James Currie
@oneofmanyjameses.bsky.social
Historian specialising in the Middle Ages, sometimes I do other stuff
Souling is not a well recorded activity, and we don't know what traditions were popular when. Turnip jack-o-lanterns, costumes, plays, and songs seem to date to the late-16th century at the earliest. Medieval Halloween was for the dead, not fun. But it was at least a good time to tell ghost stories!
October 31, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Souling is not a well recorded activity, and we don't know what traditions were popular when. Turnip jack-o-lanterns, costumes, plays, and songs seem to date to the late-16th century at the earliest. Medieval Halloween was for the dead, not fun. But it was at least a good time to tell ghost stories!
Toward the end of the Middle Ages, this led to the tradition of "souling", where groups of people would go door to door offering prayers for dead relatives in exchange for sweet treats, usually a "soul cake". They'd carry lanterns to see, and at some point these were put into carved turnips. (6)
October 31, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Toward the end of the Middle Ages, this led to the tradition of "souling", where groups of people would go door to door offering prayers for dead relatives in exchange for sweet treats, usually a "soul cake". They'd carry lanterns to see, and at some point these were put into carved turnips. (6)
Often, ghost stories would be modified such that the power of Christianity was the solution. Medieval ghosts were usually portrayed stuck in this world as Purgatory, and needed the prayers of the living to pass on.
Not always though, with revenants (undead) you could usually decapitate them (5)
Not always though, with revenants (undead) you could usually decapitate them (5)
October 31, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Often, ghost stories would be modified such that the power of Christianity was the solution. Medieval ghosts were usually portrayed stuck in this world as Purgatory, and needed the prayers of the living to pass on.
Not always though, with revenants (undead) you could usually decapitate them (5)
Not always though, with revenants (undead) you could usually decapitate them (5)
So while the Catholic Church generally took a dim view of ghosts and the pagan "Otherworld" that they came from, it was common during Allhallowtide to use ghost stories as a preaching tool. In the 12th century, Walter Map could record loads of them ranging from the undead to the Wild Hunt. (4)
October 31, 2025 at 3:39 PM
So while the Catholic Church generally took a dim view of ghosts and the pagan "Otherworld" that they came from, it was common during Allhallowtide to use ghost stories as a preaching tool. In the 12th century, Walter Map could record loads of them ranging from the undead to the Wild Hunt. (4)
I tried out the new Affinity. It's a bit finicky but it will do, and although it will load old affinity files it's hit or miss as to how much functionality they have. Still much better than Adobe. This is what I did with an old Lib Dem leaflet template, for which I wholeheartedly apologise.
October 31, 2025 at 1:55 PM
I tried out the new Affinity. It's a bit finicky but it will do, and although it will load old affinity files it's hit or miss as to how much functionality they have. Still much better than Adobe. This is what I did with an old Lib Dem leaflet template, for which I wholeheartedly apologise.
Ok, I tried out the new Affinity. It's a bit finicky, and although it will load old affinity files it's hit or miss as to how much functionality there actually is with them. Still better than Adobe. This is what I did with an old Lib Dem leaflet template, for which I wholeheartedly apologise.
October 31, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Ok, I tried out the new Affinity. It's a bit finicky, and although it will load old affinity files it's hit or miss as to how much functionality there actually is with them. Still better than Adobe. This is what I did with an old Lib Dem leaflet template, for which I wholeheartedly apologise.
The wonderful Berkhamsted Castle, built by William the Conqueror, remade in stone in the early-mid 12th century, as viewed through LiDAR. The dimples at the top were probably platforms for catapults from a siege in 1216, in which a French invasion took the castle before being defeated at Lincoln.
October 18, 2025 at 7:52 PM
The wonderful Berkhamsted Castle, built by William the Conqueror, remade in stone in the early-mid 12th century, as viewed through LiDAR. The dimples at the top were probably platforms for catapults from a siege in 1216, in which a French invasion took the castle before being defeated at Lincoln.
What I find most striking is how invisible all this history is. There is no visible trace of what was once one of the most important military camps in the nascent kingdom of England. The Roman road is just a mediocre footpath, the only indication of its history being its constant gradient. (end)
October 12, 2025 at 5:19 PM
What I find most striking is how invisible all this history is. There is no visible trace of what was once one of the most important military camps in the nascent kingdom of England. The Roman road is just a mediocre footpath, the only indication of its history being its constant gradient. (end)
A bridge crossing between Berkshire and Buckinghamshire would not return until 1280 at Maidenhead. Locals got by with a ferry until a bridge was built in Cookham in 1840. The Roman road is now lost, but pieces survive as a footpath. Now all that remains is farmland, a lock, and some nice trees. (7)
October 12, 2025 at 5:12 PM
A bridge crossing between Berkshire and Buckinghamshire would not return until 1280 at Maidenhead. Locals got by with a ferry until a bridge was built in Cookham in 1840. The Roman road is now lost, but pieces survive as a footpath. Now all that remains is farmland, a lock, and some nice trees. (7)
What happened to it? It seems William the Conqueror happened to it. No post-conquest material has ever been found there, nor are there references to it as a military site after 1066. And the Domesday Book marks the local parish as 'partial waste' in 1086, having lost value from £50 to £38 15s. (5)
October 12, 2025 at 5:06 PM
What happened to it? It seems William the Conqueror happened to it. No post-conquest material has ever been found there, nor are there references to it as a military site after 1066. And the Domesday Book marks the local parish as 'partial waste' in 1086, having lost value from £50 to £38 15s. (5)
After this battle it seems the island was militarised. Being in the middle of the Thames at a point where the river splits and becomes shallow, any raid that made it past London could be stopped here. The defences likely ran around the entire island, totalling 1km of fortifications. (3)
October 12, 2025 at 5:01 PM
After this battle it seems the island was militarised. Being in the middle of the Thames at a point where the river splits and becomes shallow, any raid that made it past London could be stopped here. The defences likely ran around the entire island, totalling 1km of fortifications. (3)
This doesn't look like much, but it was once one of the most important places in the emerging country of England. This is now known as Sashes Island in the middle of the Thames between Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, but was once the Burh of Sceaftessige, a formidable outpost against the Vikings. (1)
October 12, 2025 at 4:57 PM
This doesn't look like much, but it was once one of the most important places in the emerging country of England. This is now known as Sashes Island in the middle of the Thames between Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, but was once the Burh of Sceaftessige, a formidable outpost against the Vikings. (1)
But what's in the replies? Well, mostly people learning that these ducks exist and are pretty neat. However, there's also people dismissing the video as AI generated because the feathers look blurry or because "bird physics ain't birding" (this person has perhaps not seen a bird).
July 20, 2025 at 9:38 AM
But what's in the replies? Well, mostly people learning that these ducks exist and are pretty neat. However, there's also people dismissing the video as AI generated because the feathers look blurry or because "bird physics ain't birding" (this person has perhaps not seen a bird).
What I'm saying is: these ducks are a real thing that exist and they're great. Here is a (rather compressed) video of one I took on my phone at Burnham Beeches in March of this year, where two or three pairs of them live:
July 20, 2025 at 9:29 AM
What I'm saying is: these ducks are a real thing that exist and they're great. Here is a (rather compressed) video of one I took on my phone at Burnham Beeches in March of this year, where two or three pairs of them live:
This is what the full network looks like, mapped out in 2005.
January 28, 2025 at 9:02 PM
This is what the full network looks like, mapped out in 2005.
This is what's left of some WW1 training trenches in southern Buckinghamshire, where army units were instructed in trench digging. They are excellent examples, but sadly not preserved at all. Every year more leaves fall into them, compost, and slowly bury them, and they'll probably be gone by 2100.
January 28, 2025 at 8:51 PM
This is what's left of some WW1 training trenches in southern Buckinghamshire, where army units were instructed in trench digging. They are excellent examples, but sadly not preserved at all. Every year more leaves fall into them, compost, and slowly bury them, and they'll probably be gone by 2100.
At first I couldn't believe it, tried to be charitable for some reason, watched it 20 times to find a way out of the horrible reality. But side by side it's undeniable.
January 21, 2025 at 10:56 AM
At first I couldn't believe it, tried to be charitable for some reason, watched it 20 times to find a way out of the horrible reality. But side by side it's undeniable.
At first I couldn't believe it, tried to be charitable for some reason, watched it 20 times to find a way out of the horrible reality. But side by side it's totally undeniable.
January 21, 2025 at 10:53 AM
At first I couldn't believe it, tried to be charitable for some reason, watched it 20 times to find a way out of the horrible reality. But side by side it's totally undeniable.
Even more pro-"golden age" literature predating Hanawalt that's maybe the true target - particularly Caroline Barron's 1989 article "The 'Golden Age' of Women in Medieval London" - concludes that women's economic clout post-Black Death did not become power or liberty. I can't see the "sugarcoating"
December 23, 2024 at 9:09 PM
Even more pro-"golden age" literature predating Hanawalt that's maybe the true target - particularly Caroline Barron's 1989 article "The 'Golden Age' of Women in Medieval London" - concludes that women's economic clout post-Black Death did not become power or liberty. I can't see the "sugarcoating"
2/2 However, archaeologists from the University of Reading excavating an abbey in nearby Cookham are curious about the relationship between the abbey and this site a short walk away. They suspect there might be other barrows buried beneath the soil. Hopefully they'll get the chance to find out!
November 20, 2024 at 7:37 PM
2/2 However, archaeologists from the University of Reading excavating an abbey in nearby Cookham are curious about the relationship between the abbey and this site a short walk away. They suspect there might be other barrows buried beneath the soil. Hopefully they'll get the chance to find out!
1/2 A local archaeological development: The earthwork feature just left of centre doesn't look like much, but it's the tip of a Bronze Age barrow last excavated in the 1870s; one of four here. The site also showed evidence of early medieval use, potentially as a site of Anglo-Saxon pagan burials.
November 20, 2024 at 7:30 PM
1/2 A local archaeological development: The earthwork feature just left of centre doesn't look like much, but it's the tip of a Bronze Age barrow last excavated in the 1870s; one of four here. The site also showed evidence of early medieval use, potentially as a site of Anglo-Saxon pagan burials.
If you ever get the chance to go to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, take it. As well as all the stuff on display, they've also got live demonstrations of sword combat, and a hands on talk where they let you handle (BUT NOT OPERATE!) some WW2 guns.
November 18, 2024 at 8:12 PM
If you ever get the chance to go to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, take it. As well as all the stuff on display, they've also got live demonstrations of sword combat, and a hands on talk where they let you handle (BUT NOT OPERATE!) some WW2 guns.