Ela, Sheriff of Wiltshire | A Medieval Marvel

In 1196, 9-year-old Ela was hidden away in France after becoming the third Countess of Salisbury. After being discovered and brought back to England by a knight who supposedly sang underneath windows to find her, Ela went on to become one of the 13th century's most influential women. As well as being a peeress, Ela’s also known for being the Sheriff of Wiltshire, breaking social norms and defying the intensely patriarchal society she was in. As the King's representative in the county, she would’ve been responsible for upholding the Crown's law and bringing its enemies to justice, supervising the royal lands in the area, and much more. Ela was incredibly powerful, assertive, resolute and devout – she lay the foundation stones for two religious houses, more than 16 miles apart, in a single day. The first was Hinton Priory in Bath, and the second was Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, where less than ten years later, Ela was elected its first abbess. Historian Helen Antrobus with the National Trust heads to Lacock to discover the story behind this medieval marvel. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company. Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos. Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk Production Presenter: Helen Antrobus Producer: Jack Glover-Higgins and Lily Long Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Contributor: Emma Zadeh Discover More https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visi... https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/disc... https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/disc... If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk We protect and care for places so people and nature can thrive. Everyone can get involved, everyone can make a difference. Nature, beauty, history. For everyone, for ever. You can donate to us at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/donate Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @nationaltrustcharity   Find things to do near you: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sear... Follow the Back When on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts https://podfollow.com/back-when Like us on Facebook:   / nationaltrust   Follow us on Instagram:   / nationaltrust   Follow us on TikTok:   / nationaltrust   Follow us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@nationaltrust