Delve into history

Explore the events of the past, and how they’ve shaped the world we live in today. Immerse yourself in different eras, marvel at historic achievements, and examine how different things could have been.  

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All of our courses are designed to help develop your skills in historical research and analysis, encouraging you to look beyond the surface of key historical moments. From the history of King Arthur to World War I and II, you’ll develop a better understanding of key historic customs, beliefs, and ways of life.   

Whether you consider yourself a history buff with decades of experience, or someone just starting out that wants to learn more, you can choose from a wide selection of topics.   

Attend a WEA history course near you  

A variety of our history courses are taught in-person or are delivered online - it all depends on what suits your needs best. From the comfort of your own home to a space in your local community. Whichever option you choose, you’ll be taught by a talented tutor who is vastly experienced.   

The support you’ll receive on our history courses  

They'll help you develop an understanding that goes beyond just what's on the surface, all within a friendly and encouraging environment that ensures you attend each session with the excitement to learn.   

It’s our learning experience that sets us apart too, with many of those attending our courses going on to achieve incredible things. You’ll learn at a pace that’s comfortable for you too, with a friendly supportive tutor on hand to answer any questions you might have. 

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History: History of Writing

Explore the captivating journey of writing, from ancient petrographs and petroglyphs on rocks to cutting-edge electronic communication systems. This course invites both beginners and those with prior knowledge who share an interest in history and writing. Over six weeks, taught online, engage in presentations and discussions, with convenient access to materials even after each session.
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Course Information

Dates:
Wed 06/11/2024 -
Wed 11/12/2024
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Janet Wilson
Course code:
Q00009335
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
6 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £40.80

History: Smuggling in Essex: The Romance & Reality

How do the popular representations of smuggling in novels, songs, poems, paintings and film match up to the reality? We will look at some of the enduring romantic depictions alongside official records to consider the reality of life for people up and down the Essex coast in the 18th century engaged in smuggling or the fight against it.
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 07/11/2024 -
Thu 05/12/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
British Legion Hall (Felsted)
Bury Chase
Felsted
CM6 3HA
Tutor:
Claire Parker
Course code:
Q00018323
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £42.00

History: The American Revolution and the Glorious Cause: America 1763 to 1815

The American Revolution was a remarkable event. This course will outline how the United States of America came into being. It will consider the implications of the ‘Glorious Cause’ for the inhabitants of the British colonies in North America and look at some of the issues that remained unresolved until another war and another time.
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 07/11/2024 -
Thu 21/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
St John the Baptist Church Meeting Room
55 Main Road
Danbury
CM3 4NG
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00018515
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
8 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

History: A Moving Story

This course explores the evolution of road, water, and rail transport in East Anglia from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. We examine how these developments reshaped the landscape and impacted the lives of transport workers and travellers. Through historical analysis and personal stories, participants will gain insights into the region's rich transport heritage and its influence on East Anglia's social and economic fabric.
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 07/11/2024 -
Thu 05/12/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Poringland Community Centre (Poringland)
Overtons Way
Poringland
NR14 7WB
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00019038
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
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  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

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Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

History: Silence in court: five famous trials from British history

Every famous trial is a snapshot of history in the making. We see the cast of characters strutting on the stage that is the court room, acting out their roles against the backdrop of forces that are often beyond their control - the letter of the law, the power of the state, the force of prejudice, the facts of the case. Their focus is the outcome of 'their' trial, but ours is more than that; why is this trial famous, how did it change things, what lessons does it teach us? Join Peter Blood to study the people, issues and outcomes in five famous trials from British history, with a view to understanding their political, social and legal significance.
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Course Information

Dates:
Fri 08/11/2024 -
Fri 06/12/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Bourne Hall (Epsom)
Spring Street
Ewell
Epsom
KT17 1UF
Tutor:
Peter Blood
Course code:
Q00017737
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £42.00

History: Queer History - An Introduction

This short course will take you through a whistlestop tour of places ranging from Victorian Britain to ancient Greece to give a snapshot of just a few of the attitudes to sex, sexuality and gender that have existed across centuries and cultures. We will see how such issues relate to power, politics and religion and how they are affected by social change. You will be able to explore the lives and ideas of queer people in past centuries through diaries, newspaper reports and court records. Throughout the course, we will explore what it means to “queer” history – and how a queer approach to history can affect our attitudes today.
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Course Information

Dates:
Mon 11/11/2024 -
Mon 09/12/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Symon Hill
Course code:
Q00017285
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
4 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

History: How Renaissance Art Interpreted Christmas

This five week course will explore the art of the Renaissance and its depiction of the Nativity and Epiphany. We will explore a number of artists but our principal focus will be on works by Giotto, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Breughal and Caravaggio. Each artist’s work will be well illustrated by reproductions on Canvas, allowing you to view the works under discussion. The course will appeal to all those with an interest in the Renaissance and art more generally, and will provide context and interpretations of each major work under discussion. There will be ample opportunity for you to exercise your own interpretations and views in what will be lively and informative sessions.
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Course Information

Dates:
Tue 12/11/2024 -
Tue 10/12/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00019615
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

History: Nottingham's Inner Suburbs

Nottingham became a City in 1877. It was a hugely significant milestone in its development but how did the city’s growth impact surrounding areas, the Inner Suburbs? This course will explore how once green fields and tiny hamlets were transformed into industrial suburbs that grew into their own bustling communities, with distinctive characters and personalities. How did Forest Fields come into existence? What was the impact of the 20th century on Hyson Green? How did Radford evolve into an industrial community? What created these new communities and how do their landscapes reflect their histories?
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Course Information

Dates:
Wed 13/11/2024 -
Wed 04/12/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
The Grange Community Centre (Radcliffe-o
Vicarage Lane
Radcliffe-on-Trent
NG12 2FB
Tutor:
Christopher Weir
Course code:
Q00016046
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

History: How we used to Live – Social Housing

This course will give you an outline of the history of social housing in Britain over the last 200 years. Housing became a huge issue as a result of the Industrial Revolution as Britain’s industrial cities expanded and thousands of low-paid workers looked for somewhere to live. We will look at a range of ‘answers’ to this problem from cheap housing that rapidly turned into overcrowded slums to model villages built by some factory owners to house their workforce. Then we will explore the development of slum clearance and council housing schemes in the 20th century, before looking at possible causes and solutions for the current housing shortages.
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Course Information

Dates:
Wed 13/11/2024 -
Wed 04/12/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
St Olave's Church Hall (York)
Marygate Lane
York
YO30 7BJ
Tutor:
Katherine Croft
Course code:
Q00018368
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

History: Women of Astronomy and Space

Join us to take a look at the amazing yet unsung women of astronomy and space who were pioneers but often overlooked or ignored. From ancient times to the modern era it is time to shine a light on their amazing achievements. From Aganice of Thessaly, a Greek astronomer of the 2nd or 1st century BC, Hypatia of Alexandria 370 – 450 AD, Elisabeth Hevelius (17th century), Caroline Herschel (18th Century) to ‘Pickerings Women’ at Harvard and into the modern age of spaceflight with such luminaries as Annie Easley, Katherine Johnson, Astronauts Sally Ride and pioneering Mae Jemison amongst many others.
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Course Information

Dates:
Sat 16/11/2024 -
Sat 16/11/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
The Minster (Grimsby)
St James Square
Grimsby
DN31 1EP
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00017920
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £15.00