The Curious History of Your Home

The Curious History of Your Home

Join domestic historian Ruth Goodman as she guides you through the surprising, often epic, stories behind everyday objects in your home. Double-glazed windows? We owe those to a French king’s odd fascination with oranges. The minty fresh toothpaste by your sink? Well, if you lived in Ancient Greece, you’d be washing your teeth with ground-up bones and oyster shells. And wallpaper? It seems innocent enough, but in the Victorian era it was downright deadly. Discover the extraordinary history of the ordinary items all around you, every Tuesday, wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started with a 7-day free trial. Or if you’re on Spotify or Android, head to noiser.com/subscriptions For advertising enquiries, email info@adelicious.fm Hosted by Ruth Goodman. Production: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Tom Pink, Addison Nugent, Nicole Edmunds, Lloyd Starr, George Colwey, Miriam Baines, Katrina Hughes. Compositions by Tom Pink, Dorry Macaulay, Oliver Baines.

Episodes

Carpets

June 17, 2024 • 38 mins
In remotest Siberia, an intrepid archaeologist uncovers the oldest rug known to man. The Moors of north Africa occupy Spain, bringing new floor coverings with them. A young girl’s innovation turns a small Georgia town into the carpet capital of the world. And the Dalai Lama flees Tibet, taking his carpets with him… A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episode...
Mark as Played

The Medicine Cabinet

June 10, 2024 • 38 mins
A radical apothecary causes a stir during the English Civil War. Wise Women offer mysterious advice on how to rid oneself of warts. A wife’s accidents in the kitchen lead her husband to develop the first band-aid. And in Victorian London, unsuspecting mothers treat their children with a dangerously addictive drug… A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes...
Mark as Played

Introducing: D-Day: The Tide Turns - Episode 1

June 5, 2024 • 53 mins
This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser network. Host Paul McGann follows the real people involved in the D-Day landings. It’s 1944 and Europe is in the grip of the Nazi war machine. But on the shores of Great Britain, thousands of men and women are planning the great fightback. What will it take to turn the tide of World War 2? Search ‘D-Day: The Tide Turns’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new epi...
Mark as Played

Beds

June 3, 2024 • 39 mins
Archaeologists in South Africa discover the world’s oldest bed. In Victorian London, homeless people have to choose between sleeping on a bench or sleeping in a coffin. 26 butchers and their wives get cosy in 17th-century Hertfordshire. And a bed proves fatal for three men in medieval France… A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Clic...
Mark as Played

Beer

May 27, 2024 • 40 mins
In ancient Mesopotamia, people invent straws to better enjoy their favourite tipple. The Romans turn their noses up at barbarian beverages. The introduction of hops to brewing sparks a beer-based battle of the sexes. And Prohibition in America leads to the production of potentially deadly drinks… A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. ...
Mark as Played

Cats

May 20, 2024 • 36 mins
Fed up with mice pilfering their grain, farmers in the ancient Middle East turn to a new ally. In early modern Essex, a witch’s familiar is blamed for the murder of her husband. The world’s first cat lady is found living in Victorian London. And a diplomatic mission to Egypt goes awry after the death of a sacred feline… A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new ep...
Mark as Played

Gardening

May 13, 2024 • 39 mins
Stories of the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon beguile generations of listeners. An Indian emperor builds paradise on Earth in memory of his beloved wife. In medieval England, gardening brings an inquisitive monk closer to God. And growing vegetables becomes a vital weapon in the war against Hitler… A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join N...
Mark as Played

Coffee

May 6, 2024 • 38 mins
A herder in 9th century Ethiopia discovers a stimulating plant, after observing his goats behaving strangely. The pope weighs in on whether a bitter new beverage really was invented by Satan. A stall selling hot drinks takes 1650s London by storm. And drinking coffee becomes a deadly habit in Ottoman Istanbul… A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, ...
Mark as Played

Forks

April 29, 2024 • 38 mins
In medieval Italy, a woman’s death is blamed on the two-pronged utensils she uses at her wedding banquet. In 17th century France, a fed-up cardinal issues a decree to tackle bad table manners. British colonial taxes lead Americans to invent a unique way of using cutlery. And a spy sneaks into a workshop in Sheffield to uncover the secrets of steel… A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds. For ad-free listening, exclusive con...
Mark as Played

Dish Washing

April 22, 2024 • 37 mins
A high stakes summit between Henry VIII and his French counterpart leaves behind a mountain of dirty dishes. The decline of wood burning in homes changes how we clean crockery. An inventor of weapons turns his hand to more domestic pursuits. And a visionary woman in Chicago unveils a world-changing machine… A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, joi...
Mark as Played

Lights

April 15, 2024 • 39 mins
In the hills of northern Spain, lamps help an anthropologist and his young daughter make an incredible discovery. Rushlights illuminate the early modern period. A French king seeks a new mistress in the dazzlingly lit Palace of Versailles. And theatregoers are astounded by a new use of electricity, as artificial lighting arrives with a crackle… A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent. For ad-free listening, exclusive content...
Mark as Played

Baths

April 8, 2024 • 40 mins
A murderous emperor builds the grandest bath complex ever seen in Ancient Rome. The arrival of a new disease spells trouble for the bathhouses of Tudor London. An excitable Victorian clergyman extolls the virtues of skinny dipping. And World War Two plays a surprising role in kickstarting the hot tub craze… A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, joi...
Mark as Played

The Fridge

April 1, 2024 • 37 mins
In Ancient Persia, ingenious ice houses refrigerate food in one of the hottest deserts on earth. Bronze Age sites on Orkney reveal the secrets of early cold storage systems. A well-known sea captain becomes the face of a global frozen food brand, with a little help from the Inuit of northern Canada. And cooling technology becomes a matter of life and death when US President James A. Garfield is shot… A Noiser production, written by...
Mark as Played

Wallpaper

March 26, 2024 • 34 mins
A wasp leads to the invention of paper in ancient China. Rich Europeans have to find another way to decorate their walls when coal fires ruin their valuable tapestries. Anger over wallpaper helps ignite the French Revolution. And a silent killer is found hiding in plain sight on nursery walls across Victorian Britain… A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new epis...
Mark as Played

The Curious History of Your Home - Trailer

January 8, 2024 • 1 min
Join domestic historian Ruth Goodman as she guides you through the surprising, often epic stories behind everyday objects in your home. Double glazed windows? We owe those to a French king’s odd fascination with oranges. The minty fresh toothpaste by your sink? Well, if you lived in ancient Greece, you’d be washing your teeth with ground up bones and oyster shells. And wallpaper? It seems innocent enough, but in the Victorian era, ...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Dateline NBC

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.

    Stuff You Should Know

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Nikki Glaser Podcast

    The Nikki Glaser Podcast

    Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.

    White Devil

    White Devil

    Shootings are not unusual in Belize. Shootings of cops are. When a wealthy woman – part of one of the most powerful families in Belize – is found on a pier late at night, next to a body, it becomes the country’s biggest news story in a generation. New episodes every Monday!

    Start Here

    Start Here

    A straightforward look at the day's top news in 20 minutes. Powered by ABC News. Hosted by Brad Mielke.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

Explore

iHeart

Live Radio

Podcasts

Artist Radio

Exclusives

News

Features

Events

Contests

Photos

Information

About

Advertise

Blog

Brand Guidelines

Contest Guidelines

Subscription Offers

Jobs

Get the App

Automotive

Home

Mobile

Wearables

© 2024 iHeartMedia, Inc.