Gretel le Maître Ponders Beauty, with Bede & other guests

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By: Gretel le Maître

Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time.  She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.  Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time;  the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free, and you’re invited to join in.  It’s super unpolished and Gretel would be grateful for you to forgive her for that.   🤓Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And...

Barnaby Rudge Chapter L: the Sheep are Led Astray; and Church Architecture
#51
Today at 1:00 AM

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Dear Barnaby Rudge (Chs XLVIII/IX) and the Gordon Riots; A Gentle Poetic Counterpoint
#50
Last Thursday at 10:00 PM

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A bonus episode for those listening to Barnaby Rudge.  ☺️


And let not the lesser things hold your gaze.  It is the sparkle on the stream that feeds our heart, frees our mind and blesses our soul… 


Thank you for joining me on this journey x 🌳

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly tak...


Puppy Patience; New York in the 1840s; and Marvellous Grip in Barnaby Rudge as the Plot breaks into a Canter
#49
Last Thursday at 8:00 PM

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Barnaby Rudge Chapters XLV and XLVI; Sympathy for the Devil
#48
Last Tuesday at 9:00 PM

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Barnaby Rudge Chapter XLIV; Trollope describes a Spongy Nose; Dickens in America; and New Puppy Chaos
#47
Last Tuesday at 8:00 PM

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


With St David and Charles Dickens we celebrate the first of the Spring Months 🌞
#46
03/01/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Sunday Part 1: Barnaby Rudge Ch XLII; And Mr Katt grumbles about The New Puppy
#45
02/28/2026

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Hello and a very good evening.  I’ve published the first of Sunday’s two episodes, anticipating that tomorrow might be a little intense with ‘New Puppy’ 🐶 ruling the roost.  

Thank you so much for joining me and for your support for this silly old endeavour; I loved reading your emails and hearing from you all.  Thank you again to dear, kind Kevin Stroud for mentioning my podcast on his brilliant podcast ‘History of English’ which I recommend very highly.  It’s a brilliant show that has been a part of my (and my mother’s) life...


A Visit to Castle Cary; King Ethelbert’s Feast; and Barnaby Rudge Ch. XLI
#44
02/26/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


B.Rudge Chapters XXXIX/XL: things hot up in London; Sherborne Abbey’s Bell Practice; and the Birds help keep Grief at bay. 🕯️
#43
02/24/2026

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Good evening dear friends and any newcomers.  Thank you for joining me from wherever you are as we continue with Barnaby Rudge.  It’s been a beautiful day here in Dorset - the sun has been shining on the wonderful golden honey coloured stone that abounds, quarried from nearby Ham Hill.  Love Gretel xx

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes...


Barnaby Rudge Chapter XXXViii; Spring comes to Sherborne; The Dream of the Rood 🌳
#42
02/24/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Gretel in conversation with wonderful Angela Tilby
#41
02/23/2026

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It was wonderful to interview Angela today and I hope you enjoyed hearing what she had to say.  Her book is out on 26th March. 

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at...


Barnaby Rudge Chs XXXV/VI; Saints; and Scott’s Rokeby. Hollow Hearts and Malevolent Minds
#40
02/22/2026

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*Huge apologies for a couple of errors in tonight’s episode 🤦‍♀️🙏😬

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and histor...


Mr Katt argues his point; Rokeby by Sir Walter Scott; Pepys’ Progress; and Wulfric’s Feast Day
#39
02/21/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Shakespeare’s Sonnet; Acca’s Feast; Pepys’ Precision; and Dickens’ Genius [B Rudge Ch XXXV]
#38
02/19/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Tuesday Part II: Pink Bears; Friendship; London Chaos; Theatre 🎭; Hardy; and Barnaby Rudge (Ch XXXIV)
#37
02/18/2026

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Welcome dear friends, supporters, newcomers and  the curious.  Welcome to a world where all we want to do is explore all things curious and/or beautiful.  There is so much out there to absorb ourselves in, so let’s do it. Leaping on each item from one to t’other like shiny wet stepping stones across a sparkling stream.  

Thank you for your support and kindness; I wish you well from the bottom of my heart and hope so much that you are enjoying Barnaby Rudge; what a wonderful literary feast.  

Ideas f...


Barnaby Rudge Ch XXXIII: the Cosy Maypole Inn; and an Explanation of Gothic Architecture
#36
02/17/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Barnaby Rudge Ch XXXII; The Battle of Malden; and Bishop Proudie settles in
#35
02/15/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Bonus Episode: History of the English Church; Towsing in Restoration London; John Clare; and a Barchester Baby
#34
02/14/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


A Poem for Wolsey; and Chapters XXX & XXXI of Barnaby Rudge: our hearts pang for poor Joe
#33
02/12/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Barnaby Rudge Ch XXIX; Beautiful words on the Venerable Bede; and Barchester Botherings
#32
02/10/2026

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A day trying to help my teenage daughter. Such is life of a Mummy. 😔

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gr...


The Episode of Gremlins! B Rudge Ch XXVIII; Pepys; and a visit to the source of the River Yeo
#31
02/09/2026

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Oh dear, this episode has taken me a long time to sort out.  The magic of the holy source of the river cast its spells over the rest of the episode.  I think it is just about publishable, however it ends with an unfulfilled promise.  I’ll leave that for you to discover.


Love and best wishes and, as ever, for your forbearance.  🙋‍♀️🥴😊

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you sn...


Sunday Episode the First: Chs XXVI/VII in B Rudge: Mr Chester is on the offensive; a little Pepys; a Cardinal’s post-script; and an Orange 🍊
#30
02/08/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Late Episode for Night Owls: B.Rudge Ch.XXV; The Nightingale’s Nest 🪺; and Hardy’s wisdom
#29
02/05/2026

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Dear friends, supporters and newcomers.  I feel tender-hearted towards the world tonight as I read poetry by John Clare which, so often, takes us into the woodland, where we see leaves and trees up close, though we are still in our beds.  Clare’s words are clear, tender and almost merry and I often feel myself trip-tripping along to the beat of some unknown yet deeply familiar song.  My childhood days return and the skies feel huge and blue.  All is well and bright and has a rosy hue.  

This chapter by Charles...


Barnaby Rudge Ch.XXIV; Breathtaking Beowulf; and Magnificent Maya Angelou.
#28
02/05/2026

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*Photograph taken from Swan Auction Galleries

Welcome to today’s spirited and passionate episode.  Walk with me in the old land of the Danes where mounds of land can appear from the swamps, where monsters in the mere are dreaded, and where the joys of life come from the telling and retelling of marvellous feats of honour and glory.  Where glimpses of the past - from an understanding of how a loved King might be buried, to how it was seen as wrong to kill one’s own kinsfolk - are there for us...


Wolsey; Clare; Saints; Bells; Blackbird; and Barnaby (Rudge Chs XXII & XXIII) 🐦‍⬛
#27
02/03/2026

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Hello and thank you so much for joining me.  I haven’t had a chance to listen to it through so I hope it’s ok and I haven’t accidentally recorded anything I shouldn’t have or left any long gaps.  Gretel sneezes 🤧 or suchlike 🥴.  Bless you all for joining me on my quest to find the beautiful and interesting things in life to read, notice and feast our senses on.  I read a poem today by John Clare, where he is bemused that a postman can walk with his eyes fixed ahead of him, when there...


Old English Poetry, starring Widsith; Slipping through my Fingers; a Midnight Moon; and Trollope
#26
02/02/2026

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Hello and a happy Monday 2nd February .

There is no Barnaby Rudge this evening as it’s a Monday, but instead this is an episode full of a variety of readings and the usual Gretel chatter that I hope you might like, or at least put up with.  

See you tomorrow for our progress with Dickens.  Thank you so much for joining me! 😄

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares w...


Saint Brigid; Pepys; Barchester Towers; and Chs XX & XXI of Barnaby Rudge
#25
02/01/2026

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Hello and thank you so much for joining me this rainy Sunday. It’s February 1st, so we say farewell to January and celebrate the life of the Irish Saint, Brigid.  This episode is dedicated to every soul living in Minneapolis.  xxx

We continue with Barnaby Rudge and have still barely hinted at the key events that are to take place in this marvellous book by Charles Dickens.  I’m thinking that we may want to read Tess of the D’Urbevilles this year.  I’m also tugged by the novels of the Brontë s...


Longer days; Daffodils; Aquinas; Gildas; Wolsey; and AA Milne’s The Sailor ⚓️
#24
01/31/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Barnaby Rudge Special Episode: Chapters XVII, XVIII and IX
#23
01/29/2026

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After returning home from Bury St Edmunds I was determined to deliver an episode on Barnaby Rudge.  I am sorry it is late and also rather lengthy.  


Lots of love and huge gratitude for your support and companionship.  

Gretel x

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to e...


The Decline of Wolsey (poison in the hair shirt?); and Gretel visits a Saxon Church
#22
01/29/2026

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Hello:   A second episode which will include two episodes of Barnaby Rudge, will be published later.


Best wishes 🤗🌳🫖

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the p...


A return to beautiful Bury St Edmunds; Wolsey’s Progress of Gloom; and Chapter XVI of B Rudge
#21
01/27/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Barnaby Rudge, Chapters XIV & XV: Sons and Fathers; and the Arrest of a Weeping Cardinal Wolsey
#20
01/25/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Saturday Bonus Episode: Wolsey; Saints; Pepys and Introducing Henry James;
#19
01/24/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


We visit a Dorset Church; Meet Puppies; and B.Rudge Ch.XIII (bit of overlap);
#18
01/22/2026

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NB this is a Dorset, not a Somerset Church

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and...


Hedgehogs 🦔; Ivanhoe, Saint Agnes; Tudor children confirmed by Wolsey; and Ch XIII B Rudge
#17
01/20/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Pepys hears Suffolk lasses are prettiest; Saint Canute; and Haredale meets Chester in B. Rudge Ch. XII
#16
01/19/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


Durham III: A Cosy Pub chat with David and Tom; Poor Peter enters the Cranford narrative; and Drama at The Maypole (Barnaby Rudge Ch XI)
#15
01/17/2026

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Good day and thank you so much for joining me as we conclude the wonderful visit to Durham.  It’s been a breath of fresh air for me, and a reminder of how exhilarating it is to meet wonderful people (author David Willem and the fantastic staff at Durham Cathedral) and see in the flesh old and important items (the astonishing Cuthbert reliquary and Durham Cathedral).

I hope you are well and rested and not finding the start to this year too onerous or challenging.  Do reach out to people if you feel...


Durham II: An Hour with writer David Willem; and Barnaby Rudge Chapter X
#14
01/16/2026

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Today I had the most delightful of days as I met with writer David Willem, author of ‘Cuthbert’s Corpse’ and we merrily chatted about the book, about Durham Cathedral, Cuthbert, Bede and other matters.  It was a huge honour for me and I was so grateful to him for the time he gave me and for the charm and energy he put into his conversation.  The Cathedral staff were wonderful too, and it has been the high point of this short year so far.  

I read another chapter of exquisite Barnaby Rudge to...


Durham Cathedral part one: from Sherborne to the Cathedral in time for Evensong
#13
01/15/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...


B Rudge Chapter IX; a Comedy of Umbrellas
#12
01/14/2026

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.


Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to wal...