Skip to 0 minutes and 17 seconds This is Lancaster Castle, one of the most impressive strongholds of Northern England. From Roman times until the present day, this site has dominated North West England and played a key role in political and social history. In this course, we use the castle as a way into the history of Northern England. We look at famous incidents from the areas past as well as hidden histories, all the time accompanied by the castle’s exceptional buildings. We’ll be exploring turbulent times from a mediaeval Scottish raid to the Second World War. We’ll encounter famous monarchs, including Henry IV of England, Robert the Bruce of Scotland, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Skip to 1 minute and 6 seconds We’ll hear about figures prominent in social and cultural history, such as the prison reformer John Howard and the author Charles Dickens. We’ll learn about the people who were incarcerated here, such as the notorious, yet wretched Lancashire witches and German prisoners of war during the First World War. I begin the story before the castle with the Roman forts on this site. And I trace the castle’s role through the turbulent Mediaeval Period. I will then be joined by colleagues from the Department of History at Lancaster University. Dr. Stephen Pumfrey will tackle Lancashire after the Reformation, a time when witchcraft accusations emerged against a backdrop of religious tension. Dr.
Skip to 1 minute and 54 seconds Chris Donaldson will explore Lancaster Castle’s appeal to 18th and 19th century visitors and the changes in attitudes to life inside the prison. Dr. Corinna Peniston-Bird will trace the history of the castle from the First World War to the very present, ending with the transformation of the site from a prison to a heritage destination. Along the way, we’ll be joined by other experts in the castle’s history. Join us for a fascinating journey through two millennia of Northern England’s history, viewed from the stronghold of Lancaster Castle.
