Introducing: Step into the Past | The Craftsmen of Calke Abbey

Sir Isaac Newton is best known for coming up with the theory of gravity while relaxing in his orchard, thanks to an apple that fell beside him one afternoon – helping him to unravel one of the universe's great mysteries.  But that story is only a small part of the tale...  Heather Birkett delves into one of the greatest minds of all time. Discover how a friendship with astronomer Edmund Halley helped to bring Isaac's ideas to the world and beyond. [Ad from our sponsor] This episode is supported by Blue Diamond Garden Centres. Fill your space with beauty and heritage with a collection of bulbs, seeds and plants, curated by Blue Diamond Garden Centres working with National Trust gardeners. A minimum of 10% of the retail selling price will be given to support the National Trust’s conservation work and ambitions to plant and establish 20 million trees by 2030. https://www.bluediamond.gg/national-trust Production Host: Heather Birkett Producers: Jack Glover and Michelle Douglass Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Discover more This episode continues the story from a previous release 'Pips in Space | Featuring Tim Peake'. You could listen to that episode and hear more about the Newton Trees: https://bit.ly/NTPod81 Find out more about Woolsthorpe Manor www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/woolsthorpe-manor Read a biography about Sir Issac Newton www.newtonproject.ox.ac.uk/ 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]

On 18th March AD 978 at Corfe Castle in Dorset, a 16-year-old boy was brutally stabbed in the back and died shortly after. That boy was the teenage king, Edward the Martyr. But who was the murderer, or murderers?  Join James Grasby and author Anna Groves on this Halloween historical Whodunnit, as they try and figure out who committed the regicide, with the help of some other worldly encounters. [Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trust Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts  Production Hosts : James Grasby and Anna Groves Producers : Pippa Tilbury-Harris and Nikki Ruck Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Actor voices : Caitlin Packer, Ethan Hughes, Louise Bray, Mark Powell courtesy of Prime Theatre Discover More If you’d like to read more about the ghosts of the National Trust, you can purchase Anna Groves’ book, ‘Britain’s Ghosts’ here: https://shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-britain-s-ghosts.html To find out more about Corfe Castle including details for visiting, please click here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/corfe-castle 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 the adventures of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers, the new kids' podcast from the National Trust. Introducing the Wildlifers, a crew of colourful creatures who use their special skills to help where there's trouble in nature. Beaver’s a super engineer. Sleepy Bat’s skill is sonar. Wildcat’s a proud predator. Deer’s strong and speedy. Fox has a nose for trouble. Shy Mole’s an expert digger, and Dragonfly’s always buzzing. Ranger Rae’s the leader and can understand animals. And 12-year-old Apprentice Roxy dreams of becoming a real Ranger and being able to talk to wildlife too. From catching an escaped pet rat on a remote island, to solving the mystery of a giant bat in a cave, or tracking a thief through city streets, the gang are put to the test in their quests to help the natural world. Uncover stories of adventure and discovery with friends in the wild world. Perfect for 5-8 year olds. Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers is a podcast from the National Trust, produced by Fun Kids Radio. Artwork (c) Becka Moor. Follow and listen to Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers via mobile on your favourite podcast app: podfollow.com/national-trust-kids-podcast  Head to the National Trust Kids' Podcast website: nationaltrust.org.uk/kids-podcast

Historian David Olusoga tells the story of the children born to white British mothers and black American servicemen during the Second World War, dubbed Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’ in the African American press at the time.   Carol and Ann, now in their 80s, revisit their childhood home, Holnicote House in Somerset. During the 1940s, the building was used for the care of around 30 children of black GIs, from birth to the age of five.        Carol and Ann were among some 2000 children born in wartime Britain to black GI fathers and white British mothers. Under many pressures including social prejudice and US legislation banning interracial marriage, around half of these children were placed into care.       David also meets experts Prof Lucy Bland and Dr Chamion Caballero, to reveal this little-known history of the Second World War, and how modern DNA testing is helping families search for lost relatives 80 years later.  You can watch a video of this podcast on National Trust YouTube: ntpodcasts.org/NTP143Video  Production   Host: David Olusoga   Producer: Michelle Douglass  Sound editor: Jesus Gomez  Consultants: Lucy Bland, Professor of Social and Cultural History at Anglia Ruskin University, and Dr Chamion Caballero, Director and Co-Founder of The Mixed Museum Discover more      Find out more about Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’ and hear oral histories, including more from Ann:  https://mixedmuseum.org.uk/brown-babies/   Explore the experiences of WWII black GIs in the UK:   https://mixedmuseum.org.uk/brown-babies/black-gis-in-britain/  Read Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’ by Professor Lucy Bland:   https://www.amazon.co.uk/Britains-%60Brown-Babies-Stories-Children/dp/1526133261  Discover the Holnicote Estate’s diverse countryside, wildlife and walkways, looked after by the National Trust  https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset/countryside-woodland/explore-holnicote-estate   Visit the Holnicote House hotel website:   https://www.hfholidays.co.uk/country-houses/locations/selworthy-exmoor     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 if you could follow in the footsteps of your ancestors and reveal the hidden tales behind some of the UK’s fascinating historical locations?   Introducing Step into the Past, a podcast from our sponsors at Findmypast.        In this episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and her guest Sandy travel to the not-so-stately home of Calke Abbey in Derbyshire to discover Sandy’s family’s longstanding connection to the estate and its early Baptist congregation.   Calke Abbey has undergone many transformations in its long history, moving from religious priory to sprawling stately home, and forming the core of the community in all its guises for hundreds of years.   Sandy discovers that her family were skilled workers and faithful retainers, who honed their crafts over generations and were rewarded for their expertise and dedication by their wealthy patrons. Over 200 years, members of the family were embedded in the fabric of this community, enjoying the employment opportunities and patronage offered by Calke Abbey. Sandy also learns of their non-conformist beliefs, at a time when Baptism was on the rise among skilled working classes, and how this threatened the established order. Find out more about Findmypast's family history services at: www.findmypast.co.uk Listen to more episodes and follow the series by searching for Step into the Past on your favourite podcast app.  https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/step-into-the-past/id1704345551 https://open.spotify.com/show/4MJIpfXsZ6xwDyJvvX95sV  Discover more about the series on the Findmypast website:  https://www.findmypast.co.uk/page/podcast 

On September 27th 2023, the famous Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland was felled overnight in an act of vandalism, triggering a far-reaching wave of shock and sorrow.   Join Heather Birkett as she goes behind the scenes to explore the enduring impact of this beloved landmark, the aftermath of its loss, and the community’s efforts to preserve its memory. A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube and Spotify. To watch it on YouTube please click here. Production Host: Heather Birkett Producers: Nikki Ruck, Katy Kelly, Pippa Tilbury-Harris Sound Design: Nikki Ruck    Contributors Luke Straszewski:  NT Ranger Andrew Poad: NT General Manager Northumberland Coast & Hadrian's Wall  Judith Ward: Twice Brewed Inn Mark Robinson: NT Experiences and Partnership Manager Chris Trimmer. NT Plant Conservation Centre Manager Louise Teasdale Charlotte Crowe Tony Gates: CEO Northumberland National Parks Authority Charlie Whinney Nick Greenall  Discover more Find out what’s on in Northumberland Park and The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre. https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/whats-on/ Keep updated with all the latest Sycamore Gap news including details of The Trees of Hope campaign, Heartwood and activities at the stump. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sycamore-gap 

Our lovely nature presenter and ranger Kate Martin is leaving to join our friends at the RSPB, helping to care for wildlife in Scotland. Here are some of Kate's best bits and few moments from behind the scenes. On behalf of everyone at the National Trust, from our listeners and from the podcast team, thank you and wishing you a great and adventure filled future.

A stretch of water between the mainland and Rathlin Island is home to some of the world’s most unique wildlife and infamous shipwrecks.  Ranger Kate Martin continues her adventure along Northern Ireland’s causeway coast, this time exploring life under water.    [Ad from our sponsor]  This podcast is supported by Tourism Ireland  Experience all of what Northern Ireland has to offer from standing on the rocks of the giants causeway, to hiking the Mourne Mountains with epic sea views, or enjoying the craic in Belfast city’s great pubs with some live music. With amazing access from Great Britain by both air and sea, Northern Ireland is so easy to get to. Find your next adventure visit ireland.com/northernireland Production Host : Kate Martin Producer : Jack Glover Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Discover More The causeway coast is part of the UK80, a must-see route of places cared for by the National Trust and National Trust for Scotland. You can discover every stop along the way inside the Grand Adventure Map, the ultimate map for planning a Great British adventure https://shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-grand-adventure-map.html For info on visiting Rathlin Island please visit  http://www.rathlincommunity.org/ Information on marine life around the Causeway coast and Rathlin can be found here https://www.ulsterwildlife.org/explore/sea-life  Prannie’s recipes and seaweed guides can be found here  https://irishseaweedkitchen.ie  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] 

Don’t look down! Across a rope bridge over a  stretch of water on Northern Ireland’s causeway coast lies the Island of Carrick-a-Rede and a fisherman’s cottage that has stood for centuries.   Ranger Kate Martin, heads off on her holiday, to make the crossing and to learn how this old bridge became the focal point for a community and rich coastal traditions.   [Ad from our sponsor] This podcast is supported by Tourism Ireland. Experience all of what Northern Ireland has to offer from standing on the rocks of the giants causeway, to hiking the Mourne Mountains with epic sea views, or enjoying the craic in Belfast city’s great pubs with some live music.  With amazing access from Great Britain by both air and sea, Northern Ireland is so easy to get to.  Find your next adventure visit ireland.com/northernireland Production Host : Kate Martin Producer : Jack Glover Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Discover More The Carrick-a-Rede is part of the UK80, a must-see route of places cared for by the National Trust and National Trust for Scotland. You can discover every stop along the way inside the Grand Adventure Map, the ultimate map for planning a Great British adventure https://shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-grand-adventure-map.html For info on visiting Carrick-a-Rede please visit  https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/carrick-a-rede Mark’s Beyond the Bridge Tour and other experiences can be found at https://discovernorthernireland.com/travel-trade/experience/beyond-the-bridge-experience-p748851 A video version of this podcast is available on Youtube and Spotify. To watch it on Youtube please click here.  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] 

Jo and Katherine continue their bikepacking adventure, starting day two in Bude, with a surprise twist after breakfast, before heading up the coast to Devon. They visit the National Trust’s smallest property, Hawkers Hut, on the way and join in an activity Jo last did at the age of eight. With thanks to Raleigh UK Production Hosts: Jo Dyson and Katherine Moore, and introduced by Claire Hickinbotham Producers: Sean Douglas, Pippa Tilbury-Harris, Claire Hickinbotham Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez Discover more To visit Hawkers Hut there is a 40 minute circular walk across fields https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/morwenstow/hawkers-hut-walk  To find out about longer bike rides  https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/outdoor-activities/best-places-for-a-longer-bike-ride  To find out about cycling on holiday  https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/active/cycling  To find out about cycle hire at our places  https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/outdoor-activities/cycle-hire-at-our-places  Follow the National Trust Podcast on your 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]