DESIGNED TO INSPIRE, EXCITE AND INFORM.
Set in the heart of the beautiful Wessex countryside,
there is so much amazing entertainment for all the family.
The Chalke Valley History Festival is an annual event in the last week of June that excites, enthrals, and entertains about the past and how it influences our future.
The festival features a wide range of talks, discussions and debates, plus immersive living history, live music and historical performances and experiences – all designed to promote the understanding of history to all ages.
The festival began in June 2011 on a small scale and as a fundraiser for the local cricket club. Club stalwart and historian James Holland had the idea for a festival but it was James Heneage, founder and former CEO of Ottakar’s bookshops and now historical novelist, who suggested a festival dedicated specifically to history.
Since the festival’s inception, it has grown in size and scope, and now takes place on 70-acre farm over the course of a week in June. The festival blends literary talks, discussions and panels with living history and historical experiences. Around 25,000 people attend each year, with regular customers coming from as far afield as Australia and the US.
All proceeds from the festival are directed to the Chalke Valley History Trust, which promotes the understanding of history to all ages, but especially children.
In addition to the main festival, the Chalke Valley History Festival also hosts the History Festival for Schools, which is designed to promote the understanding of history to students. 2,500 independent and state school students attend each year from all over the UK.
2023 Programme
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With special thanks for the use of their images:
Martin Cook, Ash Mills, Andrew Chorley, Russell Emm, Graham Smith, Elizabeth Perry, Tim Abel, Steve Chick, David Leyland, Stuart Bertie, Inside Wiltshire & Philip Ewen