A vicar's son who has become "the most important historian of Christianity in the UK today" has received an honorary doctorate.

Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch, moved to Suffolk nearly 70 years ago at the age of four, where his father was rector of Wetherden and vicar of Haughley.

In a ceremony at the University of Suffolk on Saturday evening, Prof MacCulloch described his honorary doctorate as “a very touching honour”, paying tribute to the achievements of the University of Suffolk since its formation.

He said: “I look back on my years in Suffolk with enormous affection – this is home.

“My interests started with Suffolk – the very first book I published was on Tudor Suffolk, but they have rather expanded since then to the entire world.”

rofessor MacCulloch moved to Suffolk nearly 70 years ago at the age of fourProfessor MacCulloch moved to Suffolk nearly 70 years ago at the age of four (Image: University of Suffolk/Gregg Brown) His work exploring the history of Christianity included several BBC documentaries, while his books have also won a host of prizes, including the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the British Academy Book Prize and the Cundill Prize in History among others.

Over the years, Professor MacCulloch, who was knighted in 2012 for his services to scholarship, has maintained an interest in Suffolk, which has included a role on the Council of the Suffolk Records Society, and serving as President of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology from 2011 to 2019.

Over the last few years, Prof MacCulloch has been a patron of the Wolsey 550 campaign celebrating the Cardinal’s work in Ipswich.

“It’s very good Ipswich is remembering Wolsey, who did so much for it and would have done more if he had not come to a slightly sticky end,” Prof MacCulloch said.

During his speech he told graduating students to “be the best you can and remember this day because it is one of the big days in your history”.

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna is also among this year's honorary doctorate recipients, in addition to Boshor Ali, Mike Read MBE, and Professor David Croisdale-Appleby OBE.

Thousands of students from the University of Suffolk will also celebrate graduating this week.