The Chalke History Festival is thrilled to announce award-winning wealth management group Evelyn Partners as its new lead festival partner. This multi-year partnership comes at a crucial time when the financial stability of cultural events across the UK is under scrutiny.

Furious plotting and planning is underway for the 2025 Chalke History Festival to bring you a more exciting, relevant and varied programme than ever before.

Plans for the 2024 Festival are a long way down the line and we’re all very excited about how things are shaping up. We have reached an exciting moment in the history festival’s life and are looking at 2024 as a chance to look afresh at what we do and how and why we do it

Recording from Chalke Valley History Festival 2019. When we think of Winston Churchill we think of the gruff wartime leader with the bulldog features, cigar and hat. It’s hard to imagine he was ever young. But in this talk for all ages, best-selling author and comedian, Charlie Higson will vividly bring the young Winston to life, from when he joined the army aged 20 until he first entered parliament five years later, having fought on three continents and begun his writing career as a war correspondent.

Saturday Preview

Recording from Chalke Valley History Festival 2017. James Holland looks at one of the most iconic moments in Britain’s history. He examines the background to the German attack on the West in May 1940, challenging many of our deeply held perceptions, and explaining why the British evacuation of Dunkirk was, and remains, such a significant event.

Audio from Chalke Valley History Festival 2018. This epic battle was voted Britain’s Greatest Battle in a poll by the National Army Museum, yet few know or understand why this brutal but decisive engagement was so significant. As James Holland reveals in this talk, it deserves greater recognition not just for the extraordinary leadership of General Bill Slim but also for epic heroism and the dogged determination of all those who fought there.

Recorded at Chalke Valley History Festival 2018 Robin Rowland was an officer in Slim’s Fourteenth Army, fighting at the Battle of the Admin Box – the first significant victory against the Japanese – and then at the hell of Kohima and on through the final battles at Meiktila in Burma in 1945. His is an absolutely extraordinary story in which he saw truly terrible things but also witnessed immense courage, tragedy and camaraderie. Here he is in conversation with James Holland.

Audio from Chalke Valley History Festival 2018 with Christopher Lloyd. Christopher Lloyd is a world history author, educationalist and lecturer. He specializes in presenting giant sweeping narratives that aim to create a more natural, interconnected perspective on the past.

Here's James Holland chatting to Al Murray at #CVHF 2018

VIDEO: Coming up on Friday..

Here's Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Harvard Professor, Annette Gordon-Reed Annette Gordon-Reed talking to James Holland about Thomas Jefferson whose actions and ideas — more than those of any of the other Founding Fathers —still divide Americans two centuries later.

Clare Mulley talks to James Holland about the Women Who Flew For Hitler, the only 2 female test pilots in Nazi Germany.

For many, our history panel show is the highlight of the Festival. This video was taken at CVHF 2017 when we had Charlie Higson in the chair and John Sessions, Tracy Borman, Andy Zaltzman and Dan Snow on the panel.

In this Pop Up History talk from CVHF 2017, Alex Langlands talks to James Holland about hay making pre-mechanisation.

Pop Up History talk - James Holland talks to James Rebanks about people's history of landscape and the importance of engaging with the countryside.

Audio from Chalke Valley History Festival for Schools 2017 with James Holland.

The hilarious historical quiz show was back in 2016 at the Chalke Valley History Festival! Tom Holland was in the chair with Ian Hislop and Dr Alice Roberts pitting their wits in a series of all-new rounds and challenges against Charlie Higson and Andrew Roberts.

Dan talks to James about his current work, his love of sharing history knowledge via the internet and his career highlights.

Michael Morpurgo talks to us about writing historical novels and what inspired him to tell the amazing story of Henry Tandey, the most decorated soldier in World War One.

Neil Oliver talks to us about his book, Amazing Tales for Making Men out of Boys and what makes our Festival so special.

James Holland, the Festival’s Programme Director and Co-Chair, lists the talks he’s most looking forward to seeing.

Audio from Jon Snow's talk at Chalke Valley History Festival on Sunday, 29th June.

Notorious broadcaster and journalist Jeremy Paxman discusses with Xander Drury his recent book 'Great Britain's Great War' as well as sharing his thoughts on his role as the 'Grand Inquisitor' and life after leaving Newsnight.

Acclaimed broadcaster, journalist and writer Charles Glass talks about all things Syria, reflecting with Xander Drury on how the conflict has descended into such global crisis whilst also affording some thoughts on what is still to come in the future.

As the action-packed weekend at this year's festival begins to come into sight, Helen Castor and BBC Radio 4's Making History are calling on YOU to join in the debate when Historiansʼ Question Time returns to the Chalke Valley History Festival this Sunday.

Auschwitz survivor Freddie Knoller shares with Xander Drury his amazing story of survival. Knoller fought in the French Resistance  before being betrayed after a failed love affair and was arrested by the Gestapo.  Tortured, he was eventually sent to Auschwitz but survived both that and the Death March of January 1945. Here Knoller reveals how it was his optimistic outlook that pulled him through such unprecedented toils.

Veteran war correspondent and reporter Kate Adie talks on Day One at CVHF 2014, discussing with Xander Drury her glittering career in journalism as well as her latest book 'Fighting on the Homefront: The Legacy of Women in World War One'.

Veteran war correspondent and reporter Kate Adie talks on Day One at CVHF 2014, discussing with Xander Drury her glittering career in journalism as well as her latest book 'Fighting on the Homefront: The Legacy of Women in World War One'.

Xander Drury interviews leading historian and broadcaster Dan Snow on the opening day of Chalke Valley History Festival 2014, speaking on what makes history such an important and special subject as well as sharing his thoughts on D-Day, the World Cup and Twitter.

The Pritzker Literature Award, which includes a medallion, citation, and $100,000 honorarium, recognizes and honours the contributions of a living author for a body of work dedicated to enriching the understanding of military history.

Ancient History Matters More Than Modern History. A recording from the IQ2 Debate at CVHF on 29th June 2013 with Boris Johnson, Tom Holland, Dan Snow and Jeremy Black. Chair: Edward Stourton.

Our very own history quiz show which combines deep historical knowledge with razor-sharp wit. Devised by Justin Pollard (historian and writer of QI), Dan Snow and James Holland, this all-new comedy panel show will see Charlie Higson in the Chair, and two teams that include Ian Hislop, Dan Snow, Neil Oliver and Natalie Haynes. A hysterical historical quiz that will go down in our Festival history as one of the more outrageous and irreverent events we have put on..

Recording from Ian Hislop’s talk, ‘Stiff Upper Lip: An Emotional History of Britain’ for CVHF, Saturday, 29th June 2013

Recording from Justin Pollard’s talk, ‘The Interesting Bits: The History You Might Have Missed' for CVHF, Sunday, 30th June 2013.

This is a transcript of an interview with Historian and broadcaster, James Holland, 22 February 2001..

The last video exclusive interview with actress Joanna Lumley at CVHF13, talking with Xander Drury about her involvement in this year's CVHF writing prize whilst also sharing how it was to work alongside Martin Scorcese and Leonardo DiCaprio in her recent film 'The Wolf of Wall Street'.

Our penultimate video exclusive from this year's festival as Xander Drury talks to writer Charlie Higson about his latest zombie-packed adventure in The Enemy series, his time on 'The Fast Show' and the key to writing thrilling historical fiction.

the secrets behind its unprecedented success and the plans for next year's festival.

Plus clips from the brilliant CVHF Air Show.

An exclusive interview with the award-winning actor Rupert Everett alongside the award-winning playwright Sir Tom Stoppard talking Oscar Wilde with Xander Drury on the last day of CVHF13.

It is already becoming something of a tradition for the Festival to lay on something slightly lighter-hearted on the Friday evening, and so this year CVHF came up with something entirely new: a brand new history quiz show, combining deep historical knowledge with razor-sharp wit.

An exclusive interview with Ian Hislop at CVHF13, discussing with Xander Drury his fascination with Britain's 'Stiff Upper Lip', his 23 years on 'Have I Got News For You' and his take on Boris Johnson's unstoppable rise.

An exclusive interview with eminent historian Michael Wood from Day Five of CVHF13, considering with Xander Drury the secrets behind his glittering career in broadcasting.

An exclusive interview with Scottish historian Neil Oliver at CVHF13, discussing his latest book on the Vikings, the appeal of Scottish history and his stance on Scottish independence.

Exclusively for the CVHF website, Mayor of London Boris Johnson afforded some time ahead of his talk at Chalke Valley History Festival 2013 discussing with Xander Drury

An exclusive interview with CVHF patron Antony Beevor ahead of his talk on Day Four of CVHF13, discussing with Xander Drury the unprecedented success of his best-selling book 'Stalingrad' and his ground-breaking approach to writing history.

Xander Drury interviews leading classicist Tom Holland at the Chalke Valley History Festival 2013, shedding light on his love for cricket, his thoughts on the fall of the Roman Empire and his excitement ahead of debating alongside Boris Johnson on Saturday.

Xander Drury catches up with Charles Moore on Day Three of the Chalke Valley History Festival 2013. As the authorized biographer of Margaret Thatcher, he discusses his approach to the first volume 'Not For Turning' and speculates her place in history.

Click the link below to listen to an interview with Stephen Alford following his talk on the influence of spies and espionage during the reign of Elizabeth I. Interviewer: Xander Drury.

Following his talk on the 'Cockleshell Heroes', Xander Drury caught up with Paddy Ashdown as he discusses his latest book and shares his thoughts on the 2015 General Election and the changes to the history curriculum.

Best of the photos from Day One of Chalke Valley History Festival 2013, with Tom Holland, Laurence Rees and James Holland amongst the speakers taking centre stage. Photos provided by the brilliant John Fry.

Click the link below to listen to a brief conversation with historian Laurence Rees, author of ‘The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler’. Interviewer: Xander Drury

Audio from Ian Hislop's talk at Chalke Valley History Festival on 26th June 2014 Journalist, satirist, comedian and broadcaster Ian Hislop looks at the British capacity to dwell on imagined golden eras in British history. Based on his documentary series for BBC2, he explores the ways in which that national emotional attachment to a romanticised past is used by artists, writers and politicians. Ranging from Dark Age heroism to Victorian Medievalism to 20th century Pastoralism, it will be a backward look at the nature of looking backwards.