History & Culture
The Questioning of Eleanor Rykener
The London Archives · 40 Northampton Rd, London EC1R 0HB, United Kingdom
10 September 2026
Free
This 1395 record of a London court questioning Eleanor Rykener, who lived and worked as a woman, is the oldest document in the archive to speak directly to LGBTQ+ history. Six centuries on, the case is still more mystery than history, which might be the most honest thing about it.
The Questioning of Eleanor Rykener
The London Archives