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The paintings that couldn’t save a marriage (even if they’d tried to, which we can’t definitively say they did)
History writing, history, and writing #1
New evidence of the central role of women in ancient Britain
The progressive-looking painting that isn’t what it seems

New year, new name for my newsletter! It’s now Free-Range History!

I came up with the (former) name Born Free Press about a decade ago. I thought it was a clever play on my surname and my own history of working at newspapers. But it broke one of the most important rules of digital publishing: audiences should understand what the story (or…

Just reminded myself of this post from a couple of years ago about the changing nature of time (or, at least, a timekeeping anomaly from the past), which seems appropriate to share on this first day of a new year.

The clock with two minute hands

Finally remembered, and had (most of) the ingredients needed, to make a lucky New Year lemon pig!

Read about the (made up) tradition via the link below.

A happy, healthy, and prosperous 2025 to you all 🍋🥂🍋

50% of the writers featured in my annual list of favourite sentences and paragraphs publish on Substack -

, , , , , , and extra points to for featuring twice - which must say something about the discovery/recommendation benefits of this platform, so - yaay!

Favourite sentences and paragraphs from stories I read this year (2024)

Christine de Pizan (d. 1430) is often described as the first professional woman author in Europe, and as such, this illustration of her is often used to denote women writers. I've seen it so many times online, so it was a real thrill to see an original at the British Library's Medieval Women exhibition!

It's from 'The Book of Deeds of Arm…

A model of medieval London Bridge in a riverside church

Calling all History Substackers – please lend me a hand (well, an experience, actually).

For my public history Masters dissertation I’m exploring the motivations, influences and ambitions of those who practise history. 

I classify ‘practising’ history as everything from compiling your family tree, writing and podcasting about history, to s…