Professor James Clark is Professor of History at the University of Exeter and has published widely on medieval monasteries and their place in the medieval world and he was historical advisor on the BBC TV series Tudor Monastery Farm. His book, The Dissolution of the Monasteries: A New History was published in 2022 to widespread acclaim.

In this conversation, James and I talk about the impact of Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in England, its historical significance, cultural impact, and the common misconceptions surrounding it, how important the role of monasteries were in everyday life, and the gradual impact of their dissolution on local communities, why oversimplified narratives don't appropriately convey the depth of this pivotal moment in English history, and how society, spirituality, and community identity changed.

James was erudite and lucid, even without heavy preparation, lots of His responses came from the heart as well as the head. There were several moments where his answer took me down a thought process I haven't really been down before and it's those moments that you cherish in life.

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