Here For The History - Who Invented the Weekend?

Have you ever wondered why we get Saturday and Sundays off each week?

Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson try to figure out who invented the weekend.

We got Sunday, then Saturday afternoon.. Then finally the full two days - but how?

We’ll be taking a look at the Medieval period, we’ll introduce you to an important clerk from the Industrial Revolution, and finally a few familiar names will round out the story.

Key Sources

Professor Nicholas Orme
Dr Ilaria Bultrighini
Brad Beaven
BBC Who Do You Think You Are?: Series 13: Sir Ian McKellen

Published on Thursday, 6th August 2026.

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