Meet Mark Laynesmith

I'm the Anglican Chaplain and Chaplaincy Team co-ordinator.

I've been ordained since 2002 and trained in Oxford at Ripon College Cuddesdon. Before theology my background was in medieval history having taken a BA and an MA at York, and also a PhD in early medieval church history.

I'm interested in the ways that art, literature, film and social justice intermingle with theology. For fun I brew my own beer, make my own bread and until recently kept bees. I'm married to a freelance medieval historian, and we have two boys.

Our family are long-term attenders of the Greenbelt Festival. I worship and help out with St John and St Stephen's Church. If you're interested in my thoughts I keep a blog here.