This is the history of England told in a new way: glimpsed through twenty-five remarkable poems written down between the eighth century and today, which connect us directly with the nation’s past, and the experiences, emotions and imaginations of those who lived it.
A Times Book of the Week
A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week
A History of England in 25 Poems
"Catherine Clarke traces centuries of English thought and poetry, from the time of Beowulf to the protests written in the wake of Brexit. She weaves together the personal and the public with stories of the Danelaw, French nobles, Yorkshire miners, and the heart-rending plight of the 16th-century Protestant martyr Anne Askew. An excellent, all-encompassing read."
― The Idler
4 September 2025
Penguin Allen Lane
About Me
I'm a historian and writer with a passion for sharing stories. As an academic, I'm a Professor at the Institute of Historical Research, and I also hold a Visiting Professorship in English Literature at the University of Southampton. As an author, I write for wider audiences and love opportunities to speak and share my research.
Originally a specialist in the Middle Ages, I now work across periods of history and literature, with particular interests in place, heritage, and uses of the past. I've published on topics from medieval towns and cities to pilgrimage, from the earliest English poetry to underground legends, and from AI and 'Levelling Up' to the cultural history of mud. My research takes me to all kinds of fascinating and unexpected places, from walking in the Welsh Marches, to exploring devotional practices in Ethiopia, to crawling through the Bronze Age mines deep under Cheshire's Alderley Edge.
I am represented by Gordon Wise at Curtis Brown.
Events
Join me from September 2025 at events featuring my new book, A History of England in 25 Poems.
More events and details will be added here. Keep an eye on my social media for further details and booking information. Selected highlight events are shown in detail below this list.
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Saturday 6 September 2025: FT Weekend Festival, Kenwood House, London
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Tuesday 9 September 2025: Book launch, Senate House, University of London
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Wednesday 1 October 2025: Westminster Archives Centre, London
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Wednesday 26 November 2025: Canterbury Christ Church University
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Tuesday 6 January 2026: Essex Record Office, Chelmsford
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Sunday 22 March 2026: Oxford Literary Festival
Doing History with Poetry
Event recording available online soon.
Cheltenham Literature Festival
Friday 17 October, 10am
"Two of our most exciting historians, Alice Loxton and Catherine Clarke, present a fresh, unconventional journey through British history. Through snapshots of 18 remarkable individuals at the age of 18 - and 25 poems that bear witness to events from the Great Fire of London to the Miners’ Strike – these voices offer vivid, immersive encounters with the past and a unique way to connect with our nation’s story. Chaired by Clare Clark."
There will be a book signing after this event.
Beach Hut
If you follow me on social media, you'll know my favourite place to write - whenever I can manage it - is my beach hut, close to my home in Southbourne, Dorset. I love sharing pictures of the sea through changing weather and seasons. You'll find some more photos in the Gallery below.
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