Hayley Nolan will join us to discuss her new book 'Notorious', detailing the hidden life of Elizabeth Barton

Notorious

How did a young housemaid manage to catapult herself into the centre of Henry VIII's divorce, going head-to-head with Anne Boleyn? And why was the sordid truth behind her story erased? Historian Hayley Nolan uncovers the secrets of the most astounding tale in Tudor history.

Elizabeth Barton's remarkable rise from poverty to celebrity stunned the Tudor court. As the most notorious influencer of her day, she was adored by the public and had the most formidable Tudor power players under her spell - until she was silenced.

But was the girl a deluded fantasist, a cold-hearted con artist, or was she the victim of her corrupt celebrity managers?

Anne Boleyn certainly thought so, which is why she tried to save the girl who had set out to ruin her.

Hayley Nolan breathes life into a story that has been relegated to the footnotes of history: the dramatic rise and fall of Elizabeth Barton. Her thrilling story is one of prophecy, fame, manipulation and deceit - and shows what's at stake when everything comes crashing down within the confines of the ruthless court of Henry VIII.

Hayley Nolan

Hayley Nolan is a historian, TEDx Speaker, Associate of King’s College London, and is currently at the University of Oxford undertaking her second master’s degree. Her biography Anne Boleyn: 500 Years of Lies was The Independent ‘Book of the Month’ and an Amazon History No1 bestseller. Hayley trained in the archives of the British Library specialising in historical manuscripts and rare books as part of a unique collaboration for her first master’s degree at King’s College London in Early Modern Text and Transmission. Then in 2024 Hayley completed a two-year Associateship of King’s College London, a research-led programme which focussed on theology and London's culture and history, which she passed with two Dean’s Commendations. Between 2024-2025 Hayley was involved in The London Archives research project Switching the Lens, joining the team searching for Londoners of African, Asian and Caribbean heritage in over 800 local parish records between 1538-1837.

Hayley’s history TEDx talk is based on her specialist subject, titled Anne Boleyn and the Art of Making Unpopular Decisions, and is streaming now on TED.com. In 2019 she worked with Houses of Parliament to launch the #BeMoreBoleyn campaign, inspired by her new analysis of Anne Boleyn’s work in government. Now at the University of Oxford, Hayley is conducting an original Tudor research project for an MSt in History.

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