Pilgrimages, Pandemics and the Past - Tom Holland

Between us and the medieval men and women who went on pilgrimage there stand many impediments to understanding: the Reformation, the Enlightenment, secularisation.
This lecture will explore how tracing ancient routes on foot, and experiencing travel as people did in an age before trains and cars, can offer insights into the past. But is the sense of being accompanied by ghosts a delusion?
Tom Holland will draw on experiences of reading Chaucer and undertaking pilgrimages during and after the pandemic.
This lecture was recorded by Tom Holland on 7 October 2023 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London
Tom Holland is an award-winning historian, biographer and broadcaster.
He is co-presenter of the podcast The Rest is History, the world’s biggest history podcast. He has written and presented several TV documentaries, for the BBC and Channel 4, on subjects ranging from ISIS to dinosaurs.
www.gresham.ac.uk/speakers/to...
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/p...
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[@anexistencethatexists]

Perfect way to busy myself for an hour

[@Neilhuny]

Really enjoyable and informative

[@bazsnell3178]

Gresham strikes AGAIN! Superb lecture, and for free!

[@daveallen-fp1rr]

there's an extra twist to the gold under the tree , one of the 2 left one kills the other and then the survivor drinks the wine

[@brucestunkard2893]

Me thinks he touched a nerve.

[@myparceltape1169]

A trip to the butchers.

[@janewhite2331]

Sorry, but this persistent image of Boris Johnson has just totally turned me off Tom Holland

[@myparceltape1169]

Off what? Is there nothing ahead of you?

[@TheYorkie2]

Open your mind and perhaps learn something 😊😊

[@johnthekeane]

Sorry Gresham. I just can't listen to this twaddle any longer.

[@yehuditcollins6783]

What's twaddle to you is information and entertainment for most of us. But I presume you are more highly educated than us Hoi poloi