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Three investigations from published historian Simon A. Williams. From £4.99. Instant PDF download.
Digital Guides
The history you thought you knew.
The history you thought you knew.
The part they left out.
Three PDF investigations by a published historian. Not a summary. Not a timeline. The argument behind the story.
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Primary sources cited throughout
Most history gives you
dates. We give you reasons.
Each guide is a fully argued historical investigation. Written to the same standard as published books, with primary sources, a full bibliography, and claims you can check. Not a timeline. Not a Wikipedia summary. The argument behind the story.
- The power structures and motives the official record leaves out
- Original analysis drawn from primary sources and historical scholarship
- History read through the lives of ordinary people, not only rulers
- A full bibliography so you can follow the evidence further
- Readable in one sitting. Stays with you considerably longer.
Lancashire, 1612
The Pendle Machine
Ten people were hanged at Pendle Hill in 1612. The official story blamed superstition. This investigation follows the power: the king, the magistrate, the judges, and the clerk who each got exactly what they wanted.
Wales, 1283
Most detailed
The Empire's First Blueprint
The British Empire did not begin with Elizabethan voyagers. In 1283, Edward I solved the problem of permanent colonial control in Wales — and every tool he invented was used again, in Ireland, India, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Medieval Wales
The Truth Behind Welsh Myths and Legends
Welsh fairy stories were never meant for children. This investigation reveals the real function of the Tylwyth Teg, the Coblynau, and the changeling myth — practical tools for survival in a world without modern science or medicine.
England, 1349
The Labour Machine
The Black Death killed half of England's workforce. The survivors demanded better wages, more freedom, and different conditions. The crown's response was the Statute of Labourers — a law designed to put the dead back to work by forcing the living back into their place.
England, 1348–1381
The Price of Survival
The Black Death ended in days. The argument about who paid for it lasted thirty years. This investigation follows the conflict from the plague's arrival in 1348 to the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 — and the men who made that revolt inevitable.
British Isles, 6th–15th c.
The King of Shadows
The greatest king in British history may never have existed at all. This investigation traces the Arthur legend from the silence of the only contemporary source to Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century fabrication — and asks why every age has needed to rewrite him.
These guides are right for you
A good fit if you are...
- ✓ A curious adult who already has some historical knowledge and wants the layer beneath
- ✓ Someone who visits castles, watches documentaries, and suspects the official version leaves something out
- ✓ A reader who wants a rigorous argument, not a list of dates
- ✓ Interested in British history, Welsh history, or the social history of ordinary people
- ✓ Looking for something to read in one sitting that stays with you
Probably not a fit if you want...
- – A basic timeline or chronological summary of events
- – Revision notes or exam preparation material
- – A quick Wikipedia-style overview of a topic
- – Content written at a simplified or introductory level
- – A general interest article with no cited sources
Lancashire, 1612
The Pendle Machine
£5.99
One-time purchase. No subscription.
- Full PDF investigation, instant download
- Premium design. Reads well on any screen.
- Primary sources and full bibliography
- Download and keep forever
Wales, 1283
The Empire's First Blueprint
£6.99
One-time purchase. No subscription.
- Full PDF investigation, instant download
- 9 chapters. Visitor's guide to the Iron Ring castles included
- Premium design. Reads well on any screen.
- Primary sources and full bibliography
- Download and keep forever
Medieval Wales
The Truth Behind Welsh Myths and Legends
£5.99
One-time purchase. No subscription.
- Full PDF investigation, instant download
- 6 chapters covering mythology, folklore, and landscape
- Premium design. Reads well on any screen.
- Primary sources and full bibliography
- Download and keep forever
England, 1349
The Labour Machine
£4.99
One-time purchase. No subscription.
- Full PDF investigation, instant download
- Premium design. Reads well on any screen.
- Primary sources and full bibliography
- Download and keep forever
England, 1348–1381
The Price of Survival
£4.99
One-time purchase. No subscription.
- Full PDF investigation, instant download
- Premium design. Reads well on any screen.
- Primary sources and full bibliography
- Download and keep forever
British Isles, 6th–15th c.
The King of Shadows
£4.99
One-time purchase. No subscription.
- Full PDF investigation, instant download
- 5 chapters tracing the legend from Gildas to Malory
- Premium design. Reads well on any screen.
- Primary sources and full bibliography
- Download and keep forever
Looking for more? Browse the full collection. View all digital guides →
What format are the guides and how do I read them?
Each guide is a PDF. After purchase you receive a download link by email. PDFs open on any device: phone, tablet, desktop, or Kindle. No app required.
Are these suitable for GCSE or A-Level students?
These guides are written for curious adult readers, not for exam preparation. They assume some prior knowledge and present original historical arguments rather than syllabus summaries.
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