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What was life like at The Workhouse?  Join James Grasby as he becomes an inmate and tours an atmospheric Workhouse building in Nottinghamshire.  With its bare walls and floors, cast iron beds, and the hollering voices of costumed re-enactors, a visit to the Southwell Workhouse is a sobering experience.  [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.   Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.ukProductionHost: James GrasbyProducer: Claire HickinbothamSound Editor: Jesus Gomez ContributorsWith thanks to the staff and volunteers at The Workhouse and Infirmary and Steven King | Nottingham Trent University Discover moreFind out more about the history of The Workhouse and Infirmary www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/the-workhouse-and-infirmary  

In Liverpool in the 1950s two teenagers began writing music in their bedrooms. They went on to provide the soundtrack to the 1960s and change the face of popular culture forever. They were Paul McCartney and John Lennon and their four-piece rock and roll band was of course The Beatles. Join Curator James Grasby to unlock the iconic group’s origin story.  How do humble acts of creativity at home lead to great things? To find out, we’re behind the scenes at the childhood homes of Sir Paul McCartney and John Lennon at Forthlin Road and Mendips in Liverpool. Here, Paul and John grew up, fell in love with music and wrote The Beatles’ first hits.    A note for listeners, a version of this episode first aired on the National Trust Podcast in 2019.  [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.   Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk Production:Host: James GrasbyProducer: Sean Douglas Discover More:  Discover more: Find out about tours to the Beatles’ Childhood Homes, cared for by the National Trust https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/the-beatles-childhood-homes

In this bonus episode, discover how Kingston Lacy, a grand 17th-century Italianate country house and expansive estate in Dorset is connected with one of the ancient wonders of the world: the city of Petra in Jordan.  Join James Grasby, as we meet the people working tirelessly to protect and rehabilitate heritage in the face of immense challenges, including climate change.From the rose-red stones of Petra to William Bankes’ passion for exploration at Kingston Lacy, to the UNESCO city As Salt, and the leafy Oxfordshire countryside, we go behind the scenes with the quiet heroes who safeguard our shared past and carry it forward for future generations.INTO’s Withstanding Change project connected teams from Petra National Trust (PNT) and the National Trust’s Buscot and Coleshill Estate and earlier this year, they met face to face. Hear about the collaboration which helped them to reach their respective communities through cultural and heritage skills education.We’re taking a few weeks off over the festive period and will be back in the new year with our usual Back When episodes.   [Ad] This episode was brought to you by the International National Trusts Organisation, also known as INTO.  INTO is a global network which brings together heritage organisations from all across the world, working collectively to protect and celebrate cultural and natural heritage.  www.into.org This recording was made possible through INTO’s Withstanding Change project which has been funded by the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund. The project helps communities and places adapt to climate change through restoring and safeguarding heritage.  Learn more:  https://cultural-protection-fund.britishcouncil.org Producer: Jesse Edbrooke Presenter: James GrasbySound Editor: Jesus GomezDiscover More:Read more about Petra, As-Salt and the Petra National Trust by clicking the following link:  https://petranationaltrust.org Read more about Kingston Lacey here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/kingston-lacy Read more about Coleshill and Buscott and the heritage skills centre here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-berkshire/heritage-and-rural-skills-centreThe National Trust cares for places so people and nature can thrive. Everyone can get involved, everyone can make a difference. Nature, beauty, history. For everyone, for ever. You can donate to us at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/donateIf you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story idea, you can contact us at [email protected] 

Why is a semi-detached house in Nottinghamshire frozen in time? Join us on a visit to 7 Blythe Grove in Worksop, or Mr Straw’s House as it’s now known, to tour the rooms that have barely changed since the 1930’s. Discover more about the family who lived there, and why they chose to live in a bygone era, long after the world around them had changed.  [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.   Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.ukProductionPresenter: James Grasby Producer: Claire Hickinbotham Sound: Jesus Gomez ContributorsWith thanks to the staff and volunteers at Mr Straw's HouseDiscover MoreIf you’d like to visit Mr Straw’s house, you’ll need to book. You can do that up to 4 weeks in advance. Mr Straw's House | Nottinghamshire | National Trust  The collection of their belongings is fascinating. Here are some of the things you’ll be able to see Collection highlights at Mr Straw’s House | National Trust  There’s also space outside to enjoy, and you could take a walk around Worksop, just as the Straw sons did every Sunday. There are details of how to book onto a monthly walk here The garden at Mr Straw’s House | Notts | National Trust  If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected] 

Warning: Please be advised that this episode contains content that may be upsetting to some listeners Queen Victoria’s grief not only shaped her own reign but also inspired the Victorian era’s deep fascination with death and mourning. Join James Grasby and curator Clara Woolford as they uncover how funerary practices, attitudes toward the dead, and one monarch’s sorrow came to define an age. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.    Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk   Production: Host: James Grasby Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris & Michelle Douglass Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez    Contributor: Clara Woolford Discover More:   You can learn more about Victorian life with a visit to Cragside in Northumberland: Cragside | Northumberland | National Trust If you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at  [email protected]

What happened to the animals who served in the First World War?   Uncover the extraordinary story of Warrior the war horse who survived the Western Front. General Jack Seely's horse, Warrior, was anything but ordinary. He carried his master through some of World War One's most brutal battles, including the Somme, Ypres and Passchendaele.  Despite more than eight million horses, donkeys and mules losing their lives during the war, Warrior somehow survived.  Join General Jack Seely's grandson and broadcaster, Brough Scott and historian, James Grasby, to retrace Warrior's incredible journey.   [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.   Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production Host : James Grasby Producer and sound designer: Nikki Ruck Contributors Brough Scott Discover more To visit Mottistone Mottistone To find out more about Warrior Warrior The War Horse If you would like to follow in the footsteps of warrior Warrior Trail If you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]

Is your cat the devil in disguise? Probably not, although they may act like it sometimes! But once upon a time, they would have been accused of luring you into witchcraft. In Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries witch hunting became an obsession and supposed ‘witches’ were put on trial, and some were even sentenced to death. Being an animal lover was considered a sure sign that someone was practicing witchcraft. Friendliness towards cats, rabbits or dogs could lead to accusations of witchcraft, as these animals, known as familiars, were suspected of working for the devil. One of those accused of witchcraft and seen with familiars was Elizabeth Clarke, a poor, disabled woman from Essex. Join Helen and historian Dr Romany Reagan as they uncover Elizabeth’s story and the strange tale of the witches’ familiars. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.     Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk Production:  Host: Helen Antrobus Producers: Rosie Toy and Katy Kelly Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez   Contributor: Dr Romany Reagan Discover More:  Find out more about witchcraft: https://essexwitchmuseum.co.uk Uncover folklore, legends, myths and lost histories from the British Isles with Dr Romany Reagan: https://blackthornandstone.com Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts If you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected] 

In September 1665 a plague outbreak took hold in the Derbyshire village of Eyam. It lasted for 15 months and claimed 260 lives.    The bacteria that caused the bubonic plague was transported to the village in a box of material. Within a few weeks, the illness had taken hold.   In response the residents isolated to keep the disease from spreading to the surrounding villages.   Join Helen and curator Owen Roberts as they uncover the tale of the plague village and the extraordinary sacrifice its inhabitants made to save the lives of others. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.    Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk  Production: Host: Helen Antrobus Producer: Katy Kelly Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez    Contributor: Owen Roberts  Discover More:   Find out more about Eyam: https://www.eyam-museum.org.uk  Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts  If you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]   

Cora Crawley in Downton Abbey may be a fictional Dollar Duchess but there are countless others who have shaped our history, including the mother of Winston Churchill, Jennie Jerome. Join James Grasby as he discovers what a 'Dollar Duchess' is, how they came to be entwined in our history and culture, and what was in it for the couples. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.     Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk  Production Host: James Grasby Sound: Claire Hickinbotham Producer: Claire Hickinbotham Sound Design: Jesus Gomez  Contributors  Louisa Brouwer @acuratorabroad on Insta Jo Thornton and Steve Berden: Isle of Wight local tour guides  Recording took place at Rosetta Cottage on the Isle of Wight where Churchill’s parents got engaged. You can visit the cottage and see the plague outside, part of the Churchill Trail on the Island Follow the Churchill Trail - Visit Isle Of Wight   Or if you want to get closer to the heart of the story you can stay in the cottage, dine in the dining room, and enjoy sea views of The Solent from the garden. Rosetta Cottage Isle of Wight | National Trust This episode was released in celebration of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale  If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected] 

What was dating like in Jane Austen’s day?   Georgian Britain is certainly an era associated with courtship and marriage, but what were the rules you had to date by?  Join Cultural Heritage Curator Tim Moore, in Bath, as he reflects on what we know, through the life and works of Jane Austen.  This one's for the Janeites. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.     Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk  Production:  Presenter: Helen Antrobus  Production and Sound: Claire Hickinbotham  Sound Design: Jesus Gomez  Contributor:  Dr Tim Moore, Cultural Heritage Curator  Discover More:  Find out more about the Bath Assembly rooms project here   Bath Assembly Rooms project | Bath | National Trust If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected] 

In 2018 a team of intrepid explorers came in to the possession of a treasure map - one which would see them venture half way around the world to the Australian island of Tasmania.  Those explorers were a team of garden experts from across the UK and Ireland who were now on a historic mission to save and catalogue plants for the benefit of people and the planet.Following in the footsteps of the historic plant hunters, find out what was in store for the team of modern-day collectors and how natural history has helped to shape gardens around the world.ProductionHost: James GrasbyProducer: Jack GloverSound Design: Jesus GomezContributorsCharlie Bancroft and team BIBETCaroline IkinImages courtesy and with thanks from the Royal Botanic Gardens of Tasmania. All Rights Reserved.Discover MoreExplore a garden lovers home at Nymans in West Sussex where some of the collected species are now flourishing  https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/nymansRead Charlie’s report here: https://merlin-trust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/718-Charlie-Bancroft-compressed.pdfFind out more about historic plant hunters from our friends at Kew Gardens https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/adventure-and-discovery-around-the-world-with-plant-huntersBIBET Botantic Gardens  Republic of Ireland https://www.botanicgardens.ie/kilmacurragh/Northern Ireland https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/mount-stewart Wales https://botanicgarden.wales/Tasmania https://gardens.tas.gov.au/If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]

Join a tour of a garden designed for pleasure, as we relive its party heyday.     Claremont in Surrey once played host to events described as the lovechild of a festival and a palace garden party.  Presenter James Grasby uncovers the best spots, the shenanigans they elicited, and the most incredible views reminiscent of scenes from hit Netflix drama, Bridgerton.  [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.     Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk Production  Host: James Grasby  Producer: Claire Hickinbotham  Sound Design: Jesus Gomez  Contributors  Author: David Coke  Hannah Greig: Professor of History at Royal Holloway, University of London.  Discover More  Claremont still holds events throughout the year, from live theatre to yoga sessions.  Events at Claremont Landscape Garden  You can also hire rowing boats, walk your dog here, or grab a cuppa! Here’s a map: 2023-claremont-map.pdf    If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]  An earlier version of this episode was previously available 

Embark on the last voyage of an Anglo-Saxon burial ship and learn how its discovery changed our understanding of a civilisation.  In 1939, archaeologists uncovered a “ghost ship” under the acidic sandy soil of Sutton Hoo, in Suffolk.   Now, presenter James Grasby reimagines the last journey of that vessel, and who was aboard, as it was hauled from the water and dragged to its final resting place some 1,400 years ago. Listener note: a version of this episode first went out in 2023 on the National Trust Podcast.  [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.    Start creating your story at https://www.cewe.co.uk/ Production Host: James Grasby Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris Sound editor: Jesus Gomez Discover more Free guided tours of the Royal Burial Ground are available daily from February to October. You can book onto a tour with the Visitor Welcome team when you arrive at Sutton Hoo. The replica ship is being built by the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company. To follow the progress of the project and how you can support it, please visit saxonship.org Follow Back When on your favourite podcast app. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story idea you'd love to hear, you can contact us at [email protected]

What does Formula One and chariot racing have in common?  High speed and high thrills races are something we usually think of when we’re chatting about Silverstone or the Grand Prix. Celebrity drivers, highly engineered teams and arenas of fans might seem like a modern scene. But thanks to a piece of ancient graffiti carved into stone at a Roman villa, a window into a world over 2000 years ago is opened, one that sees chariot racers competing on an industrial scale. James Grasby heads to Chedworth Roman Villa to find out what the Prasina Stone can tell us about sports today.   [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.    Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk Production Host: James Grasby Producer: Jack Glover Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Contributors James Ball Discover more For more information about Chedworth, the Romans and the Prasina Stone, please visit: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/gloucestershire-cotswolds/chedworth-roman-villa    Follow Back When  on your favourite podcast app. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]

Many of us grew up reading about Peter Rabbit and Mrs Tiggywinkle, but how much do you know about the woman behind the stories?  In this episode we explore the lesser-known sides of Beatrix Potter. Discover how her love of natural science, fascination with fungi and knack for sheep farming formed one of Britain's most celebrated authors. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company.  Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos.    Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk Production Host: James Grasby Producer: Nikki Ruck Sound editor: Jesus Gomez and Nikki Ruck Discover more For more information about Beatrix Potter, her life, works and art go to: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/history/people/beatrix-potter Follow the National Trust Podcast on your favourite podcast app. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]