By Tim Lambert The longbow was developed in Wales in the 12th century. In the late 13th century the English conquered Wales but they were impressed by the longbow. The English king, Edward I took Welsh archers into his army. The longbow proved deadly at the battle of Falkirk in 1298 between the English and… Continue reading A History of the Longbow
Category: Articles
Life in Ancient Egypt
By Tim Lambert Egypt was said to be the gift of the Nile. Each summer the Nile flooded and provided water to grow crops. For irrigation Egyptians used a device called shaduf. it was a ‘see-saw’ with a leather container at one end, which was filled with water, and a counterweight at the other. When… Continue reading Life in Ancient Egypt
A History of Lancaster
By Tim Lambert Roman Lancaster The Romans invaded Britain in 43 AD. Lancaster began when the Romans built a fort in the area about 80 AD. A small town grew up alongside the fort because the soldiers provided a market for the townspeople’s goods. However Roman civilization declined in the 4th century and in the… Continue reading A History of Lancaster
16th Century Funerals
By Tim Lambert In Tudor times life expectancy was short. Perhaps 25% of children died before they were 5 and as many as 40% died before the age of 16. If you lived to be an adult you would probably live to your 50s or early 60s. However, only a small minority lived to be… Continue reading 16th Century Funerals
The Origins of Some Old Sayings
By Tim Lambert Below is a list of old sayings and where they came from. However, sometimes it is impossible to say for certain how an old saying originated. Sometimes we can only give the most likely explanation. ACHILLES HEEL In Greek mythology, Thetis dipped her son Achilles in the mythical River Styx. Anyone who was immersed… Continue reading The Origins of Some Old Sayings
A Biography of Galileo
By Tim Lambert Galileo Galilei was born on 15 February 1564 in Pisa, Italy. (He is one of the few famous people known by his first name rather than surname). Galileo was the first of 6 or, some say, 7 children. His father was a musician, and although the family was fairly well off, they… Continue reading A Biography of Galileo
A History of Alton
By Tim Lambert Early Alton There was a Roman settlement at Neatham, near Alton in Hampshire. It is believed it was called Vindomis. However, Alton began as a Saxon village. Its name may be derived from Saxon words meaning the farmstead or village by the spring. Alton first appeared in national history in July 1101.… Continue reading A History of Alton
A History of Underwear
By Tim Lambert Early Underwear The ancient Egyptians sometimes wore loincloths. The Romans also wore underwear. Both Roman men and women wore a loincloth or shorts called a subligaculum. Women also wore a band of cloth or leather around their chest called a strophium. During the Middle Ages, men wore linen shorts called braies, but… Continue reading A History of Underwear
A History of Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth
By Tim Lambert The Early Hospital The Queen Alexandra Hospital began as a military hospital. It was needed to replace an older hospital that stood on Lion Street in Portsea. Queen Alexandra Hospital was built in the years 1904-1908. The red brick buildings stood on the slopes of Portsdown Hill overlooking the village of Cosham.… Continue reading A History of Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth
Portsmouth in the 18th Century
By Tim Lambert If we visited 18th century Portsmouth what would we find? In the 18th century, Portsmouth consisted of two towns, Old Portsmouth and Portsea. Of the two Portsea was much larger and it was dominated by the dockyard. Most of Portsea Island was farmland but what is now Southsea Common was a marsh.… Continue reading Portsmouth in the 18th Century