Step into your past today

Step into the Past

Walk in your forebears’ footsteps with Step into the Past, an immersive podcast from Findmypast. Each episode connects the past and present as we take a stroll with Suzannah Lipscomb through places that made history, revealing incredible family stories along the way.

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Professor Suzannah Lipscomb: podcast host

Meet our host

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is an award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster. She is Professor Emerita at the University of Roehampton; Senior Member at St Cross College, Oxford; and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Society of Antiquaries.

She has written and edited seven books, most recently, What is History, Now? with Helen Carr. She has presented history series on the BBC, ITV, and Channel 5, and served as the Chair of Judges for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction 2024.

Series two is here

Step into the Past returned in September for its second series. Join Suzannah as she travels across the country to three more historical places cared for by the National Trust: Calke Abbey in Derbyshire, Avebury Manor in Wiltshire, and Back-to-Backs in Birmingham

Episode one: Craftsmen of Calke Abbey

The first episode of the new season sees Suzannah take a stroll in the grounds of Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. She meets Sandy, whose ancestors worked on the estate for hundreds of years, and together they uncover the key role that Sandy's family members played in Ticknall's local community.

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Episode one's key records

These are the collections that we used to piece together Sandy's fascinating past - discover these records for yourself, and begin making your very own amazing discoveries.

Episode two: Birmingham's Back to Backs

In the second episode of season two, Suzannah meets Jan, whose family history is closely tied to the industrial history of Birmingham’s back-to-back housing. Join Jan and Suzannah as they stroll around the last remaining example of this overcrowded and poor-quality housing, uncovering fascinating family stories along the way.

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Episode two's key records

We used these record sets to uncover Jan’s ancestral story. Explore them for yourself today – you never know what you might find.

Episode three: Agricultural Avebury

For episode three, Suzannah meets Hannah, whose family tree contains a multi-generational story of tenant farming at Avebury Manor in Wiltshire. Join Suzannah and Hannah to discover deeply personal tales of wealth and war as they stroll through the Wiltshire countryside.

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Episode three’s key records

These are the family history records that we used to unlock the stories of Hannah’s ancestors – why not explore them for yourself?

Series one: Here's what you missed

In series one, we got to know host Suzannah Lipscomb (and her ancestors) a little better. We travelled back in time to some of Britain’s best-loved places cared for by the National Trust to uncover the lives of the people who lived and worked there.

Episode one: Suzannah's surprising family story

For the very first episode of Step into the Past, Suzannah Lipscomb delved into her very own family history. Her story took her from London to India to the United States - and the Findmypast team introduced her to some new relatives along the way. Wartime bravery, family tragedy and adventurous ancestors shaped fascinating chapters of Suzannah's past.

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Episode one's key records

These are the records we used to build a bigger picture of Suzannah's past - some of these fascinating collections you won't find anywhere else online.

Episode two: Quarry Bank connections

In collaboration with the National Trust, episode two features David Higginson, whose ancestors lived and worked at one of Britain's greatest industrial heritage sites, Quarry Bank. Suzannah and David amble around Quarry Bank's vast estate and immerse themselves in the sights and sounds his ancestors experienced. Stopping by key places along the way, David learns more about his family's remarkable past.

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Episode two's key records

These are the records we used to piece together David's past - discover these collections for yourself, and begin making your very own amazing discoveries today.

Follow in their footsteps

Use this map to retrace Suzannah and David's footsteps in the breathtaking surroundings of Quarry Bank. Plan your visit and remember to share your strolls with us on social media with #StepIntoThePast.

Learn more about Quarry Bank's history

Episode three: The wonders of Wordsworth House

A family divided. Two divergent paths - rags, and riches. In episode three, Suzannah meets Charlotte, the 4x great-granddaughter of poet William Wordsworth. Exploring Wordsworth House and the surrounding streets in Cockermouth, they retrace the steps of Charlotte's ancestors and discover how two branches of this famous family had very different fates. As the story comes full circle, where will we find the Wordsworth relatives in the 1921 Census?

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Episode three's key records

Our family trees are with secrets and surprises, and the Wordsworth family are no exception. These are the genealogy records that we used to make episode three's discoveries.

Take a walk around Wordsworth House

Starting and ending at Wordsworth House, visit the memorial, church and brewery for yourself. Plan your trip today. We'd love to see where your past takes you. Use #StepIntoThePast on social media to share your journeys.

Discover more Wordsworth House stories