Ye Olde Guide

44 Episodes

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Oxford: Icons of Science and Culture

2026-06-1449:57

In our third episode on Oxford, Daniel Gooch and Liam McGrath explore two more themes in the history of Oxford We explore centuries of outstanding scientific achievements in the city from the instrumentation of the seventeenth century through to advances in penicillin and biosciences into he 20th century. The university has given rise to some of the finest museums in the country and unsurprisingly a long list of individuals who have made advances in culture and sport. Send us Fan...

Crown, Cross and Gown: Oxford's Thousand Years of Power

2026-05-1444:45

In our second episode on Oxford, Daniel Gooch and Liam McGrath explore the political and military role of Oxford through the ages. Oxford Part One provided an introduction to Oxford and its university. In this episode we learn about how power came to Oxford, through politics, the church and through those who studied and worked at the university. Oxford provides pivotal moments in British history, not least The Reformation and The English Civil War. This episode provides a sw...

Oxford: Dreaming Spires

2026-03-1524:38

Ye Olde Guide explores the history and heritage of England’s towns and cities, diving deep into the stories, buildings, and people that shaped them. In this series, hosts Liam McGrath and historian Daniel Gooch guide you through five key themes that bring each place to life—from politics and war to culture, science, religion, and urban development. This season, we turn our attention to Oxford. Though a relatively small city of around 170,000 people, Oxford has had an outsized influence on Bri...

London's West End Squares

2026-02-0731:43

Step back into the early planning of London’s West End, where the first purpose‑designed squares began reshaping a city still rooted in medieval streets and haphazard development. In this episode of Ye Olde Guide we explore the origins of London’s earliest squares — spaces that bridged the chaotic post‑medieval city and the more ordered, elegant Georgian era to come. From Covent Garden onwards, we uncover how these early squares transformed the way London grew, creating distinctive pock...

Stockport Part 2: Industrial Landscape

2025-12-1732:54

Stockport isn’t just another mill town — it’s stacked above rivers, beneath viaducts, and within tunnels. In this episode of Ye Olde Guide, we peel back the layers of its unique landscape and diverse industrial past, tracing how the town grew at the very start of the River Mersey. From hat-making heritage to vast underground air raid shelters, Stockport’s story is one of hidden histories and overlooked treasures. In part 2 we explore the fantastic musical legacy of Strawberry Records, and the...

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