Absolute Units
Lo-fi clip-clops and bleats to relax/study to. Welcome to the official podcast of The Museum of English Rural Life. Based at the University of Reading, we explore the past, present and future of the English countryside. Hosted by Joe Vaughan and Dr Ollie Douglas. Chaotic Good.
Podcasting since 2025 • 23 episodes
Absolute Units
Latest Episodes
Rural Britannia (with Ollie Douglas)
Content warning: This episode contains references to antisemitism and prejudice. Listener discretion is advised.---Last episode we talked about the founding year of The Museum of English Rural Life. But what was our signifi...
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51:15
Making The MERL (with Ollie Douglas)
On 1 January 1951, on the same day that the first episode of iconic radio drama The Archers aired on the radio, academics at the University of Reading officially founded The Museum of English Rural Life.What inspired these storied schola...
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53:33
Jane Austen: Verdure, Culture, and Comfort (with Paddy Bullard and Isabel Hughes)
Jane Austen’s novels are classic books of the English countryside. Yet they reveal so much more about English culture, industry and society than simply presenting prettified scenes of village life.In this episode, we're back with Profess...
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52:59
Jane Austen: How to Spot a Wrong'un (with Paddy Bullard and Isabel Hughes)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that every podcast about the history of the English countryside must do an episode on Jane Austen.In the first of two conversations, Joe and Ollie are joined by Professor Paddy Bullard (University o...
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46:50
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