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Chalke History Trust
The charity behind the festival’s mission.
The Chalke History Trust was established in May 2012 by the founders of Chalke History Festival to create a charitable entity that would promote the understanding and enjoyment of history.
The founders believe passionately that it is vital for people of all ages to learn about the past in order to understand how it has shaped our modern world and to look to the future with a knowledge of the experience of past generations and the lessons of history.
The Trust’s subsidiary, Chalke History Festivals Limited, operates the UK’s largest festival devoted to history: the Chalke History Festival. The festival takes place annually at the end of June in an area of outstanding natural beauty ten miles west of Salisbury. The festival offers a unique combination of literary festival and living history entertainment including talks, debates, combat re-enactments and interactive experiences
The Chalke History Festival for Schools provides a wide range of activities for schools, designed to inspire, excite and inform young people, whatever stage they have reached in their school history journey. These include living history displays from across time, a field full of historic items and talks by leading historians on curriculum topics relevant to GCSE and A level.
Our Mission
The aim of the Trust is to promote the understanding, education and enjoyment of history and related subjects to people of all ages across the UK.
The Trust fulfils these objectives by:
- Funding the Chalke History Festival.
- Funding the Chalke History Festival for Schools.
- Funding the Schools Chalke History Hub.
- Funding the Chalke History Club.
- Making grants to schools and history societies – enabling projects and visits to history-related sites and events. Find out more below.
Trustees
Our Trustees
- Peter Bell (Chair)
- The Hon David Bernstein
- Trevor Dolby
- Sian Hansen
- Lady Marland
- Tony Pastor
- Shalina Patel
- Tim Sanderson
- Nick Stickland
- Warren Tucker
Projects
The Trust has raised over £200,000 for good causes.
Battlefield Trips
The Chalke History Trust is delighted to have supported numerous battlefield trips to Northern France, during which young people have had the opportunity to learn about the First and Second World Wars in the places they were fought. Schools and groups supported include:
Kingsbere Explorer Scout Unit, Tenbury High Ormiston Academy, Farnborough Spencer Academy, Ingleby Manor Free School, The Suthers School, Ingleby Manor Free School.
Cranborne Chase Landscape Partnership Scheme
The Trust has supported the scheme with grant funding and which has just been awarded Heritage Lottery funding.
The partnership scheme will fund a series of projects aimed at preserving, researching and educating people about the historic Cranborne Chase AONB and in particular the Chalke Valley.
CVHT’s £2.5k grant will be used to part-fund the Champions of the Past project which will conduct c200 new digs and a LiDAR survey in the AONB by training c200 people in a range in archeological skills/activities and also an outreach programme to c4000 school kids across the region to engage them on outcomes of the archaeological digs.
For more information please see CCLP projects roundup and CCLP Map showing the areas they work within.
Secret Spitfires Trust
The Trust awarded £1000 to the Secret Spitfires Trust to assist with the creation of a monument, honouring the hundreds of women and men of Salisbury who built over 2000 Spitfires in total secrecy during the Second World War.
The Trust provided a grant of £795 to Dorothy Lawrence: The Heroine Project Engagement Programme.
The Heroine Project showcased the incredible life of one of the UK’s pioneering female soldier in WWI whose amazing exploits delighted audiences in this innovative theatre production.
The Festival was delighted to support the production by hosting a performance at the 2016 festival.
The Trust’s financial support enabled the community engagement programme to be taken to schools to improve children’s understanding of the role played by women in WWI. Given the success of the programme, the organisers are considering shows across Europe and the USA.
Shapwick School
Shapwick School is a CReSTeD approved, specialist school based in Taunton in Somerset which provides education to c85 children aged 8-19 with significant learning difficulties, including dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia. The Trust has supported the school with a grant of £500 to improve their provision of history education including the funding of a school trip to Fort Nelson and the Army Museum of Flying, a programme of community-based history education talks and a ‘Worst-jobs in History’ themed history day.
GRANT APPLICATIONS
Find out more about how to apply for a Grant from the Chalke History Trust
Applicants should be aware that grants are normally in the range £300 – £2,000.
Applications are invited for funding to support:
- The teaching of history in primary or secondary schools. This could include e.g. costs of visits to festivals, historical sites and battlefields, setting up school history clubs, resourcing libraries.
- The activities of Local History Groups and Societies.
- Education and teaching of the general public in history-related subjects
Your application should contain:
- Full details of the request for grant funding and what the grant will be spent on and the expected outcomes
- All other sources of funds both proposed and confirmed
- Why the funding is required
- How the project will meet the aims and the objective of the Trust
- Full contact details including postal and email addresses and, if applicable, your CV
Please send you applications by email to: [email protected]
Latest News
30th April 2026
Chalke Confidential – an evening of culture and conversation
Experience evenings at the festival with Chalke Confidential - two curated evenings of powerful talks, live performances and fine dining. From global politics to iconic historical figures, this unique programme brings past and present together in an inspiring summer setting.
13th February 2026
Headline speakers already confirmed as dazzling 2026 lineup takes shape
Set in the heart of the stunning Wiltshire countryside, the Chalke History Festival - the UK’s leading celebration of history – will return from 22nd to 28th June 2026to bring the past vividly to life through a rich programme of top-class talks, wide-ranging discussions, striking performances and dynamic living history experiences.
29th May 2025
After Dark Programme – Evenings at Chalke
We have a packed programme of evening events all week at Chalke for you to enjoy including performances, music, talks, fireside chats and more - even regular performances of Shakespeare's Henry V! Plus, with our luxury dining, glamping and camping options, you never need to leave.
