Markenfield Hall is renowned as a masterpiece of medieval architecture. Enlarged and embellished under royal license in the early fourteenth century, it represented in stone the wealth and influence of its owner, John of Markenfield. But who was John and how did he acquire such power?

In this talk, Paul Dryburgh, Principal Records Specialist at The National Archives, will explore some of the darker episodes in the life of the man who served both as canon of York Minster and, for two years, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, reveal the nefarious strategies John used to protect and extend his familial networks in the North and his position as a senior northern clerk in the service of King Edward II.

Between the reigns of Edward II and Charles I the Scroope family (as it was then spelt) produced an Archbishop, two Bishops, one Lord High Chancellor, two Chief Justices, four Treasurers, five Knights of the Garter, two Earls and 20 Barons.

The family arrived in England with Edward the Confessor, before settling in Wensleydale in C12th. Here the histories of the Scropes and the Markenfields became intertwined through marriage and battle.

Henry VIII is the King who changed most and changed England most as well. The King himself changed from the young, handsome and athletic “virtuous prince”, who was hailed by Thomas More as the liberator of his country, into the grotesquely bloated, brutal tyrant of his maturity, who judicially murdered More, two of his own wives, and hundreds of his subjects.

The change inflicted on England was even greater as, standing his own religion on its head, he broke the kingdom’s thousand-year-old allegiance to Rome, dissolved the monasteries and made himself “Supreme Head on Earth” of the schismatic national Church of England. This lecture, which takes on added resonance from Markenfield’s past as a recusant house, asks why Henry changed and how he got away with revolutionary change he forced on England. And offers radically new and surprising answers.

Journey with us into a world of Imperial glory and power, family rivalry, wars, intrigue and alliances. Bear witness to the story of Russia’s revolutionaries, spies and terrorists. These events reverberate to the present day and much of what happened when the Romanovs ruled Russia continues to set the pattern for the current relationship between the two countries.

ALL PROFITS FROM THE NIGHT’S TALK WILL BE DONATED TO MAD-AID IN AID OF UKRAINIAN REFUGEES.

The Middleham Jewel was found in the 1980s by a metal detectorist and acquired by the Yorkshire Museum in the early 1990s.

Since then, further discoveries and analysis have shed light on its possible meanings as a late medieval jewel with a complex biography which raises intriguing questions about its commission, ownership, use and loss. Kate Giles will share her thoughts, invite further reflections and discuss its potential links to Richard III and his household.

On 22 August 1485, Henry Tudor emerged from the Battle of Bosworth victorious. His disparate army vanquished the forces of Richard III, and yet, all was not well… Nathen Amin looks at the myriad of shadowy conspiracies and murky plots which sought to depose the Tudor usurper early in his reign. Just how close did the Tudors come to overthrow long before the myth of their greatness had taken hold on our public consciousness?

1922 and 1923 were tumultuous years in British politics. Lloyd George was thrown out, and the Conservatives settled into power with a large Commons majority. Baldwin inherited that majority as Prime Minister in May 1923, but then lost it in a snap election later in the year. Some thought that that would be the end of him. In fact, it was the beginning of a long period in which Baldwin dominated the political scene with a clear, beautifully articulated Tory philosophy. In his talk, Alistair Lexden will review the events of 1922-23, and show how Baldwin made the inter-war years a Tory era.

1922 and 1923 were tumultuous years in British politics. Lloyd George was thrown out, and the Conservatives settled into power with a large Commons majority. Baldwin inherited that majority as Prime Minister in May 1923, but then lost it in a snap election later in the year. Some thought that that would be the end of him. In fact, it was the beginning of a long period in which Baldwin dominated the political scene with a clear, beautifully articulated Tory philosophy. In his talk, Alistair Lexden will review the events of 1922-23, and show how Baldwin made the inter-war years a Tory era.

Join us at Holy Trinity Church in Ripon for an evening with one of the few true outdoor legends. For over 30 years Ray Mears has shared his knowledge with those who have sought to learn more about our unique world. The woodsman, author and television presenter has spent the majority of his life learning to be at home in places others describe as hostile. He has met and learnt from Indigenous communities around the world. He also champions the art of Bushcraft in the UK, where he is credited with its revival as a thriving craft. Join us for an evening of stories and film.