A History of London: 1066–1666 (In-person)

Step back into the crowded lanes and sprawling spires of medieval London, and discover the material history behind one of Europe’s great cities, with exclusive access to V&A treasures and experts…

Medieval London was a walled city of crowded streets, open air markets and wooden and stone houses, its inhabitants living perilously and piously amid a skyline of a hundred church spires. Between 1066-1666, London went from being the prosperous capital of an emerging kingdom on the periphery of Christendom, to being one of the greatest cities of Europe. A centre of great learning and skilled crafts, London was made rich on trade and plunder but also besieged by plague, civil war and ultimately, fire. On this course, you’ll not only learn about London’s fascinating history from expert lecturers, but you’ll also discover the V&A’s collection of real, material culture which bore witness to this fascinating moment in the capital’s history - from the Norman Conquest to the Great Fire - through our expert-led gallery talks.

This course runs every Wednesday for 10 weeks at V&A South Kensington, plus you'll get an extra 10 weeks to catch up with all your lecture recordings once the course ends. Not able to join us in person? You can also attend the course lectures online, both live and on catch up.

For more details on how our courses work, see V&A Academy FAQ

This course is suitable for participants aged 18 and over.