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To tie-in with the 70th Anniversary, James Holland, Co-Chair of the Festival and best-selling author of the acclaimed account of the Dams Raid, will be giving a talk on this most famous of all wartime raids.  Highlighting some of known and lesser-known characters involved, he will explain how this was an even more impressive operation than most people think and will offer a fresh analysis of the far-reaching and devastating effects of the raid.  He also wrote and presented a BAFTA-shortlisted BBC film on the subject and will be giving the after dinner speech at the 70th Anniversary Dinner at RAF Scampton on 17th May, the actual anniversary date. We are delighted to have this additional talk at the special price of £10.

 Sarah Dunant is one of our most widely read and acclaimed historical novelists, and we are thrilled to announce that she will now be giving a talk on the Saturday night of the Festival on the subject of her latest work: the Borgias.  Possibly the most notorious family ever to have lived, the Borgias not only dominated the Papacy but also the Italian Renaissance world of the late15th and early 16th centuries.  In this talk, Sarah Dunant will be sharing her research and insights into this extraordinary family and not least offering new perspectives of that most beautiful but vilified women, Lucrezia Borgia.  Rich in human drama, this will be a thrilling insight into a world of deceit, murder and incest, recounted by one of our master storytellers.  A treat.

We are thrilled to announced that not only will we have a Miles Messenger flying into the  Festival and becoming an exhibit throughout, we will also be visited by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Hurricane on the Saturday, and the Dakota on the Sunday.  The Messenger is owned by Paul Beaver, who has been instrumental in organising the Air Show and securing many of the wonderful aircraft on show.  He plans to fly into the field before the Festival and for his aircraft to then become an exhibit amongst a number of  Second World War vehicles.

The Miles Messenger was used as Field Marshal Montgomery’s personal mount throughout much of his time as Eighth Army and then 21st Army Group Commander – a light aircraft that could land almost anywhere, and which was ideal for ferrying him to both meetings and around the battlefield.

The BBMF Hurricane will be performing a flypast of the Festival at lunchtime on Saturday 29th June, while the Dakota will appear on the Sunday.

The Chalke Valley History Festival is delighted to announce that Charles Moore, award-winning journalist and Lady Thatcher’s authorised biographer, will now be giving a talk about former Prime Minister’s place in history.  Given unprecedented access to former colleagues, friends and enemies, as well as to Lady Thatcher’s own private papers, Charles Moore is supremely well-placed to offer new and fresh perspectives into the life and career of this still divisive but unquestionably significant Prime Minister.

The talk will take place at 5pm on Wednesday, June 26th, and tickets are on sale now.