Full Chalke History Festival line up revealed

The full line-up for the 2025 Chalke History Festival has been announced, and tickets are now on sale.

Top historians from around the globe, and the best living history experts in their field, will meet in the glorious setting of the Chalke Valley in Wiltshire from 23rd to 29th June, sharing their vast knowledge and experience with history fans, students and families alike.

Chalke is now firmly cemented into the summer festival calendar as one of the top cultural must-attend events, attracting a wide audience from both home and abroad, and making headlines with its top-level list of VIP names and attendees.

The speaker line-up this year boasts a plethora of household names, including: former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, social media sensation and historian Alice Loxton.

Co-host of the hugely popular podcast The Rest is History and bestselling author Tom Holland, historian and TV presenter Helen Castor, the Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution (Stanford) and author Niall Ferguson.

International bestselling writer Kate Mosse, broadcaster, curator, critic and author William Dalrymple, the UK’s top-selling true crime writer Kate Summerscale, and British designer, writer and Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud.

The festival is also thrilled to welcome back beloved author, TV icon and Monty Python star, Michael Palin, who will be offering a captivating glimpse into a decade of change, challenge, and adventure. Amidst the uncertainty of the 21st century, his insatiable curiosity has driven him through four landmark travel documentaries – Hemingway Adventure, Sahara, Himalaya, and New Europe – confirming his place as one of the nation’s most adored TV travellers. As he talks with warmth and wit about his latest book, There And Back: Diaries 1999-2009, he will reflect on family, fame, and the Pythons, culminating in his greatest new role: a devoted grandfather. 

Elsewhere on the bustling festival site, visitors can immerse themselves in a wide and exciting range of living history talks and activities.

The Time Traveller's 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.

Dame Hilary Mantel redefined historical fiction with her masterful, immersive storytelling in the Wolf Hall trilogy, offering a radically different portrayal of Thomas Cromwell.

On the opening evening at Chalke there will be a panel discussion about the extraordinary legacy left by Mantel led by the renowned historian and broadcaster Tracy Borman, alongside Peter Florence and historical consultant to the TV programme Owen Emmerson, during which the role of historical fiction will be discussed and authenticity in screen adaptations examined.

Later in the week, the acclaimed Director of the two BBC TV Wolf Hall series, Peter Kosminsky, will be talking about his 40+ years of working in television and film.

For the first time entry tickets to the festival now include access to all the talks at no extra charge, so buying a ticket to these incredible events and activities could not be easier. All under 16s are free and student discounted rates are also available.

For more information, visit - https://www.chalkefestival.com/