Histo-Rik Sowden

A screenshot of a middle-aged bearded man with full beard and a thick, twirled moustache in a dark yellow doublet and red skullcap. The subtitle reads: "It's very tasty, lovely savoury pastry. Really enjoyed it."

Watching #CelebrityMasterChef at Coombe Abbey and wondered if my friend @historicechoes.bsky.social was in this as part of the crowd and yep, there he is:

The skies in the mornings are often just so filled with colours - when the mist is in the valleys and the sky is a mix of orange and pink and blue and grey it's just stunning

A fab day with Up An' At 'Em History at #Blaenavon for all things early #WW2 and #HomeFront - looking forward to a splendid day with great folks!

It ended up a bit different (though it turns out the furca - marching pole - makes chatting to folks and showing things tricky!). I do enjoy a bit of first century Roman :)

In case you're near the capital tomorrow and want to get your hands on some history, why not join me in Greenwich Park for their #Archaeology Welcome Day where I shall be #Roman all over the place...

www.royalparks.org.uk/wha.../archa...

It's been a fabulous day at the majestic Laugharne Castle for Cadw presenting a #Tudor tournament with Up An' At 'em History - I sadly lost today, so am feeling a bit blue...

Having a lovely day supporting a Primary History Workshops #WW2 workshop...we are keeping the kids in line (by providing exciting hands-on activities) with a fab afternoon to look forward to!

#Learning #PrimarySchool

I don't know if you did, but thank you for thinking of me!

Off to Leicester this weekend for the #Siege380 event...but what should I wear? Tis such an issue when one has a larger c17th wardrobe than a modern day one...

Looking back over last year's #Tudor tournament at @nationaltrust.org.uk Igtham Mote in preparation for next month's outing at Cadw's Laugharne Castle - note to self, make sure to break his spear early on, it is quite the advantage of reach!

Almost ready to head to the Bosworth Battlefield tomorrow for a day of #Vikings with some histories and stories, shield walls and spears. From Lindisfarne to Stamford Bridge it should be a lot of fun!

I am a very lucky sausage - not only do I deliver loads of school workshops, but I get to bring the past alive at amazing museums and fabulous historic sites across the country!

Its #InternationalMuseumsDay today so please consider supporting your local museums - which is your favourite?

This!

The front view of armor hung in a vitrine. The helmet has the shape of the prow of a boat.

A close up that reveals dents in the neck portion of the helm

This late 15th-century armor for jousting in the Worcester Art Museum shows how helmets were devised this way to deflect lance blows. This guy caught many, and lingering dents tell a story of tournaments in steel. Pretty amazing to see today.

Engraving of a printer's shop, various people seated to left, type setting, one with glasses checking printed text; at centre, a small boy stretching out to read a book; to right, a printing press and paper hanging out to dry. Part of the Nova Reperta; Philips Galle (publisher), naar: Jan van der Straet (designer)

Fellow #Renaissance #earlymodern #bookhistory #rarebooks #skystorians,

what would you list as the key highlights of early modern book history? Think printing innovations, landmark publications, shifts in literacy, censorship etc.

Curious to hear your (especially lesser-known) takes!
💙📚📜

It's #Victorians at Cadw Blaenavon Ironworks, with a fabulous site and lovely folks - including the delicious Ragged Victorians - it's well worth a visit!

Fun day teaching year 3s about #RomanBritain, with many recruited for the Legions...

I got to take part in the Making Marvellous Mosaics session too - and made a mini Marcus! What do you think? Should I stick to the day job, or is there a possible career in mosaic making ahead?

It's #Vikings with Primary History Workshops today, so lots of object handling, storytelling, games, runes, and most important of all is lists of hands-on fun!

We have completed two of three runs of @thekeyofdreams.co.uk and before I reset ready for the third and final show this month I thought it right to introduce, very briefly, two important characters among our cast and in our stories...

Ready for the second run of the Key of Dreams - the first run was just fab, with super guests and stories aplenty, so looking forward to finding out what the next twenty four hours will bring...

On Tuesday I was lucky enough to be invited to take a journey through the #Brumhole to talk with folks from other Birminghams across the world to promote Joe Lycett's #TheUnitedStatesOfBirmingham

Always lovely to promote Aston Hall, and it was just a lovely day!

Not only this — and this is a big deal — but how on earth will the police ensure that male officers won’t be allowed to search cis women who look a bit butch and can’t prove they’re women?

Stronghold Reenactment will be visiting Avoncroft Museum of Buildings for a #MedievalMayDay so join them at my sometimes-workplace on Sunday 4th and Monday 5th May - tickets available on the door, or order in advance (also the tearoom does amazing cake).

avoncroft.org.uk/product/may-...

I'm gearing up for a return to Wales for a fortnight at Treowen with the #KeyOfDreams - we've three runs this time (I think there are a couple of last minute tickets available still), and I'm looking forward to meeting up with some really fab folks!

It's food with a sixteenth century bent at Hasland Village Hall for Chesterfield 'museum on the move', with Up An' At 'Em History - lovely and tasty stuff!

Dire: historians of 17th century absolutism “please don’t make our expertise relevant!”

It's the last #ThreeLittlePigs storytelling and buildings day for this month at Avoncroft Museum of Buildings and it's a beautiful day with a great school.

Up the windmill this afternoon!

What was a Yeoman Warder of Henry VIII doing at Raglan Castle? Now there is a very good question - what does a unique castle in Wales have to do with the Tudor dynasty - and why was it raining on the day I was there?!

The image shows two people atop one house point behind a third person atop another house who is holding a hammer. The background to the image is gold leaf, and the houses are small, appearing as if the people are too small for them to do anything but stand upright in them. Reference: Vidal Mayor, Ms. Ludwig XIV 6 (83.MQ.165), fol. 153v (1297-1305).

Women played an important role in policing 13th-century England. Women couldn't be in frankpledge or sit on juries, but they were still required to raise the hue & cry, they chased criminals when need be, and were required to attend trials when they witnessed crime or discovered bodies. 🧵1/5

Yay, annual @alcs.co.uk payment time! If you’ve published a book or an article in the UK - sign up! It only takes a few mins and it’s more important than ever to recognise the rights of authors. Plus it’s such a nice surprise every year to get the payout! 📚