About me

I am an independent historical researcher and writer with a long-standing interest in late medieval England, particularly the lives of women whose stories have been simplified, misunderstood, or judged through later assumptions rather than contemporary evidence.

My work focuses on Katherine Swynford — not as a romantic figure or a footnote to John of Gaunt, but as a woman who lived at the centre of power for decades, navigated scandal and legitimacy, and left a legacy that reshaped English history. What began as curiosity has developed into sustained research grounded in primary sources, archival material, and close attention to place — especially Lincoln and its cathedral.

I take a reflexive approach to history. I am interested not only in what the records say, but in how they have been read, repeated, and sometimes distorted. I return to documents, monuments, and physical spaces to test long-held assumptions and to distinguish between evidence, tradition, and later storytelling. Where the sources are uncertain or silent, I say so.

This blog is an attempt to read Katherine Swynford properly: within the realities of her own time, without moral judgement, and without reducing her to a single label. It is written for readers who are curious, thoughtful, and willing to look again at familiar narratives.

History deserves care. Katherine Swynford deserves attention. This space exists for both.