- Simon Thurley
Dr. Simon Thurley (born 1963) is an academic and architectural historian, and the present
Chief Executive ofEnglish Heritage (since April 2002). His relative youth at taking this post has led him to be dubbed a 'boy wonder '. [ [http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/tpl/mag3/art20021001/htm/int_Thurley.htm ViaMichelin - interview with Simon Thurley] ]Life
Previous to his present role, he was
Inspector of Ancient Monuments for English Heritage (1988 to 1990), Curator ofHistoric Royal Palaces (1989 to 1997) and director of theMuseum of London (1997 to March 2002). He is also a prolific history broadcaster, presenting a history slot onBBC London for 3 years and - in television - presenting "Flying Through Time", Channel Four’s six part series "Lost Buildings of Britain" (Channel 4 ), "The Buildings that Shaped Britain" (Channel 5) and a six-part history of London (Granada ). He has also appeared in other programmes (such asTime Team ) as a 'talking head '.He now lives in
King's Lynn , Norfolk, and grew up inGodmanchester - he feels that it was inevitable he became a historian since "by age seven I was helping out at Roman digs near my home ... and childhood holidays invariably involved ticking off stately homes and cathedrals" [cite news |first=Simon |last=Thurley |title=My hols |url=http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/article687390.ece |work=The Times |date=July 16 2006 |accessdate=2008-02-07 ] . He studied atKimbolton School (1972-1982) and as an undergraduate at Bedford College (1982-1985), before taking his MA in Art History and PhD in "English Royal Palaces 1450-1550" at theCourtauld Institute of Art (1985-1989).Fellowships and other memberships
*Honorary Fellow and Visiting Professor of London Medieval History at
Royal Holloway, University of London
*fellow at theSociety of Antiquaries of London
*fellow at theRoyal Historical Society
*honorary member of theRoyal Institute of British Architects
*President of theLondon and Middlesex Archaeological Society
*president of theHuntingdonshire History Society
*Chairman of theSociety for Court Studies
*serves on the Council ofSt Paul's Cathedral Works
*"Royal Palaces of Tudor England", 1993
*"Whitehall Palace"
*"Hampton Court a Social and Architectural History", 2003
*"Lost Buildings of Britain" (book accompanying the series)Notes
External links
* [http://www.simonthurley.com/ http://www.simonthurley.com/]
* [http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.9071 English Heritage - Our Executive Board]
* [http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/t-z/thurley.html Interview - Channel 4]
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