Wessex Week

12/10/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗫 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀
https://wessex-week.org/event/in-the-footsteps-of-the-bards/

𝗧𝘂𝗲 • 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟯 • 𝟲:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺 – 𝟴:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺

Join Malmesbury poet 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗺 for an evening of poetry, storytelling, myth and history, inspired by her book If Stones Could Speak.

Featuring artwork by local artist 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮 𝗔𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻-𝗙𝗲𝗻𝗻 and choral music by 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀, inspired by Olive’s poetry.

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄!

A talk by Olive Malcolm Illustration by Francesca Alden-Fenn Malmesbury poet Olive Malcolm explores the intersection between poetry, storytelling, myth and history, reflecting on how each informs and complements the […]

07/10/2026

06/10/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗫 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗥 🏰

We thought we’d better make sure the King knew about Wessex Week!

So, while visiting Tintagel, we took 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗿 – 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 along to introduce him to the book — and let him know all about our opening event with 𝗗𝗿 𝗔𝗺𝘆 𝗝𝗲𝗳𝗳𝘀, in collaboration with Barn Owl Books

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄!

𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗿 – 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗺𝘆 𝗝𝗲𝗳𝗳𝘀
𝗦𝗮𝘁 • 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬 • 𝟳:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺

https://wessex-week.org/event/arthur-a-new-life-with-amy-jeffs/

02/10/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗫 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲! 👀

With Wessex Week just around the corner, here’s a little game to keep you entertained in the run-up!

Can you spot the connections?

Find the answers — and book your tickets for Wessex Week — on our website:

https://wessex-week.org/events/

26/09/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗫 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆?

https://wessex-week.org/event/who-was-william-of-malmesbury/

𝗙𝗿𝗶 • 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟲 • 𝟳:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺 – 𝟴:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺

What can William of Malmesbury tell us about one of the most famous scenes in the 𝗕𝗮𝘆𝗲𝘂𝘅 𝗧𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆?

In this fascinating talk, 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗠𝗰𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 sheds new light on the relationship between William and the Bayeux Tapestry, revealing a surprising connection between William’s account of 1066 and the iconic scene showing 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗱 with an arrow in his eye.

William was a boy-monk at Malmesbury Abbey who went on to become one of the great historians of medieval England. His writings offer a remarkable window onto the world of the Norman Conquest — and may have more to tell us about the Bayeux Tapestry than you might expect.

Join Tony to discover more about 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆, his extraordinary achievements, and his intriguing connection to one of the most famous images of 1066.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲-up 𝗻𝗼𝘄!

22/09/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗫 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀

https://wessex-week.org/event/first-kings/

𝗦𝗮𝘁 • 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟳 • 𝟳:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺 – 𝟴:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺

Join 𝗔𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗺 for a fascinating journey into the turbulent world of the first kings of England and Norway.

Forget 1066 – England began centuries earlier.

After decades of devastating raids, Viking armies first overwintered in England in 850, opening a century of conflict, rivalry and shifting ambition.

In Norway, Harald Fairhair rose from regional chieftain to become its first king, while in England Alfred the Great preserved Wessex from conquest and laid the foundations for unity. His successors extended that vision, leading to the creation of a single English kingdom after Athelstan’s decisive victory at Brunanburh in 937.

Meanwhile, the struggle for Norway’s throne saw rivalry between Harald’s heirs, with Eric Bloodaxe briefly claiming the Crown before being overthrown by his younger brother Hakon. After fleeing to Britain, Eric was given the throne of York by King Edred, which he held until his violent death in 954. There would be no more kings in York.

This turbulent century saw kings rise and fall amid rivalry, betrayal and open conflict — as England and Norway began to take shape as the countries we know today.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲-𝘂𝗽 𝗻𝗼𝘄!

19/09/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗫 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆?

https://wessex-week.org/event/who-was-william-of-malmesbury/

𝗙𝗿𝗶 • 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟲 • 𝟳:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺 – 𝟴:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺

Join 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗠𝗰𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 for a fascinating look at the life and achievements of 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆 — the Abbey’s most distinguished historian after the Conquest.

William began life as a boy-monk at Malmesbury Abbey before becoming a prolific writer whose work was admired by royalty. Living through a fascinating period of change, he witnessed both the building of Malmesbury Castle and the demolition of the Anglo-Saxon Abbey.

Tony explores the scale of William’s achievements, his personality and the world in which he lived, bringing to life one of the most remarkable figures in Malmesbury’s history.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲-𝘂𝗽 𝗻𝗼𝘄!

14/09/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗫 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗯𝗯𝗲𝘆

https://wessex-week.org/events/

𝗪𝗲𝗱 • 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟰 • 𝟳:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺 – 𝟵:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺

Join 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗠𝗰𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 for a fascinating look at the final decades of monastic life at Malmesbury Abbey, before the Benedictine monks were evicted in December 1539.

Tony explores whether the community was truly in a state of terminal decline in the years leading up to the Dissolution. Although some of the last monks were badly behaved and ill-suited to religious life, many others were highly conscientious and dedicated to their monastic calling.

There are 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱:

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 & 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 — Enjoy a 𝟮-𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 supper at The Old Bell Hotel before the talk. Supper is served at 𝟲:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺, with the bar open from 𝟱:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺.

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 — Join us for the talk from 𝟳:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺 – 𝟵:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺.

And if you’re fascinated by Malmesbury’s history, Tony returns later in the week for another talk on William of Malmesbury, exploring the life and achievements of the Abbey’s most distinguished historian after the Conquest.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲-𝘂𝗽 𝗻𝗼𝘄!

12/09/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗫 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀

https://wessex-week.org/event/in-the-footsteps-of-the-bards/

𝗧𝘂𝗲 • 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟯 • 𝟲:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺 – 𝟴:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺

Join Malmesbury poet 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗺 for an evening of poetry, storytelling, myth and history.

Drawing on her book, 𝗜𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸, Olive explores the purpose of poetry and how the subtle, intentional use of language can shape the way we think about and respond to people, places and events.

The evening will also feature an exhibition of work by local artist 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮 𝗔𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻-𝗙𝗲𝗻𝗻, depicting Malmesbury and its 12th-century abbey, alongside choral music composed for Malmesbury Abbey Choir by organist 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀, inspired by Olive’s poetry.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲-𝘂𝗽 𝗻𝗼𝘄!