Image source: Instagram/ Banksy On June 7 2020, the statue of Edward Colston, well-known Bristolian merchant and enslaver, was pulled off his plinth, rolled to the edge of Bristol docks, and pushed into the waters below by Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists. TV and phone cameras relayed the moment to millions of viewers at home – few forget the image of Colston coming down. But fewer recall what happened next… Five years on, it's a fitting moment to follow Colston’s fate, an

According to Dr Mary Dobson, the Spanish Flu was long known as the “forgotten flu.” Only recent historical research has revealed its enormous impact, killing between 50 and 100 million people. This makes it one of the deadliest pandemics in recorded history, second only to the Black Death. There is still a lot of speculation about why or how this was able to happen, what caused it to be so fatal, and why it has been “forgotten” until now.   To begin, we should examine where t

“All human beings are born free and equal,” according to Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yet, 77 years on from its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly, it is estimated that 50 million people globally are living in modern slavery, while global inequality has tripled since 1960.    A strong narrative for human rights emerged following the atrocities and devastation committed during the Second World War, driven by Eleanor Roosevelt. The Comm

History is perhaps a project centred on memory and remembrance. Many people would suggest history is the study of the past, but how can it be when the past itself no longer exists? Doing history relies on texts from the past that allow us to study something that exists now but within a historical context. But what happens when the texts surrounding certain remembrances are minimalised, overshadowed or disregarded? This is why, as historians, we must learn to read in the silen

The idea that history inevitably leads to better and better circumstances is an addictively optimistic one. It has its uses, and it’s often the way people are first taught history or the way history is portrayed in mass media. This simpler, more optimistic narrative can be useful for engaging people in the subject at first. It’s far easier to think, “They used to do what? How ridiculous!” than to confront the depressing realisation of “Why has nothing changed?” or even “How d

At the core of the Pathways to the Past project is a simple message: our past is something we should both enjoy and feel authority over. History isn’t just for obscure journals or the semi-popularised books of institutional historians. As Hilda Kean and Paula Ashton note, everyone is an ‘active agent in creating history’ – making it difficult to distinguish the historian from ‘their publics.’ We are all products of the thoughts, words, and actions of our predecessors; therefo

This year, the University of Warwick rebranded. The iconic purple ‘W’ was out, replaced with a logo more closely resembling the University’s coat of arms. In the bottom-right corner of both sits the bear and ragged staff – a familiar symbol of Warwickshire. Yet the new logo features a bold change: the bear has turned its back on the staff. Has the University bastardised this iconic emblem of the county, or merely updated it for the modern age? Here, I look back at the history

Historically, Warwickshire is no exception when it comes to witchcraft and ‘magic’. Nor is it unique in the specific beliefs and taboos surrounding these subjects, ranging from the phantasmal black dogs said to haunt Meon Hill – a place already steeped in sinister reputation – to the widespread practice of witches using particular ingredients in potions for various purposes. However, where Warwickshire stands apart is in the witchcraft-related events that occurred long after

Introduction    Located in the heart of Warwickshire lies Kenilworth Castle – a fortress with a complex history. Since its construction in the early twelfth-century, the castle has gone from a symbol of military strength, to the hallmark of royal power. The Castle has also seen the shaping of culture and festivities, as well as an Elizabethan romance that has very much shaped the ruins that remain to this day.   The castle was once home to the longest siege in England’s histo

The Lord Leycester Hospital at its core was founded as a moral institution. It was established in 1571 by an Act of Parliament with the support of its first patron (and namesake), Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Dudley was an influential member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I (who also played a role in the early days of the hospital, personally recommending some of the first Brethren). These influential political and aristocratic connections demonstrate that this was a we

In the grounds of Coventry Cathedral stands a modest brass sculpture: a man and a woman, kneeling and embracing. With your gaze naturally drawn upwards to appreciate the scale of the Cathedral’s destruction, you might miss the two figures entirely. But when I visited in 2024 they immediately caught my eye – I’d seen them once before, in another country entirely. Coventry’s Reconciliation  is part of a much broader, international history than you might expect. Reconciliation  

When walking along the cobbles of Bayley Lane in the heart of Coventry city centre, the ruins of the city’s Blitz-bombed cathedral loom large overhead. Shaping the street’s course, jutting into and hanging over the pavement, the physical imposition of what is perhaps the city’s most famous – and certainly most devastating – historical hour could quite easily subsume its surroundings. Yet nestled opposite, stone-built and comparatively unassuming, stands a medieval treasure th

Beloved by many Warwick students, Royal Leamington Spa is a beautiful town in Warwickshire, characterised by grandiose Regency buildings,...

Not every war is built on lies. Some are born of panic, others from provocation, and many from the brutal contingencies of power. The...

On the 8 th  of July, it was announced that the Bayeux Tapestry – the world-famous embroidery depicting the events of the Norman conquest...

Churches are enduring landmarks throughout Britain, forming an integral part of the spiritual and social fabric of its cities, towns, and...

Footbinding – a notorious cultural practice – represents how image, pain, and power intersected to leave an indelible mark on both...

The army barracks at Colchester are some of the oldest, continually used, military facilities anywhere in the world. Since AD 43, there...

Memory is not merely a passive reflection of past events; it is a dynamic, selective, and contested process that plays an indispensable...

Having spent most of my childhood in Northampton, I greatly appreciate its expansive history. Delapré Abbey can be seen as the historic...