Category Archives: History

How reviewing non-fiction books shaped writing seventeenth-century fiction: A Guest Post by Carina McNally

Among various writing ventures, the catapult that led to writing the novel Mithim was undoubtedly my time reviewing for historical non-fiction publisher Chronos Books. As a lover of history, reviewing titles for this Collective Ink Books imprint was a perfect fit. I reviewed many of their 17th-century titles; Catherine of Braganza, Charles II’s Restoration queen and The Tragic Daughters… Read on

Blenheim Palace: Blueprints of Power Exhibition

My husband surprised me with a trip to Blenheim Palace last Saturday, May 30th 2026. Now, for those of you who are new to this blog, it is a very special place for me. I hadn’t been to Blenheim since 2023, and the iconic front of the building is currently heavily scaffolded, which is likely necessary, but there… Read on

Joseph Glanvill: A Guest Post by David Lassman

Joseph Glanvill was born in 1636 in Plymouth. His family were Puritans and, like the rest of these English reforming Protestants, sought to ‘purify’ the Church of England from its Catholic practices. Glanvill attended Exeter College, Oxford, where he studied religion, logic and philosophy, and graduated in 1655. He later obtained an MA from Lincoln College. By the time… Read on

Child’s Play to Charles II – A Guest Post by Claire Hobson

Child’s Play to Charles II – a guest post by Claire Hobson A periwig is usually prominent in our minds when we think of Charles II. With those long black curls, he’s recognised as the English king restored to power by a counterrevolutionary parliament in 1660, but he actually sported his natural hair for more than half his… Read on

Goodbye, 2025! Hello, 2026!

Happy New Year! Well, 2025 certainly seems to have sped by, with work on the successful Stuart History Festival in the gorgeous and historic city of Worcester in July. It was great to reunite with people I had worked with before or admired before: Jonathan Healey, with whom I had previously been in the BBC4 history documentary series,… Read on

Interview with Eleanor Swift-Hook, author of The Fugitive’s Sword

Hear ye! I’m so pleased to announce that we have recently released a new audiobook: To celebrate this new release, I have the privilege of welcoming the author, Eleanor Swift-Hook, for an EXCLUSIVE interview today. Welcome to my salon, Eleanor! Before we go into the book itself, what is it about the seventeenth century that inspires you? I… Read on

‘Catherine of Braganza’s Agency as Queen’ – A guest post by Susan Abernethy

Catherine of Braganza managed to exercise her agency as queen under difficult circumstances. Her first duty as Queen was to provide her husband with an heir and she made numerous attempts at treatments and pilgrimages to become pregnant. We have proof of a pregnancy and a miscarriage at least once, with two other pregnancies mentioned by Charles to… Read on

‘Living in An Uncharted Terrain: The Exile of Charles II’, A Guest Post by Caroline Willcocks

Why write about the Stuarts? Well, they were the Kennedys of the seventeenth century. Attractive, powerful, marked by tragedy. For a novelist, they are a glittering temptation of a subject. But the long, grinding years of exile cast a long shadow over their later history. Did that put me off? On the contrary, I have long been fascinated by the period… Read on

The Seventeenth Century Lady

Thy source for the A-Z of 17th-century history!