History in a nutshell
In this series, we answer the big questions from history that you want to know about! Find out who was the first king of England, what the industrial revolution was, why medieval people believed in ghosts and more!
Featured: what were the real 12 days of Christmas?
You're probably familiar with the famous carol featuring birds, gold rings and leaping lords but do you know what the twelve days of Christmas would have really involved? In this festive episode, we reveal the religious symbolism behind the twelve days of Christmas and look at how people celebrated them throughout history.
-
What Happened in the Neolithic?
-
How Did The Romans Change Britain?
-
Who was the first real king of England?
-
What was Medieval Medicine Like?
-
Why did Medieval people think ghosts were real?
-
WHY DID PEOPLE FEAR WITCHCRAFT?
-
Why did England have a civil war?
-
What was the Industrial Revolution?
-
Who was Charles Darwin?
-
What are the real twelve days of Christmas?
A Day in the Life
Discover what life was like for children living in the past...
-
The Animals of Boscobel
Meet Kyra-Alice Povey and the animals she looks after, from Lucie the biscuit-eating pig to Charles the fluffy Ryeland sheep, in the Victorian farmyard at Boscobel House in Shropshire.
-
Traditional Games at Audley End House
Kids Rule TV presenter Esme Todd visits Audley End House and Gardens in Essex to try out some of the traditional games families have played there over the centuries, from football to sack racing.
-
Fool School With Tom Fool
From the costumes, classic tricks and even catapults, our expert fool, TomFool, sheds light on the real history of foolery while, you guessed it, making a fool of himself along the way.
Meet the beekeeper at Battle Abbey!
950 years after William the Conqueror beat King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Battle Abbey has become home to up to 30,000 bees. Find out about bees, what a beekeeper does and how honey was used in the past.
Homes through History
-
Episode 1: MEET A BRONZE AGE SETTLER
-
Episode 2: MEET KING HENRY II’S LORD STEWARD
-
Episode 3: Medieval Merchant's House
-
EPISODE 4: MEET THE PORTER AT ST MAWES CASTLE
-
Episode 5: Meet the Woodward of Boscobel House
-
Episode 6: Meet the Housekeeper at Apsley House
-
Episode 7: Meet the Butler at Brodsworth Hall
-
Episode 8: Meet Prince Henry at Eltham Palace
-
Episode 9: Meet a member of the Cichociemni at Audley End House
Storytime
Discover three tales from English Heritage sites: find out about the Wild Man of Belsay, hear the legend of King Arthur and listen to the story of the two giants of Stokesay who lived on opposing sides of a Shropshire valley.
-
Storytime - The Wild Man of Belsay
-
Storytime - Arthur and Tintagel
-
Storytime - The Stokesay Giants
Kids Rule! TV
Join Esme on a journey back in time. In each episode of Kids Rule! TV, you can discover what life was like in the past, meet important historical figures, get creative with our craft ideas and even try our tasty historical recipes.
-
Episode 1: The Anglo Saxons
-
Episode 2: The Romans
-
Episode 3: Castles
-
Episode 4: Victorians
-
Episode 5: The Bronze Age
-
Episode 6: The Norman Conquest
-
Episode 7: Operation Dynamo
History at home live
TV presenter Ben Shires helped us host some amazing live lessons in 2020. In case you missed them, we’re sharing all the streams here, so you can catch up on castles, get clued up on Tudors and learn all about the legendary King Arthur.
Watch nowWhat was Life Like?
Go back in time and meet historical figures and characters from the past to discover what life was like. Watch as we interview a medieval noblewoman, a prehistoric flint miner and even William the Conqueror and King Harold.
Watch the full playlist-
Prehistory | Meet a Prehistoric Flint Miner
-
Romans | Meet a Roman Legionary
-
Anglo-Saxons | Meet an Anglo-Saxon Warrior
-
Normans | Meet William the Conqueror and King Harold
-
Medieval | Meet a Medieval Monk
-
Castles | Meet A Medieval Noblewoman
-
Tudors | Meet A Tudor Cook
-
Tudors | Meet King Henry VIII
-
Stuarts | Meet a Horse Trainer
-
Georgians I The Story of Dido Belle
-
Victorians | Meet Victorian Cook Mrs Crocombe
-
Second World War | Meet Admiral Ramsay
Test your Roman knowledge with Rattus Rattus
How well do you know Roman history? Do you know your centurion from your Caesar? Find out in this fun quiz with Rattus Rattus.
Animated history
Bring history to life with our animated highlights of the story of England. Find out how Stonehenge was constructed, why Hadrian's Wall was built, how castles evolved over time and more.
Watch the playlist-
Did King Arthur Really Exist? | Animated History
-
How Was Stonehenge Created? | Animated History
-
A Mini Guide to Medieval Monks | Animated History
-
Why Was Hadrian’s Wall Built? | Animated History
-
A Mini Guide to Prehistoric Monuments | Animated History
-
A Brief History of the Normans | Animated History
-
How To Take A Medieval Castle | Animated History
-
Harold vs William - Whose Crown? | Animated History