Sudeley’s history spans over 1000 years and we’re delighted to be unlocking the past with three days of talks, drop-in interactive sessions, bespoke tours and special events from knowledgeable experts designated to enliven and enrich the many and varied stories threaded into the castle and gardens.
With a mix of free events running throughout normal visitor opening hours as well as special evening events when you can experience Sudeley in a different light, History Weekend will feature popular periods such as the Tudors, English Civil War, Georgians and Victorians - with plenty of surprising details!
Find out more about what’s on below.
Please note more events coming soon!
Meet the Archivist FREE
Derek Maddock, Sudeley Castle’s very own archivist, will be offering visitors a chance to investigate original historical documents showcasing Sudeley's past.
When & where:
Friday 26th & Saturday 27th June, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30 & 15:30, The Badger Room (accessed via the exhibitions area ground floor)
Alison Weir: The Boleyn Secret £25pp
Author and historian Alison Weir returns to Sudeley Castle to give a talk on her most recent publication The Boleyn Secret. Tickets are £25 per person and include an arrival drink hosted by Lady Ashcombe, chatelaine of Sudeley.
When & where:
Friday 26th June, 18:00, The Orangery
**Booking opens soon**
Behind The Scenes Guided Tour £12.50pp
Venture beyond the walls and into the private life of Sudeley castle with a tour that includes the private, family rooms usually closed to the public.
When & where:
Friday 26th, Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June, 11:00, Meeting Point - The Castle Terrace
**Booking opens soon**
Storytelling - Terrible Tales from Tudor Times FREE
Designed for adults and children alike, gather close and listen to the tales that made folk laugh in Tudor times with expert storyteller Dave Tong. Hear about lazy, long-limbed lads, poor penniless pedlars, wise and witty women, foolish fops in fine attire and even a radish that was worth a hundred gold coins!
When & where:
Sunday 28th June, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, Mulberry Lawn
Thomas Robins and the Art of the Georgian Garden FREE
Thomas Robins recorded the country estates of the Georgian gentry like no other, his artistic skill honed by the delicacy required for his early career as a fan painter. Known for capturing fascinating views of Sudeley Castle and other great houses, Dr Cathryn Spence will introduce Robins and his astonishing proficiency as a topographical, botanical, entomological and naturalist artist. Copies of her beautifully illustrated monograph on the artist and his patrons will be available to buy.
When & where:
Friday 26th June, 14:00, Castle Coach House
Conservation in Action FREE
Conservators from Janie Lightfoot Textiles will be at Sudeley during History Weekend to work on the Sheldon Tapestry. Conservation Manager Lizzie Cherry and Conservator Yana Tsikalo will be readjusting the existing lining and replacing the hanging mechanism to enable the tapestry to hang correctly and reduce the undulations across the bottom edge. This will help reduce stresses on the tapestry which could cause damage in the future.
When & where:
Friday 26th June 10:30-16:30, Library
Saturday 27th June, 10:00-16:30, Library
Sunday 28th June, 10:00-14:30, Library
Lady Jane Grey at Sudeley FREE
Find out what brought Lady Jane Grey to Sudeley as a young girl, her links with Katherine Parr, and how her story unfolded until the tragic end of her life with Sudeley guide Debbie Dyson.
When & where:
Friday 26th June, 11:00, The Chapel
Saturday 27th June, 12:00, Castle Coach House
Katherine Parr - Survived! FREE
Follow the incredible journey of Henry VIII’s last wife through the intrigues of the Tudor court and on to her final resting place at Sudeley Castle with Sudeley guide Mike Bottomley.
When & where:
Friday 26th June, 13:00, The Chapel
Saturday 27th June, 15:00, The Chapel
The Victorians of Sudeley FREE
Find out more about the Victorians of Sudeley, their links with the town of Winchcombe and how their legacy still lives on through the present family owners of the castle with Sudeley guide Heather Canavan.
When & where:
Saturday 27th June, 11:00, The Chapel
Romantic Sudeley FREE
As the Romantic movement took hold in the Georgian era, the ruins of Sudeley became a tourist attraction, with George III paying a visit which nearly had a drastic impact on the monarchy. This talk by Sudeley guide Dale Scarboro aims to briefly explain Romanticism and illustrate it with chapters of Sudeley's past - and present.
When & where:
Saturday 27th June, 13:00, The Chapel
Victorian Celebrity FREE
Frivolous, destructive or dangerous? Jane Harrison of the Royal Grammar School, Worcester, will use Emma Dent’s collection to introduce Victorian celebrity culture and challenge contemporary stereotypes about its fans.
When & where:
Saturday 27th June, 14:00, Castle Coach House
Meet the Museum FREE
Come and listen to experts from Winchcombe Museum:
11:30 & 15:30 - Alastair Robinson 'Emma Dent: A Benefactress to Winchcombe'
12:30 - Sarah King 'Goda: Winchombe's Forgotten Princess'
13:30 - Anne Crow 'Sudeley Castle in Ruins 1649-1837'
14:30 Carol Harris 'Meet the Military Commanders from the Civil War'
When & where:
Sunday 28th June, The Badger Room
Evensong Service FREE
The Parish of Winchcombe invites you to attend Evensong in Sudeley’s Chapel, St Mary’s Church. With worship led by Fliss Hall and music from Tapestry Chamber Choir this promises to be a moving end to History Weekend.
When & where:
Sunday 28th June, 16:00, The Chapel