Join us for an event with Catherine Clarke as she discusses her collection, 'A History of England in 25 Poems'

A History of England in 25 Poems

This is the history of England told in a new way: glimpsed through twenty-five remarkable poems written down between the eighth century and today, which connect us directly with the nation's past, and the experiences, emotions and imaginations of those who lived it.

These poems open windows onto wildly different worlds - from the public to the intimate, from the witty to the savage, from the playful to the wistful. They take us onto battlefields, inside royal courts, down coal mines and below stairs in great houses. Their creators, witnesses to events from the Great Fire of London to the Miners' Strike, range from the famous to the forgotten, yet each invites us into an immersive encounter with their own time.

A History of England in 25 Poems is a portal to the past; a constant companion, filled with vivid voices and surprising stories alongside familiar landmarks, and language that speaks in new ways on each reading. Catherine Clarke's knowledge and passion take us inside the words and the moments they capture, with thoughtful insights, humour and new perspectives on how the nation has dreamed itself into existence - and who gets to tell England's story.

Catherine Clarke

Catherine Clarke is a Professor at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London, and Director of the Victoria County History of England. She was previously Professor of English Literature at the University of Southampton, where she remains a Visiting Professor.

Laura Varnam

Dr. Laura Varnam is the lecturer in Old and Middle English Literature at University College, Oxford. She is an academic, writer and poet, and in addition to specialising in late medieval literature, she is an expert in the life and works of Daphne du Maurier. She appeared on the 2017 Arte documentary Daphne du Maurier: Sur les traces de Rebecca and the du Maurier episode of the podcast Backlisted. She has published a wide range of articles on du Maurier, including on her biography of Branwell Brontë, film and television adaptations of her works, and the enduring appeal of her most famous novel Rebecca.

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