Recreating Richard III's Voice: A Journey Through Time

Join us as we dive into the fascinating project of reconstructing the voice of King Richard III, last heard in 1485.

Music from Epidemic sound and All3 Media.

Matt Lewis discovers the interdisciplinary efforts involving AI, history, science and linguistics that have gone into this decade-long endeavour. Featuring in-depth interviews with experts Professor David Crystal, Professor Caroline Wilkinson, Yvonne Morley-Chisholm, and the voice of Richard III - Thomas Dennis, discover how they have brought the 500-year-old voice of Richard III back to life.

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Amy Haddow. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of ad-free podcasts and original TV documentaries including the film following this project step-by-step; A Voice for King Richard III, presented by Matt Lewis.

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Dr. Eleanor Janega can hardly contain her excitement. She’s just seen Joan of Arc’s actual signature on show in the Medieval Women: In Their Own Words exhibition at the British Library in London. It’s a treasure trove of documents all about medieval women and their lives.

Join Eleanor at the British Library as she talks to Dr. Eleanor Jackson, one of the curators of the exhibition, about the reasons it's easy to overlook medieval women if you don't know where to look, and what can be learned from documents ranging from the personal to medical and legal.

All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr.Eleanor Janega and edited by Amy Haddow. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

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What is a leper squint? Are the marks scratched into the exterior walls of churches from damned souls trying to claw their way in?

Join Matt Lewis as he welcomes back James Wright, a stonemason and historian with a passion for debunking myths about medieval buildings. Together, they explore the real stories behind architectural features like pentagrams, mason's marks, arrow stones and devil's doors. James's unique blend of practical stonemasonry experience and historical research offers fascinating insights into how these myths evolved and what they reveal about the societies that created them. Discover the hidden truths and vibrant histories once obscured by folklore in this insightful episode.

Hear James Wright unravel more medieval building myths in our previous episode here

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Amy Haddow. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Rodrigo Díaz - known as el Cid - lived a violently colourful life in 11th Century Spain. By turns an ambitious military leader, exile and brutal mercenary, after changing allegiances several times he carved out an independent principality.

Join Dr. Eleanor Janega and Professor Nora Berend uncover the complexities behind El Cid's legacy, from his military prowess and strategic mind to his contested historical and mythological persona. They explore why el Cid is today considered a superhero; a quasi-saint and the 'spirit of Spain', according to military dictator Franco.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega, edited and produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Join Matt Lewis and Professor Michael Livingston to unravel the legendary Battle of Agincourt.

They cover the lesser-known strategic blunders to the haunting moral dilemmas and learn about the real events that shaped this historic clash. Perfect for history buffs and medieval enthusiasts, this episode dives deep into one of the most iconic battles of the medieval era, debunking myths and shedding light on historical truths.

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Amy Haddow. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Watch the Battle of Agincourt being brought to life now in History Hit's new TV documentary with Professor Micheal Livingston. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Why are so many medieval castles left in ruins?

Join Dr. Eleanor Janega as she steps through the rubble of these fallen stone giants to close our current series on the life cycle of castles.

The technological advancements and changing comforts, such as chimneys, glass windows and not least privacy, made it challenging to maintain castles over time. Discover how societal shifts and changing fashion trends led to the decline of these historic structures that were once the ultimate symbol of power and control and how we can appreciate their historical significance today.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega, produced and edited by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Gone Medieval continues to explore the life cycle of castles, today considering the role for which they were explicitly designed - as fortresses to protect those within - by focussing on the incredible Carlisle Castle.

Matt Lewis speaks to Professor Jackson Armstrong about this frontier castle and the significance of its location on the border of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland.

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’

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**This episode contains some strong language**

Few women had the luxury of writing down their thoughts and feelings during medieval times. But remarkably, there are at least four extraordinary women who did. Marie de France, a poet; Julian of Norwich, a mystic; Christine de Pizan, a widow; and Margery Kempe, a "no-good wife". What was life really like for them? Could they live independent lives? And how can we hear their stories?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Hetta Howes to talk about her new book Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife: The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women and what it reveals to u about how medieval women thought about things like sex, death and God.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. The producers are Joseph Knight and Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK