Renowned public speaker, journalist and author Simon Jenkins is delivering this year’s 1611 Society Lecture on Europe’s cathedrals which are among the most sensational structures anywhere in the world and among humankind’s greatest creations. He will be joining us in the Great Chamber to talk about Europe’s history and the stories behind these wonders, highlighting the cathedral’s central role in the European imagination. Simon travelled across Europe – from Chartres to York, Cologne to Florence, Toledo to Moscow and Stockholm to Seville researching for his new 2021 book on the subject which illuminates old favourites and highlights new discoveries and which forms the inspiration for the lecture.
Simon Jenkins is a regular contributor to both the Guardian and The Sunday Times, as well as broadcasting for the BBC. His career began at Country Life magazine and continued as a writer for the Times Educational Supplement, the Economist (political editor) and the Sunday Times (books editor). He served on the board of British Rail and London Transport in the 1980s and was Deputy Chairman of English Heritage and a Millennium Commissioner. Simon was Journalist of the Year in 1988 and Columnist of the Year in 1993. He has been Chairman of the National Trust since November 2008, and he continues to foster a great enthusiasm for the architectural heritage of Britain and Europe. His books include numerous works on architecture, the press and politics.
