In the last year, we’ve started filming a video series to bring the history of John Whitgift back to life. Despite being such a prominent figure at the court of Queen Elizabeth I and a personal confidant of the Queen, there is very little written and recorded about Archbishop John Whitgift. Our aim is to use our resources and knowledge to capture the history and legacy of John Whitgift and share it with the wider public.
This month we’ve been filming with Bill Wood, the archivist for John Whitgift Foundation and Whitgift School to further capture the history of the Foundation and Archbishop John Whitgift. The story of the Foundation is one filled with heritage and accomplishment but none of it would be possible without the legacy left behind by John Whitgift.
For the latest set of archive videos, we asked Bill the following questions:
‘In the late 1500’s it was more common for the great and the good to leave a legacy such as a wing of a church or a building rather than the sort of altruistic legacy that Archbishop John Whitgift left for Croydon. Given your understanding of his life, what might have driven this decision and how rare was this?’
‘During a time when England was swaying to and from Catholic to Protestantism, how did Archbishop John Whitgift navigate this difficult path and maintain the favour of Queen Elizabeth I who famously said “I have no desire to make windows into men’s souls.”?’
‘Archbishop John Whitgift started his Croydon Foundation in 1596. What buildings and landmarks from his time still remain in Croydon?’
‘Tell us about the royal visits to Croydon during the time of Archbishop John Whitgift.’
Our team is working hard to edit and finalise these videos. Follow us on social media to be notified when they are released. If you want to find out more about John Whitgift visit our website or visit our YouTube channel to see some of our recent videos with Father Andrew and Bill Wood.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1fQa6bNp6XX4aQD2DEgXYg
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Do you have memories or stories you would like to share about John Whitgift Foundation? We would love to hear from you, please share your experiences by emailing: enquiries@johnwhitgiftfoundation.org
