The sun’s shining, I’ve got a mug of coffee on the go and lots planned!
Let me tell you all about it…
Writing
First, let’s talk history. I received the print copy of issue two of the fabulous magazine The Historians. In it, there’s my article on The Forgotten Women of the Wars of the Roses and it’s really cool to see it in print. You might know all about Elizabeth Woodville and Henry Tudor’s mother Margaret Beaufort, but have you heard of Alice Knyvet? Or Alice Chaucer? Or another Margaret Beaufort that wasn’t Henry VII’s mum? Grab a cuppa and a couple of biscuits and get to know these inspiring women, whose experiences of the Wars of the Roses were completely different but all pretty heart-wrenching.
Danielle Burton, blogger at Voyager of History wrote a brilliant guest post for the blog about the whereabouts of Sir Gawain’s skull and all the legends linked to it. Read about this Arthurian-based mystery over on the blog, along with a list of eight beautiful Welsh castles that I’m planning to visit one day.
Over on Instagram there were takeovers from Professor Lou Roper from the State University of New York and The Historians Magazine. We learned about Robert Rich, 2nd earl of Warwick and his links to enslaved Africans in the colonies in the seventeenth century. There were also posts about how an empire is formed, the incredible medical legacy of Henrietta Lacks and how the suffragettes fought to gain votes for women. If you’re interested in taking part in your own takeover on the Love British History Instagram then please do email me.
Reading
I am absolutely obsessed with Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s historical novel Daughters of Night, set in and around Georgian London. It follows a murder investigation with sub-plots beneath sub-plots, conspiracies and twists and turns. The characters really do come to life and you feel as if you’re magically transported back to eighteenth-century London. If you’re looking for a great novel to read this summer, definitely look this one up.
I also finished Dan Jones’ In The Reign of King John - a book about John and his dispute with the Barons but in context with other things going on at the time and against the backdrop of the everyday lives of regular people in Medieval England. The Summer of Blood was a great read this month too. It analyses the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 and looks at its causes, consequences and how it might even have changed the way Richard II decided to rule.
Next on my list - after I finish Daughters of Night - is The White Ship by Charles Spencer. I’ll keep you posted.
Sketching
I took up historical sketching as a hobby because I’ve always loved drawing and it means I can enjoy my love of history too - but it’s taking off really quickly! I’ve had a few commissions and purchases from the shop - and have updated what’s up on the wall at Creativ.Spaces in Caversham. The Lamb Hotel in Theale is still there, and now next to it hangs a painting of St Peter’s Medieval church in Caversham. I’ll be dropping off a panoramic scene of Caversham Court Gardens too which will be on display at Creativ.Spaces’ Summer Solstice event on 21 June. You can find out all about the event here.
Up until now I always sketched in watercolour paint or coloured pencil, but decided to experiment more with Promarker pens, which give a really vivid colour and make drawing really quick - because you don’t have to wait for paint to dry before adding detail. I’ve written up a review of them here on the blog. So far I’ve used them to draw sixteenth-century hotel The George in Reading, Tilehurst Church, York Minster and Southampton’s Catchcold Tower. Find them all on my Instagram. You can also see a timelapse video of me sketching Southampton’s Medieval Merchant’s House here.
Giveaway!
Exciting news! May was my birthday month (yay!) and to celebrate I’m giving away one sketch commission to one of you lovely subscribers. I’ll sketch an A5-sized sketch in my snazzy new Promarker pens and send it to you in the post. You just need to send a photograph (of your own) that you’d like me to sketch. Email me to enter, I’ll randomly choose one winner and announce next month.
June is already looking busy although I still have room for commissions and a good few pieces up on the website and on Creative Locale’s online gallery.
Got some feedback, a burning question you’d like me to answer or just want to say hello? Email me!
See you in July!