Chalke History Festival
Chalke History Festival – create lasting memories with all the family
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from 23rd to 29th June 2025
Attracting the finest and most distinguished historians, academics, leading thinkers, and writers from the UK and abroad, the Chalke History Festival is now firmly established as one of the must-attend events of the festival summer. Taking place on a 70-acre farm, in the heart of the Wessex countryside just outside Salisbury in Wiltshire, it blends inspiring literary talks, discussions and panels with eye-catching and entertaining living history and historical experiences.
With less than five days to go before the start of this year’s Chalke History Festival, the finishing touches have been made to the stellar line-up of VIP names and expert historians who will be travelling to Broad Chalke this summer. It won’t be long before the familiar sounds of canon fire, sword-fighting and screams of delight from the historic fairground ring out across the Chalke Valley, and hordes of fans arrive for their annual fix of historical facts, live entertainment and the best local food and drink in the county. Supported by lead partner Evelyn Partners, Chalke is the place to be to get the summer season really started.
Stellar household names, whose attendance is already confirmed for the 2025 festival, include: Antony Beevor, Tracy Borman, William Dalrymple, Tom Holland, Ian Hislop, Helen Castor, Peter Frankopan, Max Hastings, Kate Mosse, James Holland, Michael Palin, Helen Carr, Anthony Scaramucci, Alice Loxton and Kevin McCloud.
For the first time this year, the festival will be shining a light on the rising stars from the world of history. A new initiative entitled Chalke Introduces will be giving visitors the opportunity to discover for the first time emerging historians, authors, and storytellers who are reshaping how we explore and understand the past. From buried secrets to digital storytelling, this year’s line-up covers a fascinating range of topics – delving into archaeology, royal intrigue, empire, medieval spirituality, and the rich architectural heritage of Britain. More details about this exciting new series of events and about the speakers themselves can be found here.
As always, Chalke is a time when families get together and create lasting memories whilst exploring the wonders of the past, and this year will be no different. At the weekend there will be a plethora of activities to entertain the kids in the Storystock Children’s Tent of Surprises: Horrible Histories legend Martin Brown will be raising more than a few laughs as he discusses the truly terrible history of the toilet; A F Harrold will be presenting his fun-for-all-the-family poetry show; and the hugely popular author Maz Evans will take the audience on a hilarious journey from the Maya Underworld, through Ancient Egypt and all the way to Camelot to find Excalibur and save the world. Wizzo’s Rip-Roaring History returns with a series of spectacular performances, designed to entertain, whatever age you are. Elsewhere, and new for 2025, visitors can step into the medieval apothecaries’ garden and discover how plants have been used through the centuries, from healing cuts and bruises to dyeing fabrics and creating inks.
Elsewhere on the bustling festival site, visitors can immerse themselves in a wide and exciting range of living history talks and activities. The Time Travellers Kitchen will continue to travel through British culinary history, this year stopping in 1940 with the introduction of rationing during the Second World War and preparing food from that period. Professional sailmaker Sarah Liscoe of The Historical Sailmaker will explore the history of sailmaking from the 1400s to 1800s, demonstrating a unique and endangered heritage craft and its role through history. Plus, ticketed experiences such as the hugely popular SOE Training Camp, Tomahawk Axe Throwing, Have-A-Go Archery and Cowboy Circus Skills will keep the whole family entertained for hours. Live music every day will get everyone up on their feet and dancing until the sun goes down, with the line-up including: The Branflakes, The D-Day Darlings, Supersonic Queen, new indie-folk band Good Habits, and Still Moving DJs.
Those fascinated by images of knights on horseback can take themselves back to England in the late Middle Ages and discover the importance of the medieval warhorse with stunning performances by the experts from Historic Equitation. Bringing together the latest archaeological and historical research and their own impressive horsemanship skills, the team will explain where horses were bred and trained, the role they played in medieval society and conflict, and the armour that was used at the time.
On Saturday night, Chalke’s very own comedy history quiz Histrionics will be testing the audience’s historical knowledge as Ian Hislop, Al Murray, Anuvab Pal and Katie Kennedy are put on the spot by master of ceremonies Charlie Higson and endeavour to get their heads round the sometimes impossible, and often ridiculous, questions. Live music will round off the night with the UK’s premier wartime group, The D-Day Darlings - returning to Chalke with their selection of stunning original songs and reimagined arrangements of popular wartime tunes – and a DJ set from Uptown Swing, a specialist in danceable swing, jazz and blues tracks from the 30s and 40s. On Sunday morning, once they have hung up their dancing shoes, festival goers will be treated to history maker Lisa Blair’s incredible story of how she became the fastest person to sail solo, non-stop, and unassisted around Antarctica. Through harrowing tales of survival, she will challenge the audience to face change, navigate fear, and drive global action for a sustainable future.
The Chalke History Festival will take place at Church Bottom, Broad Chalke, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP5 5DP. For more details about the festival, please visit their website at www.chalkefestival.com
Follow all the news on X at @ChalkeFestival, on Instagram at @chalkehistoryfestival, on Bluesky at @chalkefestival.bsky.social and on Facebook.
About Evelyn Partners
We are a multi award-winning wealth management group, with a rich heritage going back 188 years. With £62.7 billion of assets under management (as at 30 September 2024) we are one the largest UK wealth managers, with offices across the UK as well as the Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands.
Our purpose is ‘to place the power of good advice into more hands,’ which we deliver through a range of services. Our expertise includes financial planning and investment management, enabling us to offer clients a truly holistic wealth management service. Through Bestinvest, we also provide an online investment platform and coaching service for investors who prefer to make their own decisions. For further information please visit: www.evelyn.com.