Doyle, Houdini and the Ghost Debate

This episode examines how England viewed Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years’ War, from battlefield encounters to her trial and execution in Rouen under English influence. It looks at contemporary English documents, political motives against France and Burgundy, and how later narratives used Joan’s story for propaganda. The discussion also considers what surviving evidence tells us about her status as a political icon and how England’s actions shaped French resistance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we dig into the night that saw Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley’s death at Edinburgh’s Kirk o’ Field in 1567, examining contemporary accounts, forensic clues and the political fallout for Mary, Queen of Scots. We weigh the evidence for an accidental blast against deliberate foul play, and explore how the mystery shaped Scottish court politics and Mary's reign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The episode explores how Charles I’s insistence on royal prerogative sparked a constitutional clash with Parliament that erupted in civil war and ended with his execution. It examines the political, religious, and financial disputes that underpinned this crisis and shows how his trial set a precedent for parliamentary sovereignty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The episode investigates the true causes and consequences of Edinburgh’s great fire, looking at the cramped old‑town housing that made it so destructive. It examines contemporary firefighting attempts and the way the disaster prompted new building regulations and modern urban planning ideas. Advertising tags Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A walk along the stone and sand paths laid by Rome, examining how its engineering kept troops, trade and governance moving across a fledgling province and left a legacy that survives in modern roads today. We look at surviving milestones, bridge designs, and archaeological finds to see what the Romans actually built, what they aimed for, and how their infrastructure continued to influence Britain long after the empire withdrew. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices