Medieval warhorses ‘no bigger than modern ponies’

A study has found that medieval warhorses were no bigger than modern-day ponies. Archaeologists and historians examined the bones of about 2,000 horses dating from the fourth to 17th centuries, as well as combing historical records and fictional stories. “It turns out that things are not quite as they have usually been portrayed,” said Professor Alan Outram of the University of Exeter’s archaeology department. “Most medieval horses are surprisingly small.”

Card arrives addressed to ‘Bishop and sexy wife’

A Church of England bishop was surprised when Royal Mail delivered a card addressed to “The Lord Bishop and his sexy wife”. Dr John Inge, the Bishop of Worcester, said: “It was from someone I know and when they asked my address, I said ‘just send it to the Bishop of Worcester and his sexy wife’. I wasn’t expecting the instructions to be followed. I was very impressed by Royal Mail when the letter arrived.”

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Roman dual carriageway unearthed

A Roman “dual carriageway” has been discovered by archaeologists along with the remains of an ancient British boom town. Excavation work for HS2 uncovered the remains of a 26-acre settlement near Chipping Warden in Northamptonshire, which reveals signs of town planning in Britain more than 1,700 years ago. Jim McKeon, the Museum of London Archaeology project manager, said the evidence showed “clever town planning” by locals.