Inspire Me

THE ENGLISH HERITAGE PODCAST

Every object has a story to tell.

But how can one mystery item lead us on a journey through history, people and places? 

In the English Heritage podcast, comedian and writer Amy Matthews brings you entertaining tales from unexpected places. Each week, we begin with a mystery item and with the help of English Heritage experts and special guests, Amy explores what our past can tell us about our present and perhaps our future.

Listen Online

How 1930s fashion and design shook up a former medieval palace

We begin this episode with a fabulous and weighty pair of brooches. But which 1930s millionaire was sporting these tutti-frutti Cartier gems? And where might you have seen those designs before?  

Steven and Virginia Courtauld were a well-balanced couple: one eccentric and daring, the other bookish and reserved. They used their millions to travel the world and host lavish parties, but their art-deco home at Eltham Palace was one of their most glorious achievements. No expense was spared but architects Seely and Paget still divided some opinions in their time.  

Today on the English Heritage podcast Amy Matthews chats with curator Sabrina Villani and Andrew Hann to discover the story of these brooches and how the Courtaulds blended the latest living and cutting-edge design with a treasured historic building.

More on the Eltham Palace Cartier Brooches 

Listen Here

All Episodes

You can subscribe and listen to all of our episodes on your favourite podcast platforms:

Apple.jpg Spotify.jpg Google.jpg Stitcher.jpg

 

REQUEST A READABLE FORMAT

If you would like to access any of our episodes in a written format, please email podcast@english-heritage.org.uk to make a request.

Speaking with shadows

When you’re wandering about a historic place, what voices do you hear echoing off the walls? Are they the ones you learnt about at school – or do you wonder about the shadowy, quiet voices that may have gone unheard?

Travel from 17th-century Northamptonshire, where we hear about the heroic servant who may have become Britain’s first black pub landlord, to wartime Essex, where Polish special forces soldiers trained in secrecy for life or death missions to their homeland. 

Listen now