Recording of CCT Annual Lecture, with Dan Jones

Join bestselling historian and broadcaster Dan Jones for an exclusive recording of a lecture exploring the remarkable life and legacy of Henry V — warrior king, military commander, and one of England’s most iconic monarchs.

Originally filmed live from Southwark Cathedral as part of the Churches Conservation Trust’s Annual Lecture series, this event brings history and heritage together in an evening of compelling storytelling. Dan Jones will delve into the dramatic events of Henry V’s reign — from the legendary Battle of Agincourt to the cultural and religious world he inhabited, shaped by faith, ritual, and the enduring presence of the parish church.

As England’s national charity caring for historic churches at risk, the CCT preserves sites that would have been familiar in Henry’s time — many still adorned with exquisite medieval wall paintings.

This event is kindly supported by Dean and Chapter of Southwark Cathedral. All proceeds from this event will go directly back to our charitable work, caring for over 350 historic churches across England. 

Please note that access the recording of this lecture will be given within 3working days of the ticket being purchased.

When access is given, you will receive an email with on how to view the lecture. Access will be given to the email address used to purchase the ticket. 

The lecture will be available to view through our award winning platform, CCTdigital, an unlimited number of times, until 17 February 2026.

For any questions, please email supporters@thecct.org.uk. 

Welcome speech by the Very Rev’d Dr Mark Oakley, Dean of Southwark. Formerly Dean of St John’s College, Cambridge, and Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral, he is an author of several books on poetry and theology. 

He was awarded the international Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing, and the Lanfranc Award by the Archbishop of Canterbury for education and scholarship. He has worked at the Actors’ Church in Covent Garden as Rector and has a strong interest in theatre. He is also Patron for Tell Mama, monitoring Islamophobic hate crime, and Ambassador for Stop Hate UK.

Guest lecturer Dan Jones is a historian, broadcaster, and award-winning journalist whose books have sold over two million copies worldwide. His notable works include The Plantagenets, The Templars, Powers and Thrones, and Henry V. Jones has authored books on the Peasants’ Revolt and Magna Carta and co-authored several titles with Marina Amaral. 

His fiction includes the Essex Dogs trilogy, with the first book recognised as a BBC History 2022 Book of the Year. Jones has created numerous TV series, including ‘Secrets of Great British Castles’. He is the writer and host of the Sony Music podcast 'This Is History'. For a decade he was a columnist at the London Evening Standard. Jones is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Trustee of Historic Royal Palaces.

Chaired by Victoria Jenner, an art historian, presenter, and podcaster with a special interest in bringing history to life through storytelling. Vikki works as an Interpretation Producer at the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, and is an incoming PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh, where her research focuses on nineteenth-century women’s history, architecture, and patronage.

Since 2022, Vikki has been a key presenter for CCT Digital, the Trust’s award-winning online heritage platform, where she has conducted and chaired more than 85 interviews with leading historians, experts, clergy, volunteers, and community groups across the UK. She is also the creator and host of Nights in the Nave, the Trust’s champing podcast, which documents the unique experience of sleeping overnight in historic CCT churches.