3:00pm - 3:45pm

There has always been a link between text and textiles. From the roots of the words themselves, through ancient stories of Norns weaving the fates of men, to fairy tales about cursed spinning wheels…

3:00pm - 3:30pm

Join award-winning Surrey poet Kitty Coles for eerie and evocative poems which use folklore and myths to explore themes of loss, longing and transformation. 

2:45pm - 3:30pm

Scholar-practitioner Nicole DeRushie pieces together the puzzle of late-prehistoric clothing in northern and western Europe. Listen to the story behind the best-selling book, and learn how lessons from the distant past can help us improve our lives and our relationship with nature today.

2:30pm - 3:30pm

Ticketed Workshop - Join critically acclaimed fantasy author Anna Smith Spark exploring how descriptions of setting, daily life, and sensory detail can shape magical fantasy worlds!

2:00pm - 2:45pm

Award-winning author Elodie Harper joins us to discuss her new novel Boudicca’s Daughter reimagining the powerful, complex women of Britain’s past.

11:45am - 12:15pm

A reading of 'Three Charms', a poetic sequence that responds to three objects from the Pit Rivers Museum collection of folk magic talismans and amulets.

1:30pm - 2:30pm

In this talk, Zakiya will speak to how she uses archaeology, myth and memory to craft immersive narratives that balance accuracy with imagination.

1:30pm - 2:30pm

In this session we’ll discuss the importance of place in fiction-writing, addressing such matters as factual research, remembered and imagined spaces and the creation of atmosphere.

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Ticketed Workshop for kids and adults - Caroline Lawrence, author of over 45 books, including The Roman Mysteries and The Roman Quests – shares her tips for writing plot, character and setting!

12:30pm - 1:30pm

How does history lie at the heart of fantasy? Bestselling authors Lucy Holland and Samantha Shannon sit down for a conversation about how exactly real-world history and legends lay the foundations for exhilarating fantasy reads.

In this talk, Conn will discuss the Emperor Nero, the historical sources he uses to help reconstruct such an iconic character for modern readers, and how to craft compelling historical fiction.

11:30am - 12:30pm

Drawing on the stories in her new nature memoir, Land Beneath the Waves, Nic explores how learning about the past can help us reconnect with nature, landscape and ourselves. 

11:00am - 12:00pm

Join author Shauna Lawless to discuss the impact of mythology on the Irish Brehon laws and medieval way of life, movement to folklore, and then how it's impacted modern life and literature.

10:30am - 12:30pm

Ticketed Workshop - Join illustrator Hester Aspland and printmaker Amy Hunter in a Saxon meadhall to learn how to carve into lino, print and customise your own folkloric bookmark!