iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Dr James Brown

The Public Domain Review @publicdomainrev.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

From 1969 to 2008 John Margolies photographed the eccentric roadside architecture and ephemera of the US. @librarycongress bought the lot, a total of 11,710 colour slides, and lifted all copyright restrictions on them. Here's our highlights: publicdomainreview.org/collection/j...

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Sardonicus @sardonicus.eu · 04/05/2026

odd aspects of englans
a windmill
follies
windmills
lock-ups
prehistoric
roman and medieval remains

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

I thoroughly recommend it! Much smaller than Anchor Church, but no less atmospheric.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

A bit, visited over Christmas (doing the double with Dale Abbey Hermitage); incredible place!

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

I’ve recently bought a Ricoh GR IIIx for this purpose and it’s blown me away so far (the RAW files it produces are gorgeous).

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Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

'I would set off, with some sense of what I might be looking for, and see what I stumbled across...' Is going for a walk a valid methodology for a historian? And if so, how much theory do you need to read before you start? Some thoughts in my latest blog post: manyheadedmonster.com/2026/02/10/i...

manyheadedmonster.com

Is Walking Research? A Methodological Ramble

Mark HailwoodI needed to try something to get me writing again. Blessed with a period of research leave to resume work on my book – Everyday Life in the Seventeenth Century English Village &#…

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Absolute twaddle; that’s a massively impressive lift for any age (and at 57 would put you in the top 0.something %). Kudos!

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

I don’t think I’ve encountered any early modern pubs called the Beehive (although know a few modern ones!).

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Robin Ince @robinince.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Favourite ghost sighting of the year was January in Ramsgate #ghosts #haunting

An old curtain hanging with rips that make ghost eyes and mouth

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Sardonicus @sardonicus.eu · 10/12/2025

'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.' Photograph by Daniel Ibanez

a shot of a god botherer in a car, next to him on the passenger seat is a skull in an ornate box

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Thank you, noted (and apologies again).

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Just sharing experience! Sincere apologies if it offended (I didn’t mean to at all, seriously).

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

I’ve used it for work for a similar time and it just seems to get worse with each update. In my experience Squarespace is orders of magnitude better, certainly for photography, but YMMV (and apologies for this unsolicited advice… 🙈).

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Know you’re not looking for advice but WordPress is a disaster (and has been for some time); I’d migrate to Squarespace, who are 👌.

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Dr Laura Sangha @lsangha.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

slightly obsessed about the end of this lady's effigy tomb with the voluminous folds of her dress and petite heeled shoes

The side of an woman's effigy tomb showing the bottom of her dress and her feet (she lays on her back). The dress is depicted as many wiggled folds of fabric, and we can see the soles of her small shoes.

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will pooley @willpooley.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

my mac doing its best to telephone a seventeenth century ecclesiastical record 🗃️

Screenshot of a 17th century record. Mac Preview has highlighted some it and offer options:

“Add To Contacts...
Call ٥٣٠٢٥٢١- Using iPhone
FaceTime
FaceTime Audio
Message ٥٣٠٢٥٢١٠
Large Type
Look Up "٥٣٠٢٥٢١٠٠
Writing Tools”

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

One of my all-time favourite locations.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

I was just about to say that in our part of Sheffield it sounds like a particularly vicious civil war has broken out...

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Feels a bit cringe asking but would you mind adding me?

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

This made a huge impression on me growing up, and it remains one of the most haunting and effective adverts I’ve ever seen.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

A magical place (and I’m so looking forward to the landscape folklore book).

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Robin Hood’s Stride in Birchover!

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Owen Davies @odavies9.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

The Haunted Bridge. A mystery to solve ... I have this postcard called "The Haunted Bridge" but cannot identify it. It's described as a British beauty spot. The card was posted from Nottingham, early 20thc.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Can’t join the watchalong unfortunately but I absolutely love this film!

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Reposted by Dr James Brown

Rachel Deering @racheldeering.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

The historie of serpents… Edward Topsell, 1608.

woodcut engraving of a frog, captioned "OF THE PADDCKE OR CROOKED backe Frogge." The accompanying text describes three types of frogs:
The little green Frog
The Padocke (or crooked back frog): Identified in Latin as Rubeta Gibbosa, this type is noted as being "mute or dumbe."
The Toade: Commonly referred to as Rubetax or Bufo.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

It’s a go-to comfort watch for me too.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

I enjoyed meeting these characters in deepest rural Derbyshire last month.

Two patriotic scarecrows before a rural scene with a moody sky.

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Tom Cox @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

THREAD. A collection of photos I have taken of scarecrows I have stumbled across during walks in the British countryside over the last fifteen years.

A scarecrow who has just watched Monty Python's The Holy Grail for the first time

A scarecrow who is feeling pleased with himself after forming a 1950s sci-fi themed surf rock band, of which he is the sole member

A scarecrow who is dolled up and ready for a night out in the fanciest part of Newcastle

A very pleasant and well-meaning scarecrow who will paint your house for a competitive rate while rhapsodising about the beauty of the land

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Orkney Library & Archive @orkneylibrary.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

Just removed the date label from an old book and discovered that someone has drawn a design for a teapot that can serve either tea or poison how's your day going?

A withdrawn library book. Under the date label there is a biro drawing of a teapot divided to serve either tea or poison

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David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

The witch trials of 1612 still cast a long shadow.

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Postcard From The Past @pastpostcard.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

It was built round so that the DEVIL could not hide in the corners.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

I enjoyed mine over the weekend! They’re all gorgeous, but I think this little house is my fave (adorable and creepy in equal measure).

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Elyse Graham @elysegraham.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

In the death registers of early modern Venice, marginalia often marks the cause of death: drawings of daggers for murders, for instance. In 1696, Giovanni Battista Rinaldi was killed by a dog. This is the drawing by his entry.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

The Cold War Bunker, the plague stones on Hob Moor, and the Tyburn execution site are lesser-known gems that I think will appeal to your sensibilities; also the Printer’s Devil effigy on Stonegate, while St Olave’s church and the adjacent ruins of St Mary’s Abbey are lovely.

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Witch Map Project @witchmapproject.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

🎤Welcome to the Cardiff Witch Memorial Map Project! Our aim is to locate memorials, museums, and significant sites related to #earlymodern witch hunts globally and share them with the public. Please follow us for updates on our research - we've found more than 100 so far! #history #witchtrials

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

I do! Other favourites were Frontierland (the stagecoach!), the crooked house (terrifying), and the little ensemble of elfin musicians in the tree stump.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

Wonderful footage of this extraordinary place; it was a staple growing up (in Ryde) and profoundly influenced my tastes and interests also.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful film; made me really miss East Anglia, and reminded me a reread of TROS is long overdue! Congrats to all involved.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

I was there on Tuesday (and really enjoyed reading the excellent article on your website in preparation)! No strange occurrences to report, but the atmosphere inside the barrow is indeed uniquely unpleasant.

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

No worries (they look so convincing!). It pollutes the feeds, and I genuinely don’t know what they’re trying to achieve. 🤷🏻‍♂️

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Dr James Brown @drjamesbrown.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Hey Breezie, can’t reply directly, but that picture of a mountain you just shared from Brad something or other is 100% AI. Love that you’re so generous, but keep some holes on the sieve perhaps.

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