The Curious History of Your Home
Join domestic historian Ruth Goodman as she guides you through the surprising, often epic, stories behind everyday objects in your home. Double-glazed windows? We owe those to a French king’s odd fascination with oranges. The minty fresh toothpaste by your sink? Well, if you lived in Ancient Greece, you’d be washing your teeth with ground-up bones and oyster shells. And wallpaper? It seems innocent enough, but in the Victorian era it was downright deadly. Discover the extraordinary history of the ordinary items all around you, every Tuesday, wherever you get your podcasts.
Episodes
Introducing: Jane Austen Stories
This is a preview of a brand-new audiobook from the Noiser Podcast Network. Join Dame Julie Andrews as she reads Jane Austen’s most famous novel, Pride and Prejudice.
Step into a world of humour, heartbreak, scandal and romance - all set in the rural landscapes of 19th-century England. You’ll meet Elizabeth Bennet, the quick-witted heroine of the story, described by Austen herself to be “as delig
Introducing: Titanic: Ship of Dreams - Episode 1
This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser podcast network. Join host Paul McGann as he explores life and death on the most famous ship in history.
You’ll be right there on board - setting sail from Southampton, chugging across the Atlantic, striking the iceberg and sinking into the icy depths. We’ll hear the harrowing tales of the victims and the testimonies of the lucky sur
Sheds
The death of a woolly mammoth provides the building material for a prehistoric storage space. A tsunami in Japan puts a sturdy outbuilding to the test. And an American boy scout assembles parts for the nuclear reactor he’s building in his mother’s shed…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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Laundry
In the Middle Ages, people source ingenious ingredients to tackle stubborn stains. Henry VIII’s laundry risks causing a scandal. The Ancient Romans use questionable substances to clean their clothes. And the first washing machines revolutionise life in the home…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Bins
A prehistoric pot from Japan inspires a fingerprinting technique used by modern detectives. A whole city is built from waste in Neolithic Turkey. The Maya celebrate the new year by throwing out everything associated with the old one. And in London’s King’s Cross, an army of scavengers ekes out a precarious living on a mountain of dust…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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Neighbours
Vigilantes chase a thief through the streets of medieval Winchester. A French king creates one of the world’s first gated communities. Villagers across Europe turn on each other with dangerous accusations of witchcraft. And the human race meets its very first neighbours - 45,000 years ago…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Bread
The world’s oldest breadcrumbs are discovered in Jordan. Ryebread causes a devastating disease in medieval Germany. In 18th-century France, the rising price of flour sparks popular unrest. And a carbonised sourdough loaf is discovered in Herculaneum, entombed by the Mount Vesuvius eruption…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Heating
In ancient Korea, ingenious underfloor heating is invented. A king in dire financial straits institutes a controversial tax on fireplaces. Young boys are sent up treacherous chimneys in Victorian England. And the Great Smog envelops London, with deadly consequences…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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Home Entertainment
A medieval countess swoons over tales of courtly love. Georgian families amuse themselves by playing ‘bullet pudding’. Victorian writers do their best to crack down on saucy party games. And on a windswept island in the Bristol Channel, radio is born…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Clocks
A miniature sundial survives the destruction of Pompeii. The most elaborate clock the world has ever seen is constructed in 11th-century China. In medieval Normandy, mechanical clocks rouse monks in the middle of the night. And an opportunistic Londoner starts a business that literally sells time…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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Pests
Fleas spell disaster for people living in the Middle Ages. The inhabitants of an ancient Iraqi city hurl scorpions at an invading army. In Victorian London, a rat catcher turns his unsavoury profession into a form of street entertainment. And a miracle new pesticide turns out to have deadly unintended consequences…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Dinner Parties
A Roman emperor terrifies his guests with a macabre dining room display. At a feast in Norway, drunk Vikings engage in a rap battle. A teenage Alexander the Great makes a scene at his dad’s dinner party. And partygoers in Victorian London get up close and personal with an unusual guest - an Egyptian mummy…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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Windows
In medieval Ghana, an exhausted traveller stares in wonder at panes of glass glistening in walls. Craftsmen in 15th-century York assemble an intricate work of art, fit for the divine. A tax on windows leads to some interesting architectural solutions. And in World War II, covering your windows becomes a matter of life and death…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Home Security
A gaggle of geese stands guard outside a whisky distillery in Scotland. Ninjas tread carefully over creaky floorboards in Japan. A nurse in New York invents a revolutionary surveillance system. And in Ancient Greece, a guard dog’s warning goes unheeded… with disastrous consequences…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Toilets
Ruth lifts the lid on the surprising history of toilets. A cesspit proves deadly for a noble assembly in 12th-century Germany. Pigs form an unlikely part of the sewage system in ancient China. And the world’s first flushing toilet is invented… four and a half thousand years ago…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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Jewellery
Roman women get creative, and violent, with their hair pins. In the Middle Ages, poison rings are used to covertly contaminate food and drink. A ring seals the deal on a scandalous marriage in 16th century Germany. And in Antwerp, a gang of jewellery thieves pull off the heist of the century…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Lawnmowers
Landscape gardening leads to the downfall of a powerful politician in 17th century France. In the 1820s, two Englishmen test their new lawn mowing invention in the middle of the night, much to the displeasure of their neighbours. A camel helps to cut the grass at London Zoo. And in America, a man resorts to an unconventional mode of transport when his brother falls ill hundreds of miles away…
A No
Ovens
In Neolithic Croatia, the world’s oldest oven provides around the clock perks to the locals. In Dublin, a celebrity chef sets up an innovative soup kitchen during the Great Irish Famine. And in Mughal India, an emperor just can’t do without his favourite tandoori meals… even during a fight to the death with his own son…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Board Games
On the Isle of Lewis, a lost cow unearths the most famous chess pieces in history. An Egyptian king and queen battle it out over the game board. A New York architect lays the foundations of Scrabble. And during World War Two, a Monopoly set is a matter of life or death for British prisoners of war…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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Hats
In the Italian Alps, the world’s oldest known hat is unearthed. In ancient Rome, a simple head covering separates slaves from freedmen. In Victorian London, hats prove deadly for the men and women who make them. And Napoleon Bonaparte causes a stir, by rotating his bicorne 90 degrees…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Carpets
In remotest Siberia, an intrepid archaeologist uncovers the oldest rug known to man. The Moors of north Africa occupy Spain, bringing new floor coverings with them. A young girl’s innovation turns a small Georgia town into the carpet capital of the world. And the Dalai Lama flees Tibet, taking his carpets with him…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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The Medicine Cabinet
A radical apothecary causes a stir during the English Civil War. Wise Women offer mysterious advice on how to rid oneself of warts. A wife’s accidents in the kitchen lead her husband to develop the first band-aid. And in Victorian London, unsuspecting mothers treat their children with a dangerously addictive drug…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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Introducing: D-Day: The Tide Turns - Episode 1
This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser network. Host Paul McGann follows the real people involved in the D-Day landings.
It’s 1944 and Europe is in the grip of the Nazi war machine. But on the shores of Great Britain, thousands of men and women are planning the great fightback. What will it take to turn the tide of World War 2?
Search ‘D-Day: The Tide Turns’ in your podcas
Beds
Archaeologists in South Africa discover the world’s oldest bed. In Victorian London, homeless people have to choose between sleeping on a bench or sleeping in a coffin. 26 butchers and their wives get cosy in 17th-century Hertfordshire. And a bed proves fatal for three men in medieval France…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Beer
In ancient Mesopotamia, people invent straws to better enjoy their favourite tipple. The Romans turn their noses up at barbarian beverages. The introduction of hops to brewing sparks a beer-based battle of the sexes. And Prohibition in America leads to the production of potentially deadly drinks…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Cats
Fed up with mice pilfering their grain, farmers in the ancient Middle East turn to a new ally. In early modern Essex, a witch’s familiar is blamed for the murder of her husband. The world’s first cat lady is found living in Victorian London. And a diplomatic mission to Egypt goes awry after the death of a sacred feline…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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Gardening
Stories of the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon beguile generations of listeners. An Indian emperor builds paradise on Earth in memory of his beloved wife. In medieval England, gardening brings an inquisitive monk closer to God. And growing vegetables becomes a vital weapon in the war against Hitler…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Coffee
A herder in 9th century Ethiopia discovers a stimulating plant, after observing his goats behaving strangely. The pope weighs in on whether a bitter new beverage really was invented by Satan. A stall selling hot drinks takes 1650s London by storm. And drinking coffee becomes a deadly habit in Ottoman Istanbul…
A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent.
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Forks
In medieval Italy, a woman’s death is blamed on the two-pronged utensils she uses at her wedding banquet. In 17th century France, a fed-up cardinal issues a decree to tackle bad table manners. British colonial taxes lead Americans to invent a unique way of using cutlery. And a spy sneaks into a workshop in Sheffield to uncover the secrets of steel…
A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds.
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Dish Washing
A high stakes summit between Henry VIII and his French counterpart leaves behind a mountain of dirty dishes. The decline of wood burning in homes changes how we clean crockery. An inventor of weapons turns his hand to more domestic pursuits. And a visionary woman in Chicago unveils a world-changing machine…
A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent.
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Lights
In the hills of northern Spain, lamps help an anthropologist and his young daughter make an incredible discovery. Rushlights illuminate the early modern period. A French king seeks a new mistress in the dazzlingly lit Palace of Versailles. And theatregoers are astounded by a new use of electricity, as artificial lighting arrives with a crackle…
A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent.
For a
Baths
A murderous emperor builds the grandest bath complex ever seen in Ancient Rome. The arrival of a new disease spells trouble for the bathhouses of Tudor London. An excitable Victorian clergyman extolls the virtues of skinny dipping. And World War Two plays a surprising role in kickstarting the hot tub craze…
A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent.
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The Fridge
In Ancient Persia, ingenious ice houses refrigerate food in one of the hottest deserts on earth. Bronze Age sites on Orkney reveal the secrets of early cold storage systems. A well-known sea captain becomes the face of a global frozen food brand, with a little help from the Inuit of northern Canada. And cooling technology becomes a matter of life and death when US President James A. Garfield is sh
Wallpaper
A wasp leads to the invention of paper in ancient China. Rich Europeans have to find another way to decorate their walls when coal fires ruin their valuable tapestries. Anger over wallpaper helps ignite the French Revolution. And a silent killer is found hiding in plain sight on nursery walls across Victorian Britain…
A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris.
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The Curious History of Your Home - Trailer
Join domestic historian Ruth Goodman as she guides you through the surprising, often epic stories behind everyday objects in your home. Double glazed windows? We owe those to a French king’s odd fascination with oranges. The minty fresh toothpaste by your sink? Well, if you lived in ancient Greece, you’d be washing your teeth with ground up bones and oyster shells. And wallpaper? It seems innocent
