Features 17 17th Centuy

The Drolatic Dreams of Pantagruel.

The Drolatic Dreams of Pantagruel. Whilst searching through Medieval books and manuscripts for images of ‘witches’ and their symbols this book from 1565 emerged from the archives. It is an absurd collection of characters bound into a single volume, images only, except for a preface by the man who published it in 1565. The images…

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The Royal Society

Royal Society

The Royal Society for the promotion of natural knowledge is one of Britain’s longest standing organisations, its members some of the worlds most brilliant minds.

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Shakespeare’s Original Pronunciation

Shakespeare's original pronunciation

Shakespeare’s original pronunciation was very different to the sound of modern spoken English. Hearing his plays in OP is both exciting and enriching and not something to be left off any school curriculum as it totally changes the observers perception.

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Rachel Wriothesley wife of Lord Russell

Rachel Wriothesley

Rachel Wriothesley played an interesting role in 17th Century intrigue but who was she? Rachel was born in 1636 in Titchfield Hampshire, the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley the 4th Earl of Southampton. The Wriothesley’s had an illustrious history, after the Reformation, the family grew more powerful and wealthier than ever before. Thomas Wriothesley, the 1st…

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Oxford University Map of Colleges

Old map of Oxford University and town dated 1643 17th Century

Oxford University Map of Colleges dating back and showing the colleges with a numbered key in 1643. a preview to Intriguing Oxford and Oxfordshire. Follow this new series, starting with this map.

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Bank of England History

Bank of England Sealing of the Charter

Bank of England History next to the East India Company one of our oldest institutions and ironically as the old lady of Threadneedle Street one of the few ‘last men standing. Founded by an associate of Isaac Newton from Trinity College Cambridge days maybe not such a strange connection give Newton was Master of the Royal Mint. Rothschilds to the rescue, so many intriguing connections to an institution we think of as a steadying force. It was not always so. Find out more here…

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