Dr James Brown

Is Walking Research? A Methodological Ramble Mark HailwoodI needed to try something to get me writing again. Blessed with a period of research leave to resume work on my book – Everyday Life in the Seventeenth Century English Village &#…

'I would set off, with some sense of what I might be looking for, and see what I stumbled across...'

Is going for a walk a valid methodology for a historian? And if so, how much theory do you need to read before you start?

Some thoughts in my latest blog post:
manyheadedmonster.com/2026/02/10/i...

Absolute twaddle; that’s a massively impressive lift for any age (and at 57 would put you in the top 0.something %). Kudos!

Inside Wolferton church.
#normalfornorfolk

I don’t think I’ve encountered any early modern pubs called the Beehive (although know a few modern ones!).

An old curtain hanging with rips that make ghost eyes and mouth

Favourite ghost sighting of the year was January in Ramsgate #ghosts #haunting

My place of work!

a shot of a god botherer in a car, next to him on the passenger seat is a skull in an ornate box

'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.'
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez

Thank you, noted (and apologies again).

Just sharing experience! Sincere apologies if it offended (I didn’t mean to at all, seriously).

I’ve used it for work for a similar time and it just seems to get worse with each update. In my experience Squarespace is orders of magnitude better, certainly for photography, but YMMV (and apologies for this unsolicited advice… 🙈).

Know you’re not looking for advice but WordPress is a disaster (and has been for some time); I’d migrate to Squarespace, who are 👌.

The side of an woman's effigy tomb showing the bottom of her dress and her feet (she lays on her back). The dress is depicted as many wiggled folds of fabric, and we can see the soles of her small shoes.

slightly obsessed about the end of this lady's effigy tomb with the voluminous folds of her dress and petite heeled shoes

Screenshot of a 17th century record. Mac Preview has highlighted some it and offer options: “Add To Contacts... Call ٥٣٠٢٥٢١- Using iPhone FaceTime FaceTime Audio Message ٥٣٠٢٥٢١٠ Large Type Look Up "٥٣٠٢٥٢١٠٠ Writing Tools”

my mac doing its best to telephone a seventeenth century ecclesiastical record 🗃️

One of my all-time favourite locations.

I was just about to say that in our part of Sheffield it sounds like a particularly vicious civil war has broken out...

I thought it was a lovely touch.

Thank you!

Feels a bit cringe asking but would you mind adding me?

This made a huge impression on me growing up, and it remains one of the most haunting and effective adverts I’ve ever seen.

A magical place (and I’m so looking forward to the landscape folklore book).

Robin Hood’s Stride in Birchover!

The Haunted Bridge. A mystery to solve ... I have this postcard called "The Haunted Bridge" but cannot identify it. It's described as a British beauty spot. The card was posted from Nottingham, early 20thc.

Can’t join the watchalong unfortunately but I absolutely love this film!

woodcut engraving of a frog, captioned "OF THE PADDCKE OR CROOKED backe Frogge." The accompanying text describes three types of frogs: The little green Frog The Padocke (or crooked back frog): Identified in Latin as Rubeta Gibbosa, this type is noted as being "mute or dumbe." The Toade: Commonly referred to as Rubetax or Bufo.

The historie of serpents… Edward Topsell, 1608.

It was indeed! 🧙‍♀️

The history of witches and wizards: giving a true account of all their tryals in England, Scotland, Swedeland, France, and New England; with their confession and condemnation / Collected from Bishop H...

It’s from The History of Witches and Wizards (London, 1720); full text is here, woodcut at p. 28: wellcomecollection.org/works/abkab8...

It’s a go-to comfort watch for me too.

Two patriotic scarecrows before a rural scene with a moody sky.

I enjoyed meeting these characters in deepest rural Derbyshire last month.

A scarecrow who has just watched Monty Python's The Holy Grail for the first time

A scarecrow who is feeling pleased with himself after forming a 1950s sci-fi themed surf rock band, of which he is the sole member

A scarecrow who is dolled up and ready for a night out in the fanciest part of Newcastle

A very pleasant and well-meaning scarecrow who will paint your house for a competitive rate while rhapsodising about the beauty of the land

THREAD. A collection of photos I have taken of scarecrows I have stumbled across during walks in the British countryside over the last fifteen years.

A withdrawn library book. Under the date label there is a biro drawing of a teapot divided to serve either tea or poison

Just removed the date label from an old book and discovered that someone has drawn a design for a teapot that can serve either tea or poison how's your day going?