iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Catherine Clarke @cathamclarke.bsky.social · 15h

I loved this conversation with Dr John Burton for his #podcast, The Scholar's Armchair. Lots of very thoughtful questions and insights (of course John knows a thing or two about poetry himself!). Please have a watch / listen! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmsx...

youtube.com

A History of England in 25 Poems | Prof Catherine Clarke

YouTube video by Dr. John Burton

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Went on the most nature-loving of naturist rambles today in the early autumn sunshine, can't believe the colours... and the season has yet to really get underway.

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A Christian Resistance @xianresistance.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

"Someone who says, ‘I am against abortion’ but says, ‘I am in favour of the death penalty’ is not really pro-life." ~ Pope Leo XIV #BlessedAreTheMerciful #AbolishTheDeathPenalty

Color photo of Pope Leo smiling & waving to the crowd during outdoor mass. He is wearing white liturgical vestments & a matching miter embroidered with blue stripes & gold hems, black crosses, & green leafs. He is holding a silver crozier (Bishop's staff) topped with a crucifix. 📸 Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Getty

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Is that Alice from the NZ naturists? I've often thought you should interview her for the podcast, if you haven't already.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Nope! Naturism is not remotely anti-social at heart, it's never been about individualism or a lack of empathy for others. Well, maybe that's what you mean by 'nudist' because all the many naturists I know are fundamentally decent people.

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𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕖 𝔾𝕦𝕣𝕝 @sundaedivine.lol · 27/09/2026

At last, a safe space for men who think empathy lowers testosterone.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Yes, it's not as if the original painting is still in copyright! But maybe the church wouldn't let it be used. I used to know the vicar there, I'm sure he would have said yes...

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Oh, that's not quite right. The film does show a wall painting that is BASED on Chaldon, but it's their own interpretation of it. Even Google Images confuses the two!

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Weirdly the trailer shows a one-second shot of the amazing medieval wall painting at Chaldon church in Surrey. It's the ladder of salvation, showing the saved and the damned. This medieval historian feels compelled to go!

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The tickets sold out before I even knew they were on sale! Did you manage to get a ticket?

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

As seen on the Bayeux Tapestry no less!

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The Daily Britain @thedailybritain.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Farage says Burnham’s National Centre for Information Defence will “clamp down on free speech”. The government says it will target hostile foreign information attacks. Farage’s Brexit Party voted against stronger action on Russian propaganda in 2019.

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Catherine Clarke @cathamclarke.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

#Dorset friends! On Saturday 3 October I'll be at the King's Arms Hotel, #Dorchester, as the guest of the brilliant Teasel & Skylark bookshop. I'll be sharing stories and behind-the-scenes insights from A History of England in 25 Poems. Come and join us! www.teaselandskylark.com/events/a-his...

teaselandskylark.com

A History of England in 25 Poems with Writer and Historian, Catherine Clarke — Teasel & Skylark

What if you could use a poem to time travel into England’s past? Catherine Clarke’s new history book tells the history of England in a brilliant new way

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Catherine Clarke @cathamclarke.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

On Monday 12 October, I'll be at Waterstones Gower Street (London) with the brilliant @willtullett.bsky.social, for 'New Ways Into History: From Smells to Sonnets'. Come along to be surprised by #history as you've never heard (or sniffed) it before! Book a ticket: www.waterstones.com/events/new-w...

https://www.waterstones.com/events/new-ways-into-history-from-smells-to-sonnets-with-will-tullett-and-catherine-clarke/london-gower-street

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Dr Rebecca Tyson @tyguson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I had a very enjoyable afternoon/evening at the annual Deerhurst lecture (delivered by @davidpetts1.bsky.social on the topic of island monasticism) and tour of Odda’s Chapel. St Mary’s Church and Odda’s chapel hold some of the most important surviving examples of Anglo-Saxon architectural sculpture.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Ah well, didn't know it was on, but that must have been an amazingly good lecture. Great subject and a great speaker, and I wasn't even there to hear it!

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Hoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Mark Carney: “I would now like to inform you that the teleprompter has ceased to function. Unlike a certain world leader, I do not view this as a conspiracy.”

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JointheDots @joiningupthedots.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

This is a blatant threat to the RNLI, who are currently out of action in Portsmouth - ergo not saving lives, because staff are being terrorised. When will Mahmood take domestic terrorism of this nature seriously.

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Saganism @sagan.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

41 years ago, Carl Sagan gave a clear and elegant explanation of the science behind global warming.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Well I'm in this pic and old and young alike it was a truly lovely gathering for all of us. There is also a naturist festival aimed at younger people, this pic was taken at the big naturist festival in Somerset. Naturist groups and gatherings are really lovely, it is indeed all about community.

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Catherine Clarke @cathamclarke.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

They're finally here! A History of England in 25 Poems - in paperback! Definitely worth the wait. #history #book

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Museum Bums @museumbums.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Harry Holland was the 2nd leader of the Labour Party in New Zealand, and died unexpectedly while attending the funeral of the Maori King Te Rata Mahuta in 1933. His monument in Wellington Cemetery reads "He devoted his life to free the world from unhappiness, tyranny and oppression" 👍🏛️🍑 #MuseumBums

A cemetery monument depicting a nude figure stood, looking up, with smaller figures below them looking up at them

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NudeForMe @nudeforme.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴, 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘴. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺, 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.” www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle... #naturism #naturist #nudism #nudist #nude #nudism

theguardian.com

A moment that changed me: I spent a day with some naturists – and it cured my shy bladder

For decades, I had been haunted by paruresis, an inability to urinate in public toilets. But that day of nakedness suddenly, surprisingly, led me to shed my inhibitions

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Better warn @fakehistoryhunter.net it looks like there's a new medieval film about to hit the screens. And yep... it's a film in which "no one seems to have had a wash in weeks" :-) www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...

theguardian.com

The Uprising review – the peasants are revolting in muddled historical epic

Andrew Garfield’s charisma can’t save Paul Greengrass’s grim and depressingly generic period piece

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I met Ronnie at a naturist event this summer, so interesting to listen to her long experience of naturism. Excellent interview as ever by Helen, these podcasts are great.

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Catherine Clarke @cathamclarke.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Come and see me at Frinton Literary Festival on Thursday 22 October, 7.30pm! "As featured on BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week. Discover over 1,000 years of England's history through 25 extraordinary poems." frintonliteraryfestival.littleboxoffice.com/events/170296

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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Reform UK Conference 2026 This is all it will be remembered for.

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Neil Mackay @neilmackay.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Who would ever have thought that the BBC’s political editor would put out a single source claim that was both false and also great propaganda for Reform…

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Yes, I've been liking your pilgrim's progress northwards this summer :-) You've taken a near identical itinerary to me, which has been enjoyable to follow, about one month later than my own trip through Scotland! I also finished with the Border abbeys, and maybe some material for a new book...

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Thanks Anne, and yes the book has some in Lancashire, including Fox's Well on Pendle Hill, the curious Hollinshead Wellhouse in a ruined hall, and the active RC well shrine at Fernyhalgh. Cumbria has a few including St Helen's Well, Great Asby, and St Patrick's Well, Glenridding.

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British Naturism Podcasts @podcast.bn.org.uk · 02/09/2026

Ronnie Belfitt, a lifelong naturist, feels it is important to correct public misconceptions about nudity whenever possible, and that a woman speaking openly about naturism carries far more weight than a man doing the same. Ep. 34 of Women in Focus is out Sat. 5th Sept. 🔊 podfollow.com/womeninfocus

youtube.com

Public nudity is NOT illegal in the UK

YouTube video by Women In Focus

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Catherine Clarke @cathamclarke.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Happy official #paperback publication day to A History of England in 25 Poems! It's been a hectic morning here, with my son's first day at secondary school and more Bayeux Tapestry interviews... Lovely to escape briefly for a celebratory lunch with my favourite girl and raise a glass. Cheers!

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

It contains what is either a lie or an astonishingly inept mistake for a senior political correspondent to make. "No longer are Reform comfortably leading in all the opinion polls". Reform are not leading comfortably in ANY opinion polls now. Last year it hit 35% in polling, but not any more.

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Prune60 @prune602.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

‼️ Russia: “Russians have lost faith in their ability to influence their own lives.” Are you going to do anything about that? 🇷🇺: 👉👈 Then you didn’t “lose” it. You gave it away. ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/09/02/r...

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Catherine Clarke @cathamclarke.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

The final countdown to the paperback of A History of England in 25 Poems, out this Thursday 3 September! I'm especially excited that it actually has the little Penguin on the front cover - and the classic orange spine 🧡🐧. I'd be so grateful for any last pre-orders 🙏 www.penguin.co.uk/books/461263...

Cover of A History of England in 25 Poems by Catherine Clarke, with a design of three birds. A quote from The Times, Books of the Year (Dominic Sandbook): 'Marvellous, brilliantly realised'

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Catherine Clarke @cathamclarke.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

My new article in The Conversation today. The #BayeuxTapestry, 'bromance' and quicksand - what more could you want? Drawing on my barefoot adventures in the Bay of the Mont Saint-Michel this summer... theconversation.com/the-bayeux-t...

theconversation.com

The Bayeux tapestry’s lesser-known tale of bromance: William and Harold were friends before they were enemies

In the tapestry’s early scenes depicting what happened before 1066, William of Normandy and Harold Godwinson helped each other.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Oh god hope you make it... just don't forget to set an alarm!!!

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Will in Bristol (Dine Naked) @dinenaked.co.uk · 23/08/2026

Nice article ❤️

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Ouch, painfully dry even in Cumbria. St Patrick and all the saints need to pray for some rain... albeit they can hold off until you've finished your holiday :-)

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

100 cars in 30 seconds is about twice as many vehicles as a busy three-lane motorway carries at peak. Maybe this is a wind-up, or are there really people so stupid as this?

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Why not add Skyfall, it's better known than a lot of the others and ticks the 'British' box rather decisively.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

I suppose Winchester Cathedral (which was also a monastic church) doesn't count on a technicality of some sort, but it also has a pretty amazing medieval font.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Are many other people naked there? I'm unlikely to go myself, but I have heard a lot about it in naturist circles this year, and have several naturist pals who would probably love it.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

For me in some ways it's the book Salt Path. Not to have a go at Raynor Winn personally, I think she spun a web that actually takes genuine creativity. But it's a truly horrible book, and for the rest of my days I will wonder why so many people loved it.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Ah, the BBC that is famously averse to commissioning and reporting on opinion polls for its news coverage. Yet somehow it feels able to use opinion polls to dictate its most essential editorial policies. That's an interesting contradiction to say the least. I'm glad they said it out loud.

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Just bedding down on the shores of Arran, wild camping at the back of its lovely official nude beach Cleat's Shore. I don't reckon anyone else has visited since I last came in 2010 :-) And this Ailsa Craig thing in the distance... it is genuinely an extinct volcano... as in won't be erupting, yes?

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Nick Mayhew-Smith @nickbpp.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Yes, I really do hate it. All my naturist pics are the kind of thing the BBC could happily put on its website – and indeed some of them are there right now, and have been for years without problem. And yet BlueSky labels them sexually explicit! I think it's almost libellous, and that isn't a joke...

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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

How surprising that this multimillionaire, multi-home owning, MAGA-Putin-crypto-and-fossil-fuel-loving, employment-and-human-rights-hating, rule-dodging, grifting, hypocritical, racist, lying, brexity, corrupt, far-right, moaning, misogynistic “man-of-the-people” has turned out to be so unpopular.

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