Seeking Sanctuary
Gone Medieval
History Hit
4.5 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 2 June 2026
⏱️ 66 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Could a medieval church really protect a killer from the law?
From the 40-day asylum of parish churches to the more permanent protections claimed by Westminster Abbey, sanctuary was never simply an escape route, it was a contested space where mercy and authority met.
Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Professor Shannon McSheffrey to uncover the extraordinary history of a medieval institution that could save lives, provoke outrage and expose the uneasy balance between bloodshed, forgiveness and power.
More:
Excommunication in the Middle Ages
A Guide to Medieval Churches
Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | From long-lost Viking ships and kings buried in unexpected places to tales of murder, |
| 0:07.7 | power, faith, and the lives of ordinary people across medieval Europe and beyond. |
| 0:13.2 | Join me, Matt Lewis, Dr. Eleanor Jarniger and some of the world's leading historians, |
| 0:18.0 | as we bring history's most fascinating stories to life only on |
| 0:22.3 | History Hit. With your subscription, you'll unlock hundreds of hours of exclusive documentaries |
| 0:27.2 | with a brand new release every week exploring everything from the ancient world to World War II. |
| 0:33.6 | Just visit historyhit.com forward slash subscribe. |
| 0:41.7 | Hello, I'm Dr. Eleanorianica and welcome to Gone Medieval from History Hit, the podcast that delves into the greatest millennium in human history. |
| 0:51.1 | We uncover the greatest mysteries, the gobsmacking details, and the latest |
| 0:57.0 | groundbreaking research from the Vikings to the Normans, from kings to popes, to the |
| 1:02.6 | Crusades. We delve into the rebellions, plots, and murders that tell us who we really were. |
| 1:10.8 | And how we got here. |
| 1:17.1 | The 30th of November, 1394. |
| 1:21.6 | London. |
| 1:23.2 | The King's Head Tavern near London Bridge is a hive of nighttime activity. |
| 1:29.7 | Friends and strangers press shoulder to shoulder, carousing in the candlelight. |
| 1:35.6 | Among them are three men. |
| 1:38.8 | Herman Stockfish, Nicholas Claibont, and Angela Latteray, who is probably an Italian far from home. |
| 1:47.7 | In an instant, the mood turns. |
| 1:51.7 | A crust of bread flies across the room and strikes a woman in the face. |
| 1:56.7 | It's a small insult. It's almost ridiculous. |
| 2:00.5 | Until it isn't. Angry words flash back and |
... |
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