Suzannah Lipscomb

Suzannah Lipscomb
Name	Suzannah Lipscomb
Birth date	7 December 1978
Birth place	London, England
Nationality	British
Alma mater	Lincoln College, Oxford (BA, DPhil), University of Cambridge (MPhil)
Occupation	Historian, author, broadcaster, professor
Known for	Tudor and early modern history, television documentaries
Spouse	Jamie Byng

Suzannah Lipscomb is a prominent British historian, author, and broadcaster specializing in the Tudor period and early modern Europe. A professor of history and senior academic leader, she is widely recognized for her accessible scholarship and frequent appearances on television documentaries for major networks like the BBC, Channel 4, and National Geographic. Her work, which includes acclaimed books and public lectures, explores themes of power, religion, gender, and the lived experiences of people in the 16th century.

Early life and education

Born in London, she was educated at Epsom College before reading Modern History at Lincoln College, Oxford, where she graduated with a first-class Bachelor of Arts degree. She then pursued an Master of Philosophy in Renaissance Studies at the University of Cambridge. Returning to Oxford, she completed her Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln College, Oxford, with a thesis on the social and religious history of the French Reformation, supervised by the noted historian David Parrott. Her doctoral research involved extensive work in the Archives nationales in Paris.

Career

Her academic career began with a lectureship at the University of East Anglia, after which she held a research fellowship at the Institute of Historical Research in London. She served as a curator and manager at Hampton Court Palace, a key site of Tudor history, deepening her practical engagement with the period. She later joined New College of the Humanities (now Northeastern University – London) as a senior lecturer and was appointed Professor of History. She has held significant leadership roles, including Head of the Faculty of History and Senior Vice President (Academic) at Northeastern University – London, and was appointed a Canon of Historic Royal Palaces. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Higher Education Academy.

Historical research and publications

Her research focuses on 16th-century France and England, particularly the French Wars of Religion, gender, and the Reformation. Her first book, *The Voices of Nîmes: Women, Sex, and Marriage in Reformation Languedoc*, published by Oxford University Press, used notarial records to explore women's lives. She is the author of the popular history *A Visitor's Companion to Tudor England*, co-written with Historic Royal Palaces. Other notable works include *1536: The Year that Changed Henry VIII* and *The King is Dead: The Last Will and Testament of Henry VIII*. She has also edited several academic volumes, such as *The Voices of the People in Reformation Europe*, and contributes to publications like BBC History Magazine and History Today.

Media and broadcasting

A familiar face on historical television, she has presented and contributed to numerous documentaries. Major series include *Henry VIII and His Six Wives* and *The Great Fire* for Channel 4, *Hidden Killers of the Tudor Home* and *The Stuarts* for the BBC, and *Elizabeth I* for the National Geographic Channel. She co-presented the ITV series *Secrets of the National Trust with Alan Titchmarsh and has appeared on shows like The One Show and Sunday Brunch. She also hosts the popular history podcast *Not Just the Tudors* for History Hit.

Awards and recognition

Her work has garnered several awards, including the Nancy Lyman Roelker Prize from the Sixteenth Century Society and Conference. She was shortlisted for the Historical Writers' Association Non-Fiction Crown. In recognition of her contributions to history and education, she was appointed a Canon of Historic Royal Palaces and is an elected Fellow of both the Royal Historical Society and the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Personal life

She is married to publisher Jamie Byng, the managing director of Canongate Books, and they have two children. The family resides in London and Scotland.

Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:British historians Category:English historians Category:Tudor historians Category:Alumni of Lincoln College, Oxford Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge Category:Academics of the University of East Anglia Category:Female television presenters Category:Writers from London Category:Fellows of the Royal Historical Society