Meet the team

Anthony Musson

Professor Anthony Musson joined Historic Royal Palaces in 2018 to lead and foster a distinctive vision for the charity’s research into historic palaces, diverse communities, landscapes and collections. He read history and music at King’s College, Cambridge, where he was a choral scholar, having formerly been a chorister at Westminster Abbey.

He has published extensively on legal, political and visual culture and led funded projects on ‘Law and Image: Representations of Justice, 1200-1500’ (British Academy), ‘Lawyers in Society, 1258-1558’ (ESCR) and ‘The Medieval Court of Chivalry’ (Leverhulme). He is editor with JPD Cooper of Royal Journeys in Early Modern Europe (Routledge, 2022).

John Cooper

My research focuses on royal propaganda, palaces and politics during the sixteenth century, so the progresses of Henry VIII are a natural next step for me. I began my career examining the relationship between the centre and the localities of the Tudor state, and how propaganda and prayer strengthened those ties. More recently I led the AHRC-funded ‘St Stephen’s Chapel’ project, which explored the medieval royal chapel in the Palace of Westminster which became the first House of Commons in 1548. For me, ‘Henry VIII on Tour’ is an opportunity to draw those strands together.

When not working on this project I teach Tudor history at York, supervise PhD students, publish books and articles, and give public lectures. Acting as a historical consultant to the BBC and Starz has given me the chance to translate my research for a mass audience. I am also actively involved with the Society of Antiquaries of London, which has sixteenth-century origins and is a partner in this project.

Kate Giles

Kate is a building historian and archaeologist with a particular interest in the study of late medieval and early modern communal and public buildings. She specialises in the study of guildhalls and has led major projects on examples in York, Boston and Stratford upon Avon. She has a particular passion for churches and has recently published a major study of the wall paintings of Pickering Church (North Yorkshire).

As Co-Director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity & Culture, Kate works with national, regional and local organisations to find creative ways of sustaining and sharing their heritage with others.

Magnus Williamson

Magnus Williamson’s research focuses upon music 1350-1650, particularly upon institutions, sources (manuscript and printed), keyboard playing, improvisation, and editing. He has also published on the use of performance, improvisation and composition to bridge the gap between historical evidence (usually documents) and historic events.

He has been Principal Investigator on various UKRI-funded projects, including Tudor Partbooks (AHRC, 2014-17). He is currently co-investigator of several research collaborations: Bee-ing Human (Leverhulme Trust, 2022-25), Aural Histories (AHRC, 2022-25), and Henry VIII on Tour (AHRC, 2022-25). He is Chairman of the British Academy series, Early English Church Music.

Louise Hampson

Kirsty Wright

My research focuses on early modern architecture, politics and government. I completed my PhD at the University of York on the Exchequer of Receipt in the Palace of Westminster, which explored the relationship between institutional development and the architecture of the palace. My previous research projects focused on the architectural impacts of the dissolution of the monasteries and the post-Reformation adaptation of sacred space and processional culture. I am particularly interested in place-based research as a means to understand the historic built environment and to connect people with heritage.

Keely Hayes-Davies

Patrick Gibbs

Patrick Gibbs is Head of Technology at Heritage360, Universiry of York. His expertise ranges from web design and mobile technologies through to 3D visualisation, photography and digital visitor engagement. He also teaches user experience design at the University of York.

Patrick is interested in how digital technologies can help visitors to museums, heritage sites and historic cities better understand and enjoy their surroundings.

James Osborn

James Osborn is the Digital Technology Specialist at Heritage360. He started his career as an archaeologist after studying at Bournemouth University. After completing further studies at the University of York he specialised in 3D visualisation.

James is interested in how 3D visualisations can enhance user experience and can be used as an analytical tool by academics and practitioners.

Laura Oxford

Laura is the Centre Administrator for Heritage360. She supports the day-to-day running of the office, manages the Centre social media accounts and helps with finances and procurement. She is providing research support on the Henry on Tour project.

Ensemble Pro Victoria

Ensemble Pro Victoria is one of the Britain’s ‘finest young early music ensembles’ (Early Music Review) and ‘a force for original thinking, daringly and triumphantly realised’ (Choir & Organ). Founded at Cambridge in 2015, EPV is a pioneer in combining high-level performance with the latest research.

Under their director Toby Ward, EPV won joint-first prize at the London International Festival of Early Music Young Ensemble Competition (2020).  Their Gramophone award-nominated debut recording, Robert Fayrfax: Music for Tudor Kings and Queens, was released by Delphian in 2021. Their second album, Tudor Music Afterlives (Delphian, 2022) includes new polyphonic reconstructions. In 2023, EPV make the premiere recording of music by Francisco Garro of Lisbon (d. 1623).