Festival of History

File:Jousting at History Live.jpg reenactment at Kelmarsh in 2013]]

English Heritage is the executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport which is responsible for the historic built environment in the UK. Public education on the history of England is a large part of the body's remit. At the time it was held, English Heritage described the Festival of History as its "flagship event"{{cite web|title=English Heritage Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09| url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/publications/docs/Annual_Report_and_Accounts_0809.pdf |work=English Heritage| date=2008 |access-date=2011-07-07}} and the "highlight of its event calendar".{{cite news|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/|title=Days out in England|access-date=2011-07-07|work=English Heritage}}

Features of the event included historical re-enactments involving several thousand people in all, aerial displays, demonstrations, specialist talks, story-telling, theatre and hands-on events for children.{{cite news|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/foh-2011/whats-on-2011/|title=What's On 2011|access-date=2011-07-07|work=English Heritage}}

• 2003, 9–10 August, 10,000 visitors. Set piece re-enactment: The Battle of Edgehill{{cite web|title=New History Festival is Top Summer Day Out for Motorists |url=http://www.msportuk.com/news/2003/q3/20030708_history_fest.php |work=MSportUK |date=2003-07-08 |access-date=2011-07-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821213504/http://www.msportuk.com/news/2003/q3/20030708_history_fest.php |archive-date=2008-08-21 }}{{cite web |title=Celebrate horses through history |url=http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/40976.html |work=Horse and Hound |first=Holly |last=Kirkwood |date=2003-08-06 |access-date=2011-07-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111120072853/http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/40976.html |archive-date=2011-11-20 }}
• 2004, 11–12 August, 14,000 visitors.{{cite web|title=English Heritage Annual Report and Accounts 2004-05| url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/publications/docs/Annual_Report0405.pdf |work=English Heritage| date=2005 |access-date=2011-07-07}}{{cite web|title=Portable Antiquities at the English Heritage Festival of History |url=http://finds.org.uk/news/stories/article/id/130 |work=Portable Antiquities Scheme |date=2004-08-17 |access-date=2011-07-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202070004/http://finds.org.uk/news/stories/article/id/130 |archive-date=2011-12-02 }} Set piece re-enactment: Boudica's final battle.{{cite web|title=Heritage chief accuses Hollywood of rewriting history to suit American tastes | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/heritage-chief-accuses-hollywood-of-rewriting-history-to-suit-american-tastes-555185.html|work=The Independent| first=Jonathan|last=Thompson|date=2004-08-01 |access-date=2011-07-07}}

• 2005, 13–14 August.{{cite web|title=Stonehenge Rebuilt!|url=http://www.britarch.ac.uk/yac/yac_news_004.html|work=Young Archaeologists Club| date=July 2005 |access-date=2011-07-07}} Set piece re-enactment: The Battle of Naseby.
• 2006, 12–13 August.
• 2007, 11–12 August,{{cite web|title=Goulish Graveyards and Medieval Madness at the Festival of History 2007!!|url=http://www.britarch.ac.uk/yac/yac_news_014.html|work=Young Archaeologists Club| date=2007 |access-date=2011-07-07}} 17,215 visitors.{{cite web|title=English Heritage Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08|url=http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc0708/hc06/0668/0668.pdf |work=English Heritage| date=2007 |access-date=2011-07-07}}
• 2008, 19–20 July,{{cite web|title=Newsletter of Northamptonshire Archaeological Society: National Archaeology Week |url=http://www.jwaller.co.uk/nas/nasnews/NASnewsJuly2008.pdf |work=Northamptonshire Archaeological Society |date=July 2008 |access-date=2011-07-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928172853/http://www.jwaller.co.uk/nas/nasnews/NASnewsJuly2008.pdf |archive-date=2011-09-28 }} 17,784 visitors.
• 2009, 25–26 July, 19,000 visitors.{{cite web|title=English Heritage Annual Report and Accounts 2009-2010| url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/publications/docs/annual-report-and-accounts-0910.pdf |work=English Heritage| date=2007 |access-date=2011-07-07}} Set piece re-enactments: The Siege of Harfleur;{{cite web|title=Battle lines drawn for festival fun|url=http://www.harboroughmail.co.uk/lifestyle/battle_lines_drawn_for_festival_fun_1_1536803|work=Harborough Mail| date=2009-07-24 |access-date=2011-07-07}} the Battle of Agincourt;{{cite news|url=http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%26+heritage/art70608|title=Families go time-travelling at English Heritage's spectacular Festival of History 2009 |first=Rachel|last=Hayward|date=2009-07-27|access-date=2011-07-07|work=Culture 24}} the Battle of Waterloo.
• 2010, 17–18 July.{{cite web|title=English Heritage – Festival of History 2010

|url=http://birminghamconservationtrust.org/2010/07/17/english-heritage-festival-of-history-2010/|work=Birmingham Conservation Trust|first=Emma|last=Neil| date=2010-07-17 |access-date=2011-07-07}}

• 2012, Arranged for 14–15 July. Due to torrential rain & flooding in the early hours of Saturday morning it had to be cancelled.

The 2011 event on 16 and 17 July 2011 at Kelmarsh Hall includes re-enactments of the Imperial Roman Army and gladiatorial fighting; armoured knights and medieval jousting; a display of "tent-pegging", a medieval Indian sport;{{cite web|title=Tent-pegging sees taxi drivers swap cars for horses| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-14053996 |work=BBC online| date=2011-07-06|access-date=2011-07-07}} the Duke of Wellington's redcoats; a Victorian gymkhana; a replica World War I trench{{cite news|url=http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%26+heritage/war+%26+conflict/world+war+one/art359777|title=War Horse heads to English Heritage Festival of History for dramatic World War I trench recreation|date=2010-07-06|access-date=2011-07-07|first=Richard|last=Moss|work=Culture 24}} and World War II action including a Spitfire flypast. As well as re-enactments there were family activities and sideshows, as well as public talks given by well-known historians and archaeologists.

2011 saw the inaugural Festival of Historical Writing at the event, in partnership with the Historical Writers' Association. Guest speakers include Michael Morpurgo, the author of War Horse, and Manda Scott.{{cite news |url=http://www.thehwa.co.uk/content/festivals |title=Festivals |access-date=2011-07-07 |work=Historical Writers' Association |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628034726/http://www.thehwa.co.uk/content/festivals |archive-date=2011-06-28 }}

In 2014, the event was renamed History Live! and was still held at Kelmarsh Hall.

In February 2015, English Heritage announced there would be no History Live! in 2015 stating "History Live! will not be returning this year, in order to concentrate on delivering a wider range of events across England."{{Cite web|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/2015-events-programme|title = English Heritage unveils 2015 events}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on English Heritage website]
• [http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%26+heritage/art70627 Article about re-enactors at the Festival]
• [https://www.festival-history.com/ around the festival]

Category:Historical reenactment events

Category:English Heritage

Category:Festivals in Northamptonshire

Category:Festivals in Warwickshire

Category:Festivals established in 2003

Category:2003 establishments in England

Category:History festivals