This evening we were joined by the wonderful Jayne Gifford who presented a marvellous talk for the History Research Seminar at York St John University. Fascinating stuff! I urge you all to read the forthcoming article.

A contender for top journal article title so far this year:

Japan continues to delight. Today I got to travel by Shinkansen 🚅 to Kyoto, which has been a lifetime’s ambition. The views of Mount Fuji 🗻 were spectacular and the mascots have been unparalleled.

Most days, my little cat jumps in front of the TV to indicate that he wants to go to bed or wishes to be fed. Lately, I’ve been catching up on the brilliant new David Attenborough series, #WildIsles , which has created some rather wonderful (if not somewhat fantastical) scenarios.

Film of the day - Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) One of the greatest comedies ever made. Robert Hamer's classic film stars Alec Guinness, Dennis Price, Joan Littlewood and Valerie Hobson. A classic Talking Pictures TV 5pm this afternoon #RobertHamer #AlecGuinness #DennisPrice

Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan.

Woodland walks & wild swimming.

From Salzburg, Austria: a view from the Fortress.

The castle contains the track of one of the oldest operational cable railways in the world, the Reisszug. This was operational as early as 1500. The current Festungsbahn funicular railway was built at the castle in 1892.

Top view from the Charles Bridge as Prague gleams during sunset. #Praha #Czechia #cyclinglife

Writing from the Tower of London, some Elizabethan thoughts on Londoners:

Coffee break! Verona. #Cycling #NorthernItaly #Verona

Monsieur was waiting for me today. Doge’s Palace. #Venezia #DogsofTwittter

Today’s view. #Venezia

Absolutely incredible to see Venice by Kayak. Many thanks to #RealVenetianKayak for providing a magical evening tour of the lagoon. No snaps from the boat but here’s the view from the newly-renovated Ca’ da Mosto, one of the oldest buildings on the Grand Canal, in lieu. #Venezia

Yes, this will do nicely, thank you. #Venezia

Not such a bad place to work from.

Can’t beat a perfect Easter retreat North Yorkshire Moors Railway 🚂

The C13th stained glass of Sainte-Chapelle, in Paris. Completed in 1248 to house Louis IX’s collection of Christian relics. Although some of the glass was lost during the French Revolution, nearly two-thirds of the original glass remains. #Twitterstorians #Paris

The grave of Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), in Père Lachaise #Paris . In 2011 a screen was erected to prevent oils (found in the many lipsticked kisses left by admirers) from disintegrating the stone. One red kiss can still be seen. #twitterstorians #oscarwilde

The ‘historian’s house’, Montmartre, Paris. Once home to Henri Lachouque (1883-1971), a biographer of Napoleon. The French Imperial Eagle can be seen adorning the front of the house. #twitterstorians #history #france