The success of Cirencester's very first History Festival

Cirencester History Festival

What an incredible debut for the Cirencester History Festival! With a whopping 99% of tickets sold across the whole programme, it’s safe to say the team believes it has struck a chord.

Over nine action-packed days, history came alive with an amazing lineup of events. From hands-on Gruesome Gargoyle workshops to thought-provoking talks by speakers such as the Max Hastings, Ronald Hutton, Natalie Haynes, and Jonathan Dimbleby, it’s been a whirlwind of knowledge and fun.

Festival president Fiona Reynolds shared her excitement, too.

‘Working in association with Gloucester,’ she says, ‘it was a joy to see Janina Ramirez, President of Gloucester History Festival, open the festival and bring medieval mystical women to life.’

President of Gloucester History Festival, Janina Ramirez, opens the 2024 Cirencester History Festival (Image: Cirencester Camera Club) Exploring the town, festivalgoers wandered through 17 incredible venues, such as the Parish Church, Bingham Hall, the Barn Theatre and the Corinium Museum, soaking up tales of the princes in the tower, rival queens Mary and Elizabeth, and the daring British paras who captured Hitler’s radar in 1942. Festival-goers went down the rabbit hole with Rev Richard Coles, Cat Jarman and Charles Spencer, explored our mystical past with Mary-Ann Ochota via several local archaeological artefacts, discovered why Chedworth Roman Villa’s history is being rewritten, and even took a sneak peek into the historic House of Fraser building – now home to Monastery & Co and The Long Table. It was a fitting ending to have the ‘wrap’ event – Cirencester’s Lost Brewery – at New Brewery Arts on Sunday, November 3.

Professor Ronald Hutton signs books at Cirencester History Festival, November 2024 (Image: Cirencester Camera Club) Festival producer Jess Yarrow was naturally delighted with its success.

‘WOW!,’ she says. ‘What an amazing and exhausting nine days. We’ve welcomed some huge names to Cirencester, and offered a platform to many brilliant local people, too. We’ve learned, we’ve congregated, and we’ve celebrated our wonderful town – it’s been truly incredible.’

‘I’m absolutely thrilled that Charlie Cooper joined us at the last minute to talk about Myth Country,’ adds Fiona. ‘His passion for landscape, folklore and human connection truly resonated with our audience, as did his evident pride in his hometown.

‘Cirencester History Festival has been built on an extraordinary collaboration of more than 30 local organisations,’ she continues, ‘and has community spirit at its core. The positive feedback and goodwill have been quite astonishing, and it’s been wonderful to feel the town buzzing with creative energy, to see shops and cafés full and venues packed. We are so proud of Cirencester.’

And, guess what? Due to this fantastic success, the Cirencester History Festival will return in autumn 2025, so make sure you mark your calendar. To keep up to date, join the mailing list at cirencesterhistoryfestival.org

Cirencester's Barn Theatre was just one of the brilliant venues hosting speakers (Image: Cirencester Camera Club)