Where Thinking Comes Alive
26 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2025
For one extraordinary weekend, Lichfield Cathedral transforms into a vibrant hub of intellectual exploration and meaningful conversation. Join thought leaders and curious minds as we tackle today's most pressing questions: How do we uncover truth in an age of competing narratives? What does genuine dialogue look like in a polarised world? Drawing on centuries of Cathedral tradition as centres of learning and debate, Enlighten creates space for nourishing talks, nuanced discussion, unexpected connections, and breakthrough insights. Engage directly with influential thinkers, join thought-provoking discussions, and add your voice to conversations that matter. Don't just observe the discourse—be part of it.
Dr Sarah Ogilvie
The Dictionary People
Saturday 27 September | 16:00
What do three murderers, Karl Marx’s daughter, and a vegetarian vicar have in common? They all helped create the Oxford English Dictionary. Begun one hundred years after Samuel Johnson’s celebrated dictionary, the OED has long been associated with elite institutions and Victorian men. But the Dictionary didn’t just belong to the experts; it relied on contributions from members of the public. Sarah Ogilvie, Professor of Language and Lexicography at Oxford, discovers previously untapped archives to tell a people’s history of the OED. Here she reveals, for the first time, the full story of the making of one of the most famous books in the world – and celebrates the extraordinary efforts of the Dictionary People.
Professor of Language and Lexicography at Oxford, Sarah specialises in lexicography, endangered languages, language revitalisation, the history of dictionaries, and the interface of technology with the Social Sciences and Humanities (digital humanities)
Doors open 30 minutes before the talk is due to begin.
No large bags are permitted to enter the talk.
Toilets are available and are located outside of the Cathedral at the Old Stables.
Please be aware that there will be no parking in The Close.
There are 5 accessible parking bays which will be available on a first come basis.