What was Merry England? | A Drink with Professor Ronald Hutton

Leading authority on British history Professor Ronald Hutton talked to Idler editor Tom Hodgkinson all about Christmas: the traditions, rituals, and history of the festival. We quizzed Prof Ronald Hutton on what medieval Christmas was like, the customs people once commonly followed in the lead up, and what the 12 Days of Christmas would have entailed.

In this clip, Professor Hutton explained why England was once known as “Merry England”.

Ronald Hutton is is a leading authority on the history of the British Isles in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, on ancient and medieval paganism and magic, and on the global context of witchcraft beliefs. He is Professor of History at the University of Bristol.

Prof Hutton’s research into pre-historic and medieval monuments, including for example Stonehenge and paganism has profoundly influenced heritage organisations. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for English Heritage and chairs the panel which awards commemorative Blue Plaques. His most recent book is "Queens of the Wild: Pagan Goddesses in Christian Europe" (Yale University Press, 2022).

This conversation was recorded as part of the Idler's weekly online event, A Drink with the Idler. The full recording is available to magazine and Academy subscribers. Visit the website to join: https://www.idler.co.uk/