CATEGORIES

'Dickens's evocation of the fears, excitement and confusion of childhood is peerless'

DR LEE JACKSON ON WHY CHARLES DICKENS REMAINS RELEVANT TODAY

THE AUTHOR GOES ABROAD

Dickens expanded his horizons and boosted his fan-base by venturing overseas - but global fame came with a cost

REVIVING THE FESTIVE SPIRIT

A Christmas Carol wasn't just a bestseller - it changed the way that Britons chose to mark the festive season

GIVING THE POOR A VOICE

From Hard Times to Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens used his pen to help illuminate the lives of the less fortunate

A JOURNEY THROUGH DICKENS'S LONDON

The works of Charles Dickens are synonymous with visions of Victorian London. We talk to Dr Lee Jackson about the author's love of the capital, and the locations that most inspired him

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

Dr Lee Jackson chronicles Charles Dickens's journey from down-at-luck teenager to titan of Victorian literature

GIFTS, TREES & FEASTING

We take a journey through the photo archives to reveal how Christmas and its many traditions have been celebrated over the years - and around the world

WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY

We explore the story behind an allegorical painting that celebrates the triumph of love over hate, peace over war

HELLISH NELL

Malcolm Gaskill delves into the life of Helen Duncan - the fraudulent Scottish medium whose ectoplasm-filled seances saw her ending up on the wrong side of the law

7 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE

Presidential historian Dr Lindsay M Chervinsky reveals some of the most surprising facts about the world-famous US residence

WHAT IF...CHARLES V HAD INVADED ENGLAND?

Nige Tassell asks Dr Owen Emmerson about the possible chain of events had Henry VIII been deposed by the Holy Roman Emperor

How to fall in love

Struggling to find that special someone? Justin Pollard looks at the ways in which our ancestors tried to woo would-be lovers - and deal with the consequences when things didn't quite go to plan

LESSONS & LEARNING

We enter the classrooms of the past to discover how schooling, skills training and teaching materials have evolved over the centuries

WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY

We look at a monumental work of art - both in size and subject matter - that has become a visual icon of the horrors of World War I

9 EXTINCT ANIMALS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

From a lonely tortoise to a butterfly with a royal namesake, Megan Shersby tells the sad and surprising stories behind nine remarkable creatures that have been driven out of existence

TUTANKHAMUN'S FORGOTTEN WOMEN

What can the treasures found inside the Boy King's tomb tell us about the women in his life? Professor Joyce Tyldesley reviews the evidence – and shares some intriguing discoveries

UNEARTHING THE BOY KING

The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb is often regarded as one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time. But how did Howard Carter and his team make their breakthrough?

HOW DID HE DIE?

There are many theories about how the king met his premature end - some perhaps more credible than others

THE BOY BEHIND THE MASK

Tutankhamun is the most famous pharaoh of ancient Egypt. But who was he, and what sort of world was he born into?

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT TUTANKHAMUN

Professor Aidan Dodson answers some of the burning questions surrounding the life and reign of the Boy King

9 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT HENRY V AND AGINCOURT

Teresa Cole shares lesser-known facts about the English king and the against-all-odds battle that secured his legacy

WHAT IF...THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA HAD NEVER HAPPENED?

Nige Tassell asks Professor Steven Press about the possible shape of Africa had European powers not carved up the continent for their own gain

STONEHENGE

We explore key moments in the history of the Neolithic marvel and its impact on British culture over the past two centuries

WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY

We explore the story behind an exquisite portrait that reflects the individuality, status and aspirations of its enigmatic sitter

AN AGE OF WAR REVOLUTION AND

Jane Austen's lifetime coincided with near-constant conflict and bloodshed on both sides of the Atlantic

WHEN BRITAIN BROKE RANKS

Beneath the genteel surface of decorous society, unrest simmered in the world – and works – of Jane Austen

WAGING THE WAR AGAINST SLAVERY

Dr Lizzie Rogers examines the impact of the abolitionist cause on the age in which Jane Austen and her family lived

AUSTEN'S ENGLAND: FACT OR FICTION?

Jane Austen’s novels provide a fascinating picture of Georgian life – but how accurate are her portrayals? Historian and author Helen Amy considers rural life, social etiquette and more...

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT JANE AUSTEN'S ENGLAND

Dr Lizzie Rogers answers questions about the author and the social conventions of the world in which she lived and wrote

7 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT TUDOR FASHION

Dr Jane Malcolm-Davies shares a selection of lesser-known tidbits about Tudor clothing – from underwear to headgear