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Articles written by:

James Brigden

             

Gulliver's Travels

Seeing stars: Baffling astronomical knowledge from history
A long tunnel leading into the Newgrange. On the left, a spiral pattern depicted on the rocks outside

The mystery of Newgrange: Ireland's megalithic marvel
The coffin of the Unknown Warrior in state in the Abbey in 1920 | Wikipedia

‘Unknown by name or rank’: The grave of the Unknown Warrior
The Judgement of Camyses depicts a man being flayed alive

13 of the most brutal execution methods from the ancient world
An adventurer visiting Petra

Five real-life adventurers who may have inspired Indiana Jones
Statue of Ivan the Terrible on a horse

5 of the most ruthless Tsars in history
Medieval torture room with stocks, lock chair and an axe

9 more bizarre, brutal and absolutely barmy punishments from history
Large queue of people outside a shop serving free soup, coffee and doughnuts during the Great Depression.

Six decades worse than the 2020s
A medieval black steel helmet

Shine a light: Were the Dark Ages really that dark?
A convict with dirty feet has a ball and chain attached to both ankles

Even more bizarre, brutal and absolutely barmy punishments from history
The Grand Canyon

Did the Ancient Chinese visit the Grand Canyon?
A portrait of 17th century peasants engaged in Christmas revelry

The Lord of Misrule: The party prince of Christmas past
A group of carol singers

12 Christmas traditions we all love
A red Christmas wreath on a wooden door

11 lost Christmas traditions from around the UK
James Covey and a painting of the Amistad

James Covey: The African sailor who helped the Amistad captives win freedom
The Gunpowder Plot conspirators

Penny for the guys: What happened to the Gunpowder Plot conspirators?

Burning the witch

13 facts about the European witch craze
A painting of the Thames Frost Fair, with people milling about upon the frozen river

Winters of discontent: 6 of the worst winters in British history

The princes in the tower

The mystery of the 'princes in the tower': What really happened?
Aviatrix Amelia Earhart disappeared on On 21 May 1937 never to be seen again

Vanishing act: 6 of history's most mysterious disappearances
Merchant ship

The ship of gold: The '£1 billion' lost treasure of the Merchant Royal
A nun being bricked up behind a wall as punishment

Killing me slowly: 7 of the longest executions in history
A stylised photo of Chichén Itzá in Mérida, Mexico

5 legendary lost cities of gold from Akakor to El Dorado
Miraculous Heavenly Light - Blue sky, fluffy clouds and a beautiful warm orange yellow sun beaming down radiating depicting a holy entity

The Angel of Mons and other supernatural stories from WWI
Burning at the stake, one of the most a brutal forms of capital punishment, has a long history as punishment for crimes such as treason, heresy, and witchcraft in Europe.

That takes guts: 7 gory execution methods from Tudor England

Crystal ball and fortune teller hands. Divination concept. The spiritual seance. Future reading.

Prophet Warnings: 9 intriguing predictions from history
A Beltane bonfire

The Wheel of the Year: the calendar of pagan festivals explained
Model of Leonardo's tank

9 wacky medieval war machines