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 Britain and the wider world. It sits where the River Thames meets the River Cherwell, halfway between London and Birmingham, and its very name hints at its early origins as a simple river crossing where oxen once forded the water.

Oxford’s historic centre is remarkably compact: a long, narrow spine of streets running north to south between the two rivers. Here you’ll find buildings that span centuries, anchored around landmarks like the 12th‑century Carfax Tower. At the heart of it all is the University of Oxford—its colleges, libraries, and faculties dominating the cityscape and shaping its identity for nearly a thousand years.

But Oxford is more than medieval quads and dreaming spires. Just southeast of the historic core lies a landscape shaped by twentieth‑century industry and manufacturing, offering a striking contrast to the city’s ancient colleges.

Across this multi‑episode guide, we’ll uncover how Oxford became a crucible of political power, a centre of religious upheaval, a hub of scientific discovery, and a unique urban environment unlike anywhere else in England. We’ll reveal the key moments in its past—from seat of parliament to battleground in the Civil War—and trace how its university, geography, and people left a lasting mark on the nation.

Whether you’re visiting for the first time, rediscovering a familiar place, or simply love exploring the past, Ye Olde Guide takes you beyond the postcards and into the real story of Oxford.

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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 pockets of organisation that still define the character of Soho, Covent Garden, and Mayfair today. These are the foundations of one of the world’s most celebrated urban landscapes.

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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 multi-layers industrial landscape of the town.

Ye Olde Guide is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the heritage of England’s towns and cities — not just the famous landmarks, but the places off the tourist trail that shaped communities and industries. Each episode explores a different location, blending vivid storytelling with historical insight to bring forgotten corners of the country to life. Whether you’re a curious traveller, a history enthusiast, or simply love discovering the unexpected, join us as we journey through England’s layered past.

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