The 'Holy Maid of Kent' who prophesied the death of King Henry VIII

By Molly Gorman

Portrait of a Woman by Lucas Cranach the Elder appears on the cover of the 2026 novel
The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton by Jennifer N Brown (Credit: Getty Images)

In the 16th Century, household servant Elizabeth Barton became a celebrated visionary – but when she defied the monarch, she paid the ultimate price with a gruesome end. Was she a charlatan or a brave heroine of the Tudor world?

In a small village in Kent, England in 1525, a household servant named Elizabeth Barton fell dangerously ill. In her delirium, she murmured passages from the Bible. Later, she began slipping into seizure-like trances and uttering religious prophecies. Word quickly spread of her revelations, and people flocked to see this enigmatic young woman.

Warning: This article contains details some readers may find upsetting.

After Barton publicly fell into an hours-long trance which then supposedly healed her of illness, she was declared a "genuine visionary". One eyewitness out of the thousands present said: "Her face was wonderfully disfigured, her tongue hanging out, her eyes being in a manner plucked out."

Barton then entered a small Canterbury nunnery and went on to have an enormous influence in Tudor England. Senior religious figures, noblemen and even King Henry VIII all consulted her. But her prophecies became dangerously political, and led to her tragic downfall. Now a book just out in paperback, Heroines of the Tudor World, re-assesses her significance.

“Everybody took her seriously – whether her visions were real or not, people believed them.” – Sharon Bennett Connolly

Barton's rise in popularity coincided with the Reformation (the split between Catholics and the followers of Protestant reformers), which had arrived in England. By the 1520s, Protestant ideas had spread from mainland Europe. These ideas were critical of the wealth of the Catholic church and challenged the power of the Pope.

It was at the rural Chapel of Our Lady at Court-at-Street in Kent that the young servant Elizabeth Barton claimed a miraculous self-healing (Credit: Alamy)

Many Catholics were worried. "They saw it all as a threat to their way of life, and anything that helped them combat that threat was going to be encouraged," says Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Heroines of the Tudor World. Seeing Barton as a vessel for the word of God, people circulated her revelations widely through both word of mouth for writing. 

”Everybody took her seriously. Whether her visions were real or not, people believed them," Connolly tells the BBC.

Besides her following of ordinary people, the "Holy Maid of Kent" or the "Nun of Kent" as Barton had become known had impressed several monks and prominent religious figures including the king's chief minister Cardinal Wolsey and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Word was then passed on to Sir Thomas More, King Henry's influential lord chancellor. More, upon meeting Barton, said he wished to witness her "great virtue" that he had heard about for "so many years".  

But the lord chancellor later wrote to her with a warning: never to speak of the king or his personal affairs.

Barton went on to enjoy the personal favour of the king, and met with him many times, bonding over their devout Catholicism (Henry remained a Catholic for most of his life). However, Henry's desire to divorce, remarry and produce a male heir went directly against Catholic doctrine. Much of her prophesising was against the break with Rome, and she fervently supported Catherine of Aragon. So much so that Barton wrote to Pope Clement, warning him that there would be a plague if he turned against Catherine.

It was at the rural Chapel of Our Lady at Court-at-Street in Kent that the young servant
Elizabeth Barton claimed a miraculous self-healing (Credit: Alamy)

Senior figures in the Catholic Church believed Barton could influence the king, and "prevent him [from] taking a course of action that horrified them", says Diane Watt, professor of medieval English literature at the University of Surrey in the UK and the author of Women Prophets in Late Medieval and Early Modern England.

A resistance leader

This has led some to argue that the so-called Holy Maid of Kent was nothing more than a puppet for the Catholic Church, and that she was manipulated, says Watt.

"I think that perception of her as a charlatan and puppet figure is really the perception that her enemies wanted us to have. I think that she was an incredibly talented and charismatic woman," Watt tells the BBC. Another interpretation is "to see her as leading the resistance to Henry's divorce and remarriage, rather than to see her simply as a puppet of other people".

In the BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall, Barton was played by Aimee-Ffion Edwards (Credit: BBC)

It's worth bearing in mind that there were several powerful mystics and visionaries in medieval Europe who had the ear of kings and even the Pope. In England, Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe were well-known 15th-Century visionaries, though they didn't reach the same level of popularity as Barton, Watt says. 

This might have been because her prophecies became progressively political, not just moral. "Elizabeth gained importance because she was talking about political matters in a way that other visionaries of the time didn't," says Watt.

Also, she was born a servant, and typically mystics were from a higher social class. "Unless you were a queen or a very exceptional member of the upper classes or aristocracy, women didn't really have a political voice," says Watt. "Mysticism and prophecy, if you had the support of the Church, could give women an opportunity to intervene in political matters." 

Defying the king

And intervene she did. Firstly, she claimed that she had received a revelation from God that Henry would not live for seven months if he married Anne, and then that he would not be king after a month if he married her. She did not specify how or why. ”She was treading a very, very fine line," Connolly says.

It was a courageous move. What was extraordinary, adds Connolly, was "the idea that this young woman… could stand up to a king and tell him that." It was treason to predict the death of a king under the Treason act of 1351.

“A young woman from Kent, with very little education, managed to attract people to her ideas – she showed what common people were thinking at the time.” – Sharon Bennett Connolly

The king and Anne were so worried about the prophecy that in October 1532, on their way to Calais, they visited Barton in Canterbury to try to win her favour. Henry offered to make her an abbess if she were silent on the matter of his marriage, and Anne offered her a position in her household. Barton refused both, to the king's rage  but it didn't stop him marrying Anne in January 1533.

And as the months passed it was clear that the prophecies were not coming true.

The Imposture of the Holy Maid of Kent, an illustration from 1796, depicts Barton in a trance-like state
(Credit: Getty Images)

She was sent to the Tower of London for interrogation by the king's new chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, where she confessed that she had never had a revelation from God. "That's why she still fascinates, because we don't know whether or not she had visions," says Connolly. "If she did [lie], she was very clever, and she fooled an awful lot of people."

Whether she was manipulated or forced into confessing, we will never know, just as we will never know if she was a true prophet.

A gruesome end 

On 20 April 1534.., Barton and six of her loyal supporters, including her confessor Edward Bocking, were executed by hanging and beheading at Tyburn gallows. She was just 28 years old.

Her severed head was then raised on a pike and displayed on the south gate of Old London Bridge. This grisly tradition, practised from around the 1300s to the late 1600s, was a severe and macabre warning to traitors. 

Sir Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell and Guy Fawkes are other famous examples of traitors who had their severed heads displayed. The Holy Maid of Kent, however, is the only woman this is known to have happened to. 

Besides this grim distinction, Barton has real significance, Connolly says. "A young woman from Kent, with very little education, managed to attract people to her ideas. She showed what common people were thinking at the time."

Unfortunately, Barton's side of the story has largely been erased from history. None of her writings, nor her followers' accounts, are known to have survived. Cromwell ensured that 700 copies of a book of her revelations, written by Bocking, were seized after printing and destroyed.

A later pamphlet that was due to be circulated was also destroyed.

Academics hope that one day her revelations will be found, and in fact, a new murder mystery novelimagines a world where a historian makes this groundbreaking discovery.

This is yet to be seen. What we are left with is official state papers by the likes of Cromwell, and the one-sided Protestant view of her, that she was a "charlatan", Watt says.

"That negative view of Barton has really influenced the history books, and that's why she's ended up becoming quite obscure, because very few people wanted to argue her case," she says. "I hope that one day that missing book of revelations by Elizabeth Barton actually does turn up."

Heroines of the Tudor World by Sharon Bennet Connolly is out now in paperback.

First published at BBC, July 30, 2026

The Castle is back: Beloved Australian film coming to the stage after 30 years

‘A celebration of all we love about the Kerrigan family.’

By Smita Kunvarji

Beloved Australian comedy The Castle is heading to the stage, marking 30 years since the film’s original release.

The tale of underdog Darryl Kerrigan’s fight to save his home near Tullamarine Airport became a box office success in 1997.

The movie will now be reimagined as a major new theatrical play, with the film’s original creators returning as writers and producers.

The production will be co-produced by Michael Cassel Group and Working Dog, the team behind the original film.

The companies announced the news on Tuesday, revealing the play will premiere in Melbourne in March 2027.

“THIS ONE’S GOING STRAIGHT TO THE POOL ROOM,” the Instagram announcement said.

“Australia’s most loved film is coming to the stage in a new theatrical play packed with heart, humour, and plenty of Kerrigan charm.”

The tale of underdog Darryl Kerrigan’s fight to save his home near Tullamarine Airport became a box office
success in 1997. Credit: AAP

The Castle has captivated audiences for three decades, with its iconic one-liners becoming firmly embedded in Australian culture.

“Featuring all your favourite scenes and characters from the iconic film, this joyous production introduces new laughs and contemporary references ensuring The Castle will delight new and old fans alike,” the official statement said.

The original Working Dog team of Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro and Jane Kennedy said they had been working on bringing The Castle to the stage for more than 25 years.

“Not just a retelling of the story but a quarter of a century of funny updates!” the joint statement said.

“A celebration of all we love about the Kerrigan family. We wrote this new, fully updated show in the same way that we wrote the film screenplay all those years ago — the four of us in a room trying to make each other laugh.

“Our goal was to capture the warmth and humour (dare we say, ‘the vibe’?) of the original story in a way that will hopefully resonate with new and long-term fans alike.”

Speaking on Sunrise, Rob Sitch revealed what audiences can expect from the original characters and why the casting process has been so seamless.

“When we ask people to come in and do a workshop, they know the film,” Sitch said.

“So we keep thinking we have to direct them and in a weird way, they sort of do it better then I remember directing it.

“So that’s not a problem for us.”

Sitch also joked “fashion has come full-circle” and he wouldn’t be surprised if people were wearing ugg boots and puffer jackets to the opening night.

Producer Michael Cassel said he knew the adaptation had to happen as soon as he was approached with the idea.

“The film miraculously captures the specificities of Australian life and yet feels so universally true,” Cassel said.

“Family love, the challenges change presents, and the warmth and humour and dignity of ordinary people standing up for what matters.”

Challenging time for theatre industry

The announcement comes at a difficult time for Australian theatre, with productions including Waitress, Beetlejuice and Back to the Future all having their tours cut short.

Cassel’s theatre business took a hit in June when it cancelled the Sydney, Perth and Adelaide runs of the Broadway musical Beetlejuice e after advance ticket sales proved insufficient to cover rising operating and transport costs.

Cassel said The Castle is exactly what Australian theatre needs, giving audiences the opportunity to sit together and “feel the laughter, tears and pride in real time”.

“It makes you laugh, and then, before you know it, it makes you cry,” Cassel said.

“That is exactly what live theatre does at its best and why The Castle was always destined for the stage.

“To sit together in a theatre and feel the laughter, tears and pride in real time will be incredibly special.

“I cannot wait to share this story with Australian audiences in a completely new way with our extraordinary creative team.”

First published at 7 News, July 28, 2026

An up-close encounter with giant basking sharks in Ireland

By Camille Berry

(Credit: Alamy)

Basking sharks are one of the world's largest and most elusive fish species. But off the Irish coast, these gentle giants swim so close to the shore you can nearly touch them.

Word quickly spreads along the coast of Ireland each year when the giants arrive. Despite visiting their breeding grounds in County Mayo for more than a decade, I had never seen one myself until I was standing at a dizzying height on a wind-whipped hill on Achill Island.

Shielding my eyes from the Sun's glare, I followed the clear blue water away from Keem Beach and saw two basking sharks lazily cruising just offshore beneath the sweeping cliffs. From the moment I spotted the behemoths swishing through the bay from a distance, I knew I had to see them up close.

Fast-forward a week later and I'm peering over the side of a boat as it putters to a stop. My knuckles grasp the railing, and I steady myself as I lean forward and prepare to come face to fin with one of the world's largest and most elusive sharks.

Keem Beach is one of the best places in Ireland to see basking sharks (Credit: Getty Images)

Each year from April to early July and then again in August and September, hundreds of endangered basking sharks come to Ireland's western and south-western coasts to feast on copepods and plankton blooms so large they can be seen by satellites. In fact, the area from Donegal Bay to County Cork is arguably the best place on Earth to see basking sharks, as these temperate-water titans swim so close to the shore in shallow-water bays that you can almost reach out and touch them.

According to Dr Chelsea Gray, a researcher with the Irish Basking Shark Group (ISBG), "basking sharks are global citizens". But while the animals live in cold waters from Scotland to New Zealand, she notes that "Ireland is really unique in that they come so close to shore", making it easy to spot them from both the land and sea.

Basking sharks are the second-largest fish in the world and just one of three plankton-eating sharks. A closer relative of great whites than its fellow filter feeder, the whale shark, these slow-moving gentle giants can grow up to 10m (33ft). Their name comes from their propensity to swim along the ocean's surface to feed on zooplankton, making them appear to bask in the Sun's rays. As a result, the fish's local Gaelic name is liamhán gréine, or "sun fish".

Since Ireland's shallow coastal shelf attracts zooplankton especially close to its beaches, the island has become the place for travellers seeking a close encounter with the mammoth creatures.

Basking sharks are mammoth, elusive and endangered (Credit: Alamy)

Back from the brink

Basking sharks are longtime visitors to Irish waters. During the 1950s and '60s, Achill Island served as the world’s largest basking shark fishing and processing hub. 

Their one-tonne livers were harvested for oil and used for everything from cosmetics to commercial lubricants and as a medicinal treatment for healing wounds. Their fins were also highly sought after for shark fin soup.

Beyond Irish waters, Norwegian, Japanese, Canadian and other fishermen also hunted the massive fish extensively. As a result, basking sharks were nearly hunted to extinction across the globe by the late 20th Century.

Today, more than 40 years after the last basking shark was caught off Ireland in 1984, their numbers and sightings are up around Ireland. Globally, it's a different story, and as recently as 2018, the shark was added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List.

Ireland's breathtaking coastlines and diverse marine life have made it a popular spot for tourism since 1991, when Ireland became Europe's first recognised whale and dolphin sanctuary. With the steady growth of shark numbers over the last few decades, basking shark tourism has slowly transformed from a niche activity to one of the most memorable experiences visitors can have in Ireland.

An up-close look at giant sharks

Despite the May sunshine, it's breezy on the water as our group sets out on Blacksod Sea Safari’s tour boats along the Mullet Peninsula. I scan the waters as we head further from shore. Pods of dolphins leap between the waves. Gannets dive into the sea. Sometimes you can see minke whales, but we didn't see any on this trip. I'm more keen to spot that rare grey fin, and luck is on my side.

As our guide switches the engine to neutral, it's up to the sun fish to come to us. We wait, breathlessly hoping the giant will approach the vessel. Then all of a sudden, stark grey against the cerulean waters, there it is, easy to spot as it passes 9m (30ft) from the boat. Its tail swishes back and forth, slowly moving in our direction.

 

Measuring about 7m (23ft), the shark appears utterly uninterested in us. It's a marvel that a creature can grow to such an immense size while feeding on organisms too small to see. I've never seen anything like it.

Since 2022, basking sharks have been listed under the Irish Wildlife Act, and it is the only fish species that is illegal to hunt, harm or disturb their feeding and breeding areas in Irish waters. Scientists and conservationists like the researchers at IBSG are working towards codifying a code of conduct into law to add an additional layer of protection for the sharks.

For tour operators, this means maintaining a distance. The code of conduct states boats should avoid approaching the sharks and switch their engines to neutral when within 50m (164ft) of the animals.

Many tour operators report that the sharks appear to approach their boats (Credit: James O'Connor)

"Our priority is not to interfere too much with the animals. We tend to lie way back and let them come to us. If we can intercept their path at a safe distance, sometimes they come up and have a look, then move on," says Paddy Byrne, owner and skipper at Sliabh Liag Boat Trips, which offers basking shark excursions around Donegal's Sliabh Liag Cliffs. "They're wild animals, and we're privileged to see them."

Due to their unpredictable nature, basking shark encounters aren't a given, but even without spotting one, tours often pass by seals, dolphins, seabirds and the occasional minke whale. For those fortunate enough to see the sharks, the experience often stays with them forever. 

"We saw a baby basking shark before we even left the first bay," says Isle of Man resident Izzy Sharpe. Growing up, Sharpe could spot the sharks off the coast of her home, but she says her trip with Blasket Islands Eco Marine Tours in County Kerry proved better than she hoped for. "It was on the way back that suddenly hundreds of basking sharks appeared – every direction you looked in you could see them surfacing. It was incredibly special."

Longtime Achill Island visitor Hazel Keegan recounts how the sharks treated her group to a close-up during their trip. "They ended up just swimming around the boat. We could see the white of the inside of their mouths quite clearly. They constantly kept passing under the boat! Only then did I really understand the length of them."

Basking sharks swim especially close to the shore in Ireland (Credit: Getty Images)

Laura Brown had always wanted to see the basking sharks, and brought her family to Achill Island in the hopes of glimpsing one, but to their great disappointment, none appeared during their sea safari. "Our last day was a glorious sunny day, and we decided to take one last trip to Keem Bay. We looked down into the bay and there were around six to eight basking sharks! My son, his friend, and I raced down to get the stand-up paddle board in the water. They swam underneath us and around us. It was truly magical," she says.  

"We spent the rest of the day at the beach just watching them."

Seeing the basking shark up close from the boat renewed my appreciation for these glorious creatures' immense size, power and beauty. I can only hope we'll meet again here in Ireland.

First published at BBC, July 27, 2026