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.  

Skip to courses

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. 

Please enter your postcode

In order for us to give you accurate results for your courses, please click on the Search options and enter your postcode and the mile radius for your search.

Refine search

How you'll learn

Your location

Please enter your postcode

In order for us to give you accurate results for your courses, please enter your postcode and the mile radius for your search.

Sort by start date

Choose to sort the course start date in ascending order (furthest away dates first) or descending (most recent dates first)

Results per page

Days

Other Filters

Part of day
Level of study
Availability
Search for the branch name/location, without adding branch e.g. Barnet

History: Why Do We Say That?

Join this engaging course that delves into the captivating history and evolution of idioms, expressions, and accents in (British) English. Explore both newer and older accents while uncovering the origins of everyday idioms and literary expressions. The course will also look at slang and secret languages that have evolved over time. This is course is open to beginners and those with prior knowledge of the subject. Taking place online, over the course of six weeks, with access to presentations and discussions even after each session.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 29/11/2023 -
Wed 17/01/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Tutor:
Janet Wilson
Course code:
Q00009336
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
In progress
Fee range
Free to £40.80

Care 2 Make a Nice Cup of Tea – The History of Tea and Tea Drinking

A course for carers, former carers and the cared for. Join me to find out about history of tea and tea drinking, we'll find out where we got our love of tea and the traditions that surround it. Tea has helped to shape our social traditions , support the rise of the British Empire and contributed to the mighty momentum of the industrial revolution

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 04/12/2023 -
Mon 04/12/2023
Times:
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Alison Warren
Course code:
Q00012159
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

History: The Vikings in Britain

An illustrated day school covering the three centuries when the Vikings raided and subsequently settled in Anglo-Saxon Britain 

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 07/12/2023 -
Thu 07/12/2023
Times:
10:00am - 3:30pm
Duration:
2 sessions
Location:
St Lawrence Parish Rooms (Winchester)
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LH
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00009220
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
3 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £35.00

History: Masks, Mumming and Merriment: Medieval Christmas Plays and Theatre

The twelve days of Christmas was an important holiday for ordinary people in the middle ages, a time full of merriment, feasting and entertainment. Alongside eating, drinking, singing and dancing, watching a play was a popular Christmas pastime and this one-off session will explore what these plays were like. We will focus on three very different plays and will discuss what the plays were about, how and where they were staged, and who would have been watching them. Warning- you may encounter stage devils, references to bare bottoms, and maybe even a very rude song in Latin!

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 13/12/2023 -
Wed 13/12/2023
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Kate Jewell
Course code:
Q00012476
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.40

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),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

History: Christmas Food Through the Ages

Have you ever wondered about the history behind the ‘traditional’ Christmas dinner? How did the Turkey get its name? Why does a “mincemeat” pie contain no minced meat? Why do we pull a cracker?  Join us on this interesting online taster, where we will look at Christmas food through the ages, the traditions that lie behind it, and how it has changed, along with a few recipes that you may (or may not) want to try. This short session is an extract from the 10-week "Cookery through the Ages" course which will run in 2024. 

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 19/12/2023 -
Tue 19/12/2023
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Jane Williams
Course code:
Q00011985
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
Fee range
Free to £7.40

History: Mythology of the Winter Sky

Do you find the Festive season challenging or lonely? Perhaps you need a break from all the noise and build up that surrounds Christmas and you just need to press pause, take a breath and relax. Give yourself some ‘me’ time, take a break for a little while and join WEA tutor Jane Williams, where she will explore the myths behind well-known constellations of the winter sky, such as Orion the Hunter, the Seven Sisters, and the Great Bear and much more.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 21/12/2023 -
Thu 21/12/2023
Times:
5:00pm - 6:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Jane Williams
Course code:
Q00012522
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
1 place remaining
Status:
Waiting list (Join waiting list)
Fee:
Free

History: The 12 lunches of Christmas

If you find the Festive season challenging or lonely, or you just need to have a break from all the chaos and the bad TV, join tutor Jane Williams, who will break up Christmas Day with this fun and interesting look at the 12 days of Christmas Carol. She will go through each of the gifts given on each of the Twelve Days, according to the carol, and see how one might celebrate them in food. So join Jane on the 25th of December for this one off online session.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 25/12/2023 -
Mon 25/12/2023
Times:
5:00pm - 6:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Jane Williams
Course code:
Q00012529
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £5.55

History: Important Cooks and Cookbooks You've Never Heard Of

The history of cookbooks is almost as old as cooking. This course will take 10 significant cookbooks and their cooks to explore and discuss what they bring to culinary history and what have they to teach us today. If, like me, you tune in each week to watch the latest offerings from the full range of television cooks and buy the books that inevitably accompany them, you may have wondered where the idea of a book full of recipes to be followed comes from. In fact there is a long tradition in English writing of writing about food and domestic matters which stretches back before Mrs Beaton.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 02/01/2024 -
Tue 12/03/2024
Times:
10:00am - 11:30am
Duration:
10 sessions
Tutor:
Alison Warren
Course code:
Q00010103
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £55.50

History: Irish History

This first of two courses traces events from medieval times up to 1847 from Strongbow to O’Connell. We discuss the nature of medieval Ireland and its kingdoms and trace the gradual involvement of England in Irish affairs through conquest, plantation and finally union. We also discuss Irish resistance in all its variety as well as cultural, economic and social issues.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 08/01/2024 -
Mon 18/03/2024
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Laurie Johnston
Course code:
Q00012164
How you'll learn:
In venue
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £74.00

History: Power and the People – based on the GSCE History syllabus

Based on a topic in the school GCSE History syllabus, Power and the People looks at a historical theme over a period of about a thousand years to give us an insight into the way political power has been understood and shared in Britain. We will explore how rights and freedoms we take for granted have been debated and fought for in the past – and perhaps how we need to defend them, not take them for granted. We will look at how a longitudinal study of this type fits into the school syllabus and gain an insight into the teaching of history today.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 08/01/2024 -
Mon 18/03/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Tutor:
Katherine Croft
Course code:
Q00012657
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00