Heads on London Bridge – A Visible Warning of Treason episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 12, 2026 · 9 MIN

Heads on London Bridge – A Visible Warning of Treason

from The Proper British History Podcast: Kings, Queens, Wars, Empire, Politics, Revolutions, Royalty and the Historical Great Britain · host Podily

The episode explores how severed heads were impaled on spikes at the foot of London Bridge from the early 14th century until the late 17th, serving as a visible warning to traitors. Drawing on contemporary accounts, legal texts and recent scholarship, we examine why these grim displays mattered to Londoners, what they reveal about early modern justice, and how modern historians debate their effectiveness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Sep 12, 2026

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Heads on London Bridge – A Visible Warning of Treason

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This episode was published on September 12, 2026.

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