists and armchair travellers, this course provides an overview of the places, history, art, and architecture of Sicily – a spectacular island where one of the most dramatic and complicated cultures of the Mediterranean has been shaped by invaders and settlers, who include the ancient Greeks, the Arabs, and the Normans. We take illustrated tours of the main towns and tourist sites with in depth, interactive discussion of history and culture, including the ancient Gr... [More]

This course is a continuation of ‘Bede and Cultural life in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Britain.’ It will present a more in-depth study of the world of the the Venerable Bede, the ‘father of English history’ and one of the most prolific and influential writers of the early Middle Ages. It will concentrate on his varied achievements as a writer, studying his work as an educationist, historian of both official history and daily life, and poet. The course will also examine the important sub... [More]

The conflict in the Middle East can be traced back into ancient history to the Egyptians, the Jews, the followers of Baal, the Zoroastrians and the pagans of Greece and Rome. The arrival of the Christians brought another competing religion, and later the Muslims completed the picture. This course will look at all these religions and how people have fought under their different banners for control and ownership of not only Palestine but the whole area from Turkey to Persia. Course Co... [More]

This fun and fact filled course will look at the ‘bad girls’ of the Middle Ages, women who gained a reputation of being notorious through their determination to live their lives in the way they chose, or who were determined to do what they thought was right, to the detriment of those around them! Eleanor of Aquitaine is the only woman to have been married to both the King of France and then the King of England. And what a life she led them both! Isabella, known as the She Wolf of Fr... [More]

Italy from the twelfth to sixteenth centuries witnessed regular outbreaks of political turmoil and social upheaval; yet it enjoyed successive periods of incredible artistic and cultural innovations. Many of these are integral to ways we understand and see the world today, and continue to inspire our imaginations. In this course we explore this period through the eyes of the artists and patrons who drove these changes. We’ll examine works these artists produced – from palaces and mos... [More]

The Plantagenet family ruled England from 1154, when Henry II took the throne and ended the war between Stephen and Matilda, until 1485, when the infamous Richard III lost the battle (and the kingdom) to Henry Tudor, the future Henry VII. Come and learn all about this fascinating family, the scandals and the treachery, the intrigue and the betrayals. We will also look at the involvement of the Plantagenets in the Third Crusade, the Barons' Wars, The Hundred Years War and the War of ... [More]

What has happened to make the English language of a thousand or more years ago largely unintelligible to English speakers today? Why is our grammar so different from that of some otherwise closely related European languages? Why is our vocabulary so large? We will trace the influences that were at work over time to alter the language, spoken and written, and that have brought about such huge changes from Old English to the language of Chaucer; from then to the Early Modern English o... [More]

Travelling the Road to Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St James are said to be buried, is one of the oldest and most interesting journeys in Europe. The idea of pilgrimage seems to touch a chord in us and pilgrims on the road to Compostela are as taken with the journey as with the destination. These days, pilgrimage is an exciting and challenging opportunity to depart from our usual lifestyles and experience the world beyond the horizon. Walking gives us the opportunity... [More]