Prof. Lucy Wooding, Professor of History, Lincoln College, University of Oxford.
Henry VIII’s break with Rome is one of the most famous turning points in British history, yet its religious reality was far messier than traditional narratives suggest. For the annual Graham Searle Lecture, in memory of our former branch Chair and President, Professor Lucy Wooding of Lincoln College, Oxford, will challenge us to rethink the English Reformation. As an acclaimed authority on Tudor religious identity and culture, she will explore how ordinary people experienced this spiritual upheaval. Moving away from top-down political drama, this lecture will illuminate a complex landscape of shifting beliefs, compromise, and resilience, offering a deeply human perspective on a seismic historical transformation.