The Great Silver Penny Giveaway

And this week, the result of the Silver Penny giveaway. Hear the prize draw here...

First of all, thanks to Rob and William for the idea originally, and the coin most specifically! I've certainly loved having it, and pouring over it.

The idea really is to reward all you loyal listeners of the History of England. BUT of course there is no such thing as a free Edward Ist Long Cross Penny, and I have to find some way of choosing one of you  to have this lovely thing, so there'll be a prize draw. Here's what you have to do to get into the draw...you have to help me either make the podcast or blog better, or get more people to listen to it...me...So to qualify: 

• Reccomend the History of England podcast to a friend - the get the friend to post a comment on this page (plus tell them to give me your name - otherwise it'll be the wrong person in the draw of course). 
• Post a comment on this page - it might be an idea for a podcast episode; it might be some constructive criticism even ('your podcast is rubbish' doesn't count); it might be suggestions for Audioboks to recommend. That sort of stuff. 

So, get in touch - and win a piece of history!

Comments

[Steven Crooks]

Hi Guys. I am looking at this site from the recommendation of Dan Miles. It looks very interesting, and I will check out the podcasts over time. Dan Miles is very keen on history and a shiny new (old) coin would be well deserved.
I will look around the site as well as its a period in history that I really should learn more about.
Cheers

[Graham Taylor]

Did I hear someone offer a penny for my thoughts ?
Some time ago you did a number of podcasts on the Crusades and pilgrimages to the Hold Land, and I wondered whether anyone else would be interested in hearing you talk about pilgrimages made within England: what were the major sites of pilgrimage; who went on pilgrimage; when and why; where did pilgrims stay; the role of the Knights Hospitallers in providing accommodation; all that sort of thing.
Best regards
Graham

[Lisa]

In the last few episodes I have noticed a new glitch - sometimes a phrase repeats, as if something went awry when editing. Noticing it once or twice per episode. Perhaps it's not downloading smoothly? Regardless, it's a fantastic and educational podcast. I always enjoy the snippets of private and every day life.

[Graham Taylor]

Like many others, I'm sure, I'm using your podcast in order to supply the "bigger picture" for the researches that I'm doing into local history - and it's been great for that. For example, medieval documents for local villages show the Copley family all over the area like a rash; but I didn't realise they were a family of national importance.
What would be really useful - although admittedly a little off-trend for the podcast - would be if you could create a series of pages, one for each period, listing the documents that those of us doing local history might be interested in: what they're called; what period they cover; where they're located; and whether or not they're available online (with URLs if possible).
I'm thinking of things such as pipe-rolls, patent rolls, close rolls, fine rolls, feet of fines, etc. etc. There seems to be so many of these things that I simply don't know where to start.

That's two suggestions. A ha'penny each ?

[Matt NL]

I've got a book recommendation, not specifically an Audible one:
It's a great, fairly compact book about the Crusades, which covers all of it (1095-1270).. great stuff: Thomas Asbridge - The Crusades (The War For The Holy Land).

[Ian Downham]

I have particular interest in crime and punishment , or rather
My ancestors had an interest in crime, obviously I have an interest
In ... Perhaps there is some scope for podcasts looking at where the
General population came into conflict with those who
Wield power and influence?
I have thoroughly enjoyed all the podcasts as far as I've got - up to the 3rd crusade so far
And I'm sure that I will start at the beginning again fairly soon after 1901!
Ian

[Priscilla]

Now that the body of Richard III has (probably) been discovered, perhaps you can jump ahead in history and give us your thoughts. I'm hoping this will vindicate some of the more spurious descriptions provided by "historians" who were currying favor of the Tudors.

[connie]

I'm a great fan of this podcast and hope, years hence, when you bring England up to the present day that you will move on to another country. China perhaps. I love your writing and delivery. If only I'd have had a history professor like David......

[connie]

would you tell us which podcasts YOU listen to? Recommendations, please?

[Graham Taylor]

I've just recommended your podcast to everyone in my Local History Group - 12 people. Does that count ?

[Blake Anderson]

I would like episodes specifically about the rise of Britain during the late 17th century. The period is confusing mess to me with switching sides. Britain appears to go from a peripheral country to an equal to a unified France.

[Cajunman]

Great podcast! I love the accent. With the possible exception of hardcore history, this is the best history podcast out there.

[Damase]

Sad nothing was said from Ladybird on Longshanks, or are you holding out until he becomes king? Though I noticed that he did not have an individual book so you will have to break out Kings and Queens Vol. 1. By the way, loving the podcast, keep up the good work.

[Jeremiah Thompson]

could you do an episode on languages, for instance, what languages were spoken where during the middle ages. I know Cornish is now dead, but how widely was it spoken in medieval times for instance, and what parts of England. What other languages were spoken. What sort of French was spoken in England as compared with the French spoken in Paris. There are so many languages that existed then and I find them a facilitating topic, are there any others out that that would, or am I just weird. Also thanks for replying to my comment about Geoffrey Parker a few weeks back.

Keep up the good work!

Jeremiah

[Graham Taylor]

Another one from me. Does anyone else think I'm sounding a bit desperate to win ?

I think it was around about episode 55 you gave us an idea of the speed you were travelling through history. (As I recall it had averaged out at 7 years per episode during your first year, but you noted that you were likely to get slower as the volume of source material available to you increased.)
Would you like to give us an update on when you now expect to reach 1901 ? I'm 56 and already wondering whether or not I'll live to hear the end.

Graham

[The History of England]

Ah, yes, it's a while since I've worked that out. I'm 48' so i need to know if i'm going to be alive by the time we get to 1901, or if my son will have to carry on the work...So, it's been 20 episodes since 1200' so that's 3 years per episode. Let's say 40 episodes a year, so that's 120 years a year, if you see what I mean. 560 years to go...so let's say about 5 years to 1901. End date of 2017. By 'eck.

[The History of England]

General comments all...thanks for posting!
Thanks Dan, and welcome Stephen
Pilgrimages in England - great idea
Sorry Lisa - the trouble is that work is so busy now I have so little time to record...so I'm not doing an extra run through. I'll talk to the QC department...
Graham, local history - i'm not an expert sadly (in anything, actually). But I'd love to post podcasts from people about the history of their localities - any takers?
Ashridges book is excellent on the crusades; plus thre's an interview on thehistory extra podcast somewhere...
Crime and punishment - yes, absolutely! It's on the list!
Priscilla, the R3 discovery is amazing isn't it? It has to be true, it needs to be true ...but going out of phase? That way lies madness and divorce...!
Connie, thanks. Lets see how i feel in 5 years time! and there's a page on this blog listing podcasts I like...
Graham (again - is there just one of you!?)-yes, local history group definitely counts! Thanks !
Blake - yes absolutely, one of my favourite periods after the anglo Saxons - though you'll have to wait..ooh..a couple of years...hope you are still listening by then..
Cajunman - thanks -.I've always thought my accent a bit posh. Got me into trouble at school from time to time
Damage - just holding off until H3 dies...then Ladybird and Stellar will have their time in the sun
Jeremiah - nice idea, yes.

Phew!

[martin]

Great pod cast from a fan in America.

I second Jeremiah about language. I know that Latin was the language of law and French (Norman French?), was traditionally the language of diplomacy but when did the English language become the language that basically all people used to converse with each other? Was English even being used by the majority of people in England at this time as the lingua franca? As the English language progressed, did the English spoken in London become the standard English, like standard French is based on the French dialect spoken in Ile-de-France?

As a final note, I would like to recommend a piece of historical fiction that you and the listeners may enjoy. I would recommend the Welsh Princes Trilogy by Sharon Kay Penman. It is, of course, historical fiction but she touches on time period you are currently covering, obviously from a more Welsh perspective.

Thanks again

[Stephen H Bell]

What a great website you have, if it was for the offer of a penny, I might not have looked here. I'm not the type who often mindlessly chatters on the internet, so excuse me while I prattle on. I greatly appreciate your podcast and its reliable schedule, the latter a most important feature. I greatly appreciate being referred to as a "gentle listener", and the courtesy that otherwise permeates your podcast. I greatly appreciate the knowledge of your sources, and their bias. I greatly appreciate names and dates, and a sense that what I am listening to is an account of history, and not mindless speculation of our 21st century values applied to social issues of the past. When you do take up social issues, the discussion is factual and relevant, and presented in an enjoyable, historical context. Need I go on...

I am employed as a gardener and there are a great many days in which I will go to work and return home without having spoken to anyone. On such a day, your podcast might be the only human voice that I may hear, or even desire to hear. I haven't many friends to recommend the podcast to, so I must otherwise make a suggestion to improve the podcast, which is a tall order since I consider it near perfect. 

If I may suggest a topic, or at least a line of thought that maybe added to the ongoing story line, I might suggest that you include more animals. The period now being discussed concurs with the first known horse race, a right proper race with multiple contestants on a flat track with a finish line. It will be a century or two later that the thoroughbred horse appears. The first recorded hounds will also appear soon. England has a very rich history of stock breeding, with most of the known breeds originating there whether horse, hound, cow, pig, or chicken; and this does become a very important industry in the coming centuries and perhaps you might include this.

As far as the penny is concerned, I recently had to purchase a treasure. My great aunt, of 99 years old, had been a travel agent and during her world-wide travels she collected coins, a nice four pound sack of them which she recently asked me to sell for her, needing the money for health issues. It is quite a collection, with coins dating back to the 1870's and often from countries that no longer exist (Prussian marks, czarist Russian rubles, and colonial Kenya shillings for example). Not wanting to break up what I considered a family treasure, about a pound and a half of silver, and not being able to afford that myself, I offered it for sale to my other close relatives, who only made low-ball bids for it. So I borrowed from my adopted daughter the money to pay her myself. My adopted daughter making me promise it to my newly born grand-daughter as a future history lesson. You penny would find a good home. 

Stephen H Bell

[Kevin Radzewicz]

Ahoy - I really enjoy the podcast, but have an unusual question. Years ago I read "The Pageant of England" Series, by Thomas B. Costain which consisted of "The Conquering Family" (1949), "The Magnificent Century" (1951), "The Three Edwards" (1958) and finally "The Last Plantagenets" (1962).
If my memory serves me correctly, he wrote (and you speak to in your podcast) that Henry the III was responsible for a lot of the construction of palaces, expanding the Tower of London, etc, but also that he had a menagerie built inside the Tower of London. In your research, is this accurate? Was this the first zoo in England? What happened to it?
I suppose that this is a trivial question as it gets, but it seemed kind of interesting. I have kept up with all of the episodes, and find your take on English history, informative, interesting and seldom dull, and I really enjoy the podcast. (Some other podcasts of interest are "Freakonomics", "The History of the World in 100 Objects", "The History of Rome", "The Hisory of World War Two", "A Short History of Japan", and "The Russian Rulers".
Thanks much, and keep up the good work. I have recommended your podcast to my brother in law, but even with the lowest of expectations that will try it out, I think I will still be disappointed.

Sincerely,
Kevin R

[Jeremy Hoffman]

David,
I'm very much enjoying the journey through the age of Henry III. Thank you for posting the documents; doing so gives a nice connection to the past. Not sure if you were aware, but there is a project to translate and publish online the Fine Rolls from Henry III. http://www.finerollshenry3.org.uk/home.html

Thank you for taking the time to make such an excellent podcast.

[CalLadyQED]

Why doesn't the Edward I coin bear his image? Or is it that faded?

@connie: Go to the "Historical Podcasts you might like" link under "Pages" on the right. I'm really enjoying "The History of English" podcast that Crowther recommends.

[CalLadyQED]

I also go by Victoria.

[CalLadyQED]

Oh, I think I see the face now. It's really worn.

Any advice on how to remember the dates? In general, I mean. I can't seem to remember what time period an episode covered.

[The History of England]

Hi Victoria. Yes as you say it is there, but worn. Hmm on dates...probably best if I just put a few more in along the way...E1 is (I think) 1272-1307ish