Why aren't there more beautiful places?
Novelist and non-fiction writer Francis Spufford gives the annual Eric Symes Abbott Memorial Lecture.
The built environment is, at least in theory, the result of human choices, and yet the cities and towns known for their beauty are celebrated precisely because they are few and far between. The world contains one Venice, one Florence, one Oxford, one Fatehpur Sikr, one Paris, one Krakow, one San Francisco. Why? What are the conditions of setting and of community and of agreement across time required to produce beauty in its wildly varied forms, and why, given all that variety, does it remain rare?
About the speaker
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Francis Spufford is a writer of nonfiction who has metamorphosed gradually into a novelist over the last decade.
His books include Golden Hill, the recent Nonesuch, and his famously sweary work of Christian apologetics Unapologetic.
He is Professor of Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London and also a Miller Scholar of the Santa Fe Institute for Complexity Science. |
About the lectures
The Eric Symes Abbott Memorial Lectures are given in memory of Dean Eric Symes Abbott (1906-1983), who was at various times Dean of King's College London, Warden of Lincoln Theological College, Warden of Keble College Oxford, and Dean of Westminster.
The Eric Symes Abbott Memorial Fund was endowed after his death by his friends to provide for an annual lecture on spirituality and pastoral theology.
Tickets
Places are free but should be booked in advance via the Eventbrite website.
Access and security
Please have your ticket ready to show our staff (either printed or on your mobile phone).
On your arrival, your bag will be searched and we ask you not to bring any large items with you (for example suitcases, large backpacks or folding bicycles) as these will not be allowed inside and we are unable to store them for you.
The Abbey is committed to creating inclusive and accessible events for all. If you have any access requirements or questions about your visit, please contact us when booking.
Filming and photography
Please note that filming and sound recording are not permitted in the Abbey. See our photography policy for more information.
Francis Spufford portrait: © Antonio Olmo
