From Florence to Forde Abbey: How the Renaissance Reached the West Country
Connor Payne
- Regions:
- England, Wales
- Notice Period:
- Regular (more than one month's notice)
- Type:
- History, Politics, Education
- Fee:
- Paid: £350 + Travel Expenses for a 75 minute talk
- Category:
- History
- Updated:
- 7th July 2026
- Tagged:
This talk follows the journey of the Renaissance from the noisy streets of Florence to the quiet walls of Forde Abbey in Somerset.
It begins in Florence: a city of bankers, artists, poets, politicians, scandals and rival families. This was the world of Dante, Brunelleschi, the Medici, Botticelli, Leonardo and Michelangelo — people who changed the way Europe thought about art, power, faith, beauty and human ambition.
But the Renaissance did not stay in Italy. Through trade, books, diplomacy, religion, war, travel and patronage, its ideas moved north. They reached the courts of kings, the libraries of scholars, the homes of the wealthy, and eventually places far from Florence — including the West Country.
Forde Abbey becomes the end point of the story: a former monastery turned grand country house, shaped by the same wider forces that changed Europe. It shows how big ideas travel, settle, and leave their mark in unexpected places.
The talk is not just about paintings and architecture. It is about people: ambition, rivalry, exile, corruption, faith, betrayal, vanity and survival. It looks at the Renaissance as a messy, dramatic and very human story… not a neat museum label.
By the end, the audience will see Forde Abbey not as an isolated historic house, but as part of a much larger European story stretching back to Florence.
Views: 15 | Enquiries: 0About Connor Payne
Connor Payne is a Somerset councillor, political organiser, educator and public speaker from Chard, Somerset. Elected to Somerset Council in 2022 to represent Chard South, he entered public life at a young age and quickly developed a reputation for energy, plain speaking and a strong interest in local identity, public services and the future of market towns.
His council work has covered areas including economic development, infrastructure, road conditions, flood resilience, local government finance and community renewal. He has also served in senior opposition roles, including work on economy, corporate resources and scrutiny, giving him a practical understanding of how local government works — and where it needs to improve.
Connor is also Chairman of Yeovil Constituency Conservative Association, where he has been involved in campaigning, membership engagement, political organisation and local leadership. His politics are rooted in place: the belief that towns and villages need pride, competence, investment and a clear sense of direction.
Alongside politics, Connor works in education as a Cover Supervisor and unqualified history teacher at Holyrood Academy. Teaching has shaped his communication style: direct, engaging and built around storytelling. He believes history should feel alive, not like a list of dates.
As a speaker, Connor brings together history, politics and place. He is especially interested in the Renaissance, Italy, civic culture and how great European ideas reached local communities in England. His talk, From Florence to Forde Abbey, explores how the Renaissance moved from Florence to the West Country through art, power, religion, books, patronage and ambition.
Connor’s speaking style is warm, energetic and human. He enjoys the drama behind history: the rivalries, scandals, betrayals, ideas and personalities that shaped the world we live in. His talks are designed to be serious without being dry, entertaining without being shallow, and rooted in the belief that local places are part of much larger stories.
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