Extraordinary Stories of Britain

Love Letters, Spies and Stolen Mail - The History of Britain’s Post

From the first Valentine’s letter to postal highway robbery, from spies to street wars and the invention of the first postage stamp, this British history podcast tells the story of how the Royal Mail evolved into a network that connected a nation.

History of Money Part 2 – Forgers, Firesticks & Financial Fiascos

Discover how war, crime and chaos shaped Britain’s money. From wooden money to lusturous gold Guineas to Isaac Newton hunting forgers, this episode reveals the stories behind Britain’s currency. The dramatic history that gave us the coins and notes still used today.

A History of Money - Coin Clippers, Con-Men and King Coppernose

The extraordinary history Britain’s money.  Where kings mutilate moneyers, coins spark riots and fortunes are made, debased, clipped and forged.  This podcast shows how money isn’t just metal — it’s about power, violence, trust, and the magic of the philosopher’s stone

The Diary of a Graverobber - London's Darkest Trade

The Diary of a Graverobber dramatises the true-life story of Joseph Naples, a London gravedigger in the early 1800s who slips into the city’s darkest trade — stealing corpses to sell to surgeons. Driven by poverty and desperation, Naples is lured into ruthless Borough Gang, only to be consumed by guilt, betrayal, and the ghosts of those he unearthed. 

About Time: The History of Timekeeping

From Stonehenge to Greenwich, Celtic seasons to Roman calendars, candle clocks to knocker-uppers  -  and John Harrison’s chronometer. This podcast tells the story of how language, and technology shaped the way we keep time.

Murder at the Theatre - The William Terris Story

The story of William Terriss - Victorian London’s beloved stage hero. While audiences flocked to the Adelphi Theatre, a troubled bit-part actor plotted his downfall. What followed was a sensational courtroom drama, and a ghost story that haunts the theatre to this day.

Dr Johnson - The Man Who Made the English Dictionary

Hear the story of the extraordinary life of Samuel Johnson.  The sicky, part blind, provincial boy, a failure at Oxford University he went on to create the first great dictionary of the English language.

Heratic? Homosexual? Spy? - The Life and Murder of Christopher Marlowe.

Christopher Marlowe was the star writer of the 1580s.   The Elizabethans flocked to his plays.   But Kitt’s life was shrouded in mystery. Was he a secret agent? A Catholic spy? A double agent for Queen Elizabeth’s government.  There is evidence that he was heretical atheist.  And he may have been England's first gay poet   Hear how this ended with a murder mystery on May 30, 1593.