to your copy of the festival brochure now…

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to your copy of the festival brochure now…
3-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
Title Sponsor
CELEBRATE
ENGAGE
EXPERIENCE
Supported by
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
1
3-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
Welcome to the Gloucester History Festival and Heritage Open Days
It is my pleasure to invite you to join us
to explore and celebrate history in the
magnificent City of Gloucester; a city which
has been at the forefront of the history of
these islands for more than 2000 years.
This is a Festival that embraces the whole
City, and its production is a partnership
of many people who want to shine a light
on Gloucester’s heritage and the wider
joy of history. The spotlight will be on the
800th anniversary of the coronation of
Henry III in Gloucester but the programme
is enormously diverse and has events on
leading Gloucester figures such as the
education reformer, Albert Mansbridge, to
the Music for Henries - the eight Kings of
England called Henry.
New partnerships have strengthened every
area of our activity but perhaps where
change has been accelerated most is in
the Blackfriars Talks where we present
a contemporary view of major national
and international events presented by
some of our most important and bestloved historians. Thank you to everyone
who has worked so hard to produce this
magnificent programme.
Do join us to celebrate, engage and
experience Gloucester and its rich heritage,
life, people, and culture.
Festival Programme
3 September
Celebrating the end of the siege during the Civil War, this first
day of the festival has a strong community focus with historical
re-enactments, parades and lots of fun.
3-18 September
8-11 September
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS
Opening up many of Gloucester’s historic buildings free of
charge plus talks, walks and music. This is part of the
National Scheme overseen by the National Trust.
10-18 September
10-18 September
Chair of the Gloucester History Festival and Founder of the Blackfriars Talks
In September
Bettany Hughes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg 33
Griff Rhys Jones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg 37
Jung Chang. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg 39
CITY VOICES
A series of talks, activities, workshops and musical events from
local experts in beautiful locations.
Richard Graham MP
Enjoy our series of Blackfriars Talks
from leading historians, broadcasters
and authors at the festival.
GLOUCESTER DAY
SEE PAGE
5
SEE PAGES
6-9
SEE PAGES
10-29
HENRY III’S CELEBRATIONS
Re-enactment of the coronation, parades, medieval market
and activities plus the opening event of the Blackfriars Talks
given by Marc Morris and much more across the festival.
SEE PAGES
BLACKFRIARS TALKS
A wonderful programme, across 10 days, of leading historians,
broadcasters, researchers and authors speaking on various topics
providing insights and highlighting new research. Featuring
Griff Rhys Jones, Bettany Hughes, Alison Weir, Janina Ramirez,
Jung Chang and many more.
SEE PAGES
EXHIBITIONS
There are a number of exhibitions taking place in Gloucester
during the History Festival.
SEE PAGES
30-31
32-39
40-41
“I am honoured to have been asked to be the first President of
the Gloucester History Festival.The City has made important
contributions in every era of history - none more so than 800
years ago in 1216 when the Coronation of Henry III took place
in St Peter’s Abbey, Gloucester. I am delighted that so many of our
most admired historians have agreed to join me to make this
a truly spectacular Festival.”
Dr Janina Ramirez
President of the Gloucester History Festival
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3
BOOKING INFORMATION
GLOUCESTER DAY
Please check each event carefully to see whether it requires a ticket or not and whether
there is a charge for the ticket as some events are free but require a ticket because of
limited space. All Heritage Open Days are free of charge.
Ticket Pricing and Concessions
Prices for each event are clearly stated next to the event and there are concessions for
Gloucester Resident Cardholders and Gloucester Civic Trust Members. These concessions
can only be claimed by purchasing tickets from the Tourist Information Centre either
by phone or in person. Concessions are not available online. Please quote the Booking
Reference Code when ordering tickets and this is shown as a letter/number reference next
to the event (e.g. BT01, C05, W03). If there is no booking reference or charge, then no
ticket is required. Some individual events must be booked via the Cathedral Shop or the
Museum of Gloucester. These are clearly stated next to the relevant event.
3 ways to book your tickets
Tickets on
sale from
Call the Box Office on 01452 396 572
Lines open Mon 10am-5pm and Tues to Sat 9am-5pm
2
Visit the Tourist Information Centre at 28 Southgate St, Gloucester GL1 2DP
Open to the public Mon 10am-5pm and Tues to Sat 9am-5pm
Book online for City Voices and Blackfriars Talks via the booking page at
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
No concessions available online
Public Transport
Most events take place within Gloucester City Centre, which is a short walk from the bus
and rail stations. For information on public transport go to:
www.thinktravel.info/bus/bus-maps
By Car
Gloucester is easily accessible from the M5. Use Junction 11 from the North and Junction 12
from the South. There are a number of car parks within the city centre.
See pages 42-43 for a map showing venue locations.
Where you see this icon in the event listings, the venue is
wheelchair accessible; however, some venues may have partial
access and this will be stated in the venue description.
4
This annual event includes historical re-enactments and a
procession led by the larger than life character, Alan Myatt,
the City’s Town Crier.
25th July
1
3
Gloucester Day celebrates the end of the Civil War siege
in 1643. When King Charles II returned to the throne
in 1660, after the Civil War, he punished Gloucester for
supporting Cromwell by reducing the city boundaries.
This put Barton outside the city and not under the
control of the Gloucester Mayor. Barton elected a ‘mock
mayor’ to poke fun at Gloucester. This tradition has
been revived in recent years and the annual parade is led
by the real Mayor and Sheriff of Gloucester, plus Mock
Mayor, Town Crier, historical characters, marching bands
and performers.
Saturday 3 September
11.00 Mock Mayor of Barton’s Parade
Parade starts in Eastgate Street close to Boots the Chemist, travels up to The Cross and
continues down Westgate Street.
The Mayor of Barton’s Parade turns right along St John’s Lane to Northgate Street before
passing The Cross where the Mock Mayor Making ceremony takes place, just past St
Michael’s Tower on Southgate Street.
11.20 Mock Mayor Making Ceremony
Mock Mayor Making ceremony before Parade departs to St Mary de Crypt Church.
12.00 Thanksgiving Service
Gloucester Day Thanksgiving service at St Mary de Crypt Church.
14.00 Gloucester Day Parade
Parade departs from Constitution Walk (behind Museum of Gloucester) to Eastgate Street
following the ‘Via Sacra’ paving through Queen’s Walk, before turning left into Eastgate
Street. The Parade continues past The Cross and down Westgate Street before turning right
into College Green.
The procession makes it way into Northgate Street via St John’s Lane and up to The Cross
before continuing along Southgate Street to Brunswick Baptist Church.
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CITY VOICES
3-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
City Voices events run for the duration
of the festival from Saturday 3rd to
Sunday 18th September. They take
place across the City in stunning
locations and include musical events,
talks and workshops showcasing local
history. Many City Voices events are free
of charge but please check the individual
event listing for details.
Sat 3 to Sun 18 Sept
Looking Before and After: Hidden Lives
St Mary de Crypt Church
Free Entry
The Church and Schoolroom are currently
the subject of a major regeneration project,
Discover DeCrypt, supported by the Heritage
Lottery Fund. There will be a service celebrating
the heritage of St Mary de Crypt and the Old
Crypt Schoolroom at 13.00 on Friday 9th and
throughout the festival there will be an exhibition
in the church by Discover DeCrypt’s Historical
Research Group. This exhibition focuses on
the ordinary people who lived, worked and
worshipped here over the centuries. Butchers
and bakers, chandlers, cappers and combmakers.
Find out about the many trades of Gloucester’s
city folk through the centuries, what they did, and
how they lived. For more information visit www.discoverdecrypt.org.uk.
See page 21 for more St Mary de Crypt
Church events...
Box Office 01452 396 572
6
Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart
Sat 3 to Sun 18 Sept
12.30 Lunchtime Recitals
St John’s Northgate and St Mary de Crypt
Free Entry
The recitals will take place on weekdays
(not weekends) throughout the festival. A highlight
includes an exciting performance entitled ‘Handel:
Heroes and Heroines’ on Mon 12 Sept.
Sat 3 Sept
14.00-16.00 The Age of Gold (C01)
St Mary de Crypt Church
Please book and pay in advance. £7 (£5 conc)
Since the Ancient Egyptians gold leaf has been
used in art as the ultimate symbol of the sacred.
This most fragile and sumptuous material has
an allure that still inspires artists today. In this
workshop you will learn how to apply gold leaf,
creating your own piece of art under the guidance
of Jake Lever MA FRSA Jake is an experienced
teacher and gallery educator. He currently works
as a freelance artist, based in Birmingham and is a
Teaching Fellow at the University of Warwick.
Sun 4 Sept
17.00 Music for Henries, Eight Ensemble
Sine Nomine and friends
St Mary de Crypt
Free Entry
Musicians Sebastian and Vicki Field and narrator
Chris Chatterton tell the story in words and music
of eight Kings of England called Henry, from Henry
I to Henry VIII. Many of these Kings had strong
connections to Gloucester. Their life stories will
be told and illustrated with examples of the music
they might have heard, and the contemporary
music that their subjects knew. The concert will
chart the course of English history, but also the
development of western music. Sebastian and Vicki
Field were Mayor and Mayoress of Gloucester
for the 2015/16 Civic Year. They are freelance
musicians and choral directors. Chris Chatterton
was Mayor of Gloucester for the 2013/14 Civic
Year and is an Historian and Director of the
Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum.
Sun 4 to Wed 7 Sept
19.00 The English Civil War Siege of
Gloucester Evening Tours (C02)
Meet at The Cross
Free, pre-booking required
Jon Eeles has been fascinated by the English Civil
War Siege of Gloucester since he was a young
boy. Inspired by the stories of heroism of the
ordinary people behind the city walls, Jon takes
you around some of the key locations during the
siege. The tour lasts just over an hour.
Mon 5 Sept
18.00 Archaeology of Gloucester Castle (C03)
Gloucester Guildhall
Free, pre-booking required
Andrew Armstrong (City Archaeologist) provides
insights into recent discoveries on the site of the
former Castle at the Prison and Barbican Car Park.
The investigation revealed extensive medieval
buildings and artefacts.
Wed 7 Sept
19.00 The History of Alney Island,
Tony Conder
Wheatstone Hall, Museum of Gloucester
Free Entry
Alney Island is one of Gloucester’s Hidden
Treasures, guarding the western side of the
city. It has seen invasion, combat, and has also
been a site of punishment and pleasure. After
long-running disputes over ownership and cattle
grazing were resolved in 1904, the city authorities
promised that Alney Island would have become
Gloucester’s pleasure ground and there is still an
exciting opportunity waiting to be developed.
Wed 7 Sept
13.10-13.50 Culture Club Talk - ‘A Year In
The Life Of…’ with Sebastian Field
Museum of Gloucester
Free for members or £5 for non-members
Join former Mayor of Gloucester and City
Councillor, Sebastian Field, as he remembers
life as Mayor and talks us through some key
milestones in Gloucester’s history. Pre-book your
place by email to [email protected]
or call 01452 396 131.
Wed 7 Sept
19.30 Concert at the Church
St Mary de Crypt Church
Free Entry
Bach Cantatas for Solo Soprano and Alto
Concert with Vicki Field soprano, Sebastian Field
countertenor and Sine Nomine Consort.
See page 19 for details of our
Tours of Gloucester Prison on
Sat 17 and Sun 18 Sept...
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
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CITY VOICES
Wed 7 Sept
19.30 Personalities from Gloucester’s past,
Richard Trelfa
Gloucester Civic Trust, GALA Club
Free Entry
Gloucester has been at the centre of events
for 2000 years and tonight Civic Trust member
Richard Trelfa will introduce us to some of
the great and good whose names have been
associated with our city. Among those he will
be focusing on will be Roman Emperor Nerva,
Æthelflead - the Lady of the Mercians, William
Marshall - England’s Greatest Knight; King Edward
11, The Banker - Jemmy Wood, The Scientist Charles Wheatstone and the author Beatrix Potter.
Thurs 8 Sept
18.00 History, Heritage and Lottery Funding
(C04) Wheatstone Hall, Museum of Gloucester
Free, pre-booking required
Gloucester has over 700 listed buildings and has
attracted over £12 million of Lottery Funding.
Find out about the amazing plans with an
illustrated presentation showing how Heritage
Lottery money is being spent on projects across
the city, regenerating Gloucester’s historic sites
for today’s communities.
Thurs 8 Sept
19.30 Carton de Wiart (C05)
Wheatstone Hall, Museum of Gloucester
Please book and pay in advance. £5
Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart the ‘unkillable soldier’,
a war hero who fought in three major conflicts –
the Boer War and the 1st and 2nd World Wars.
As the one-armed commanding officer of the
8th Gloucesters, he was seen pulling out the pins
of grenades with his teeth during the Battle of
the Somme. His story is the stuff of Hollywood
Box Office 01452 396 572
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3-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
legend. Join your MP Richard Graham and
Chris Chatterton, Director of the Soldiers of
Gloucestershire Museum, as they tell the story of
a remarkable individual.
Fri 9 Sept
20.00 Tales of Witchcraft and Wonder (C06)
Inkubus Sukkubus and friends
Blackfriars Priory
Please book and pay in advance.
£15 (all profits to Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust)
Acoustic set of folkloric songs covering subjects
such as shape-shifting, river goddesses, witches
and local mythology by Inkubus Sukkubus
and friends (inkubussukkubus.com), plus folk
tales of Gloucestershire by storyteller Kirsty
Hartsiotis. Sure to be spine-tingling in the ancient
surroundings of Blackfriars.
Sat 10 Sept
17.00-19.00 Living Legends
St Mary de Crypt Church
Free Entry
Storyteller Chloe Lees teams up with folk band,
Tinkerscuss, to provide a sparkling medley of music
and words exploring Britain’s legends, old and new.
Tues 13 Sept
13.30, 14.30 and 15.30
Henry III - Exhibition Tours with Curator
Museum of Gloucester
As the Henry III exhibition opens celebrating the
800th anniversary of his coronation, join curator
David Rice for some specially arranged tours, and
learn more about the only English monarch to
have been crowned outside of London.
Free to attend, pre-booking required.
Email [email protected] or call
01452 396 131 to book your place.
Wed 14 Sept
19.30 On first looking into volume 13 of the
Victoria County History (C07)
Nature in Art Wallsworth Hall
Please book and pay in advance. £5
The Trustees of Gloucestershire County History
Trust invite you to the launch of the muchanticipated volume 13 of the Victoria County
History at Wallsworth Hall, a fine Georgian
mansion just outside Gloucester. Christopher
Dyer, Emeritus Professor of History at the
University of Leicester, will give the Marc Fitch
lecture on the village histories of Sandhurst,
Minsterworth, Elmore, Norton,Twyning, Ashleworth,
Bulley, Hartpury, Lassington, Maisemore, Rudford
and Highleadon,Tibberton, and Upleadon.
Wallsworth Hall is just 3 miles from the centre of
Gloucester, GL2 9PA.
Sat 17 Sept
11.30-12.30 Gloucester Man, Albert
Mansbridge, a leader in adult education His Life and Legacy (C08)
Wheatstone Hall, Museum of Gloucester
Please book and pay in advance. £4
The son of a local carpenter Albert Mansbridge
established, in 1903, a revolutionary new adult
educational organisation where the consumers
took an active part in its provision. This
organisation became the Workers’ Educational
Association (WEA), which still continues to
operate throughout England and further afield
today. This fascinating illustrated talk by Helen
Greensmith and other WEA colleagues looks
at the extraordinary impact of a man, whose
memorial and ashes are in
Gloucester Cathedral.
Sat 17 Sept
14.00-15.00 Mothers and Daughters: Our
Untold Stories, Naisha Hussain & Guests (C09)
Wheatstone Hall, Museum of Gloucester
Please book and pay in advance. £5
Following the success of Nasreen Akhtar’s awardwinning Our Untold Stories project last year, her
daughter Naisha Hussain is documenting the
lives of second generation women who have
grown up in Gloucester. She’s joined by women
from different communities to tell the fascinating
stories of their mothers who came to Gloucester,
the advice they’ve given and how they have
influenced their daughter’s lives.
Sat 17 Sept
15.30 Meet George Whitefield
St Mary de Crypt Church
Free Entry
Come and find out about the charismatic 18th
Century preacher and his curious life. Did his first
sermon - preached in this very church - really
drive fifteen people mad? What drove him to
cross the Atlantic seven times and preach over
18,000 sermons in fields, woods, and plantations?
Spaniel in the Works Theatre Company gives
a dramatic and entertaining insight into one of
Gloucester’s most famous sons.
St Mary de Crypt Church
© Philafrenzy on wikimedia.org
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
9
8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016
Welcome to the City of Gloucester’s
Heritage Open Days - Your History!
Guided Walks
Gloucester City Walk (W01)
Thurs 8 Sept to Sun 11 Sept
11.00
Meet at St Michael’s Tower, The Cross
Pre-booking required
Discover fascinating hidden treasures on a guided
walk through the heart of one of Britain’s oldest
cities, where history has truly left its mark. The
walk lasts about 1¼ hours.
Heritage Open Days celebrates England’s fantastic
historic architecture and culture by offering free
access to properties that are usually closed to the
public or normally charge for admission. Every year
on four days in September, buildings of every age,
style and function throw open their doors. It is a
once-a-year chance to discover hidden architectural
treasures and enjoy a wide range of events and
activities which bring to life local history and culture.
Historic Docks Walk (W02)
Thurs 9 to Sun 11 Sept
Thurs and Sat 11.30; Fri and Sun 14.30
Meet outside the Waterways Museum in
Gloucester Docks
Pre-booking required
Take a guided walk around Britain’s most inland
port. The walk lasts about 1 hour.
The City of Gloucester Heritage Open Days, organised by
Gloucester Civic Trust, feature over 120 events, from the
opportunity to see inside the King’s Bastion to viewing Elizabethan
wall friezes in private rooms at the Dick Whittington pub.
There are events for everyone, whatever their background, age
and ability they can discover Gloucester’s historical buildings and
cultural heritage. All for free! See page 4 for booking information.
The events have been organised into different sections to help you
plan your time and programme:
•Guided Walks
•Historic Inns
•Historical Places
•Music
•Cultural Venues
•Talks
• The Docks
•Family Events
•Churches
The sections have been organised so that they provide a logical
and walkable route from one place to the next, with a starting
point in the city centre (see map on pages 42-43).
Box Office 01452 396 572
10
Member Offer
Join the Gloucester Civic
Trust during the Gloucester
History Festival and your
subscription will cover the
rest of 2016 and the whole
of 2017. You won’t need to
renew your subscription
until January 2018 – that’s
over 3 months for free!
Roman Times Walk (W03)
Thurs 8 to Sat 10 Sept
Thurs 10.30, Fri and Sat 10.30 and 13.30
Meet outside Museum of Gloucester,
Brunswick Road Pre-booking required
From your guide, hear how the Romans came
to Gloucester (Glevum). See the walls they built.
Tread through the Forum (market place) and
meet the Emperor Nerva. Discover mosaics,
pottery, Roman weapons and much more in the
Museum. The walk lasts about 1 hour.
Siege of Gloucester Walk (W04)
Thurs 8 to Sat 10 Sept
11.15 and 14.00
Meet at St Michael’s Tower, The Cross
Pre-booking required
This guided walk visits some of the places of
interest connected with the siege of Gloucester
which took place during the English Civil War. The
siege was arguably Gloucester’s finest hour when
the small garrison of parliamentarians held out
against the might of the Royal Army led by the
King himself. The walk lasts about 1½ hours.
Royal Gloucester Walk (W05)
Thurs 8 and Sat 10 Sept
Thurs 11.15 and Sat 14.15
Meet at St Michael’s Tower, The Cross
Pre-booking required
For over 1100 years Gloucester’s history has
been shaped in no small part by the interest,
patronage and occasional displeasure of the
reigning monarch. Down the centuries, kings and
queens of England have come to Gloucester to
hold parliament, equip armies, grant charters, go
hunting, be crowned, and be buried. This tour will
take a look at some of the buildings and places
in Gloucester at the heart of this extraordinary
royal history and reveal some of the fascinating
stories connected with them. The walk lasts
approximately 1 hour.
Richard III Walk (W06)
Fri 9 to Sun 11 Sept
Fri and Sun 11.00; Sat 14.00
Meet at The Tourist Information Centre,
Southgate Street
Pre-booking required
This tour tells of Richard III’s important 3-day
visit to Gloucester in 1483, as part of his Royal
Progress, and explains the granting of the
significant Charter to the city. You will hear how
he spent his time here and be shown some of
the buildings he would have seen. The walk lasts
about an hour.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
11
8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016
Military Heritage Walk (W07)
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
Fri 14.00 and Sun 11.00
Meet at War Memorial, College Green
Pre-booking required
Since the first Roman soldiers threw up earth
banks to form a riverside fortress at Kingsholm,
Gloucester has always had strong military links.
Starting at the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
memorial in the Cathedral Close, this tour will
focus mainly on the involvement of the city and
its inhabitants in the wars of the 20th century,
from recruitment, munitions manufacture and
commemoration during the First World War, to
fire watching and air raid precautions during the
Second. It will also, however, encompass the city’s
Roman origins, its role in the Civil War and the
much later development of the jet engine. We
will hear from the city’s war poets, Ivor Gurney
and Will Harvey, before the tour ends at the
Soldiers of Gloucestershire museum at the
docks. The walk lasts about an hour.
War Memorial
Box Office 01452 396 572
12
Christian Heritage Walk (W08)
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
14.15
Meet at St Michael’s Tower, The Cross
Pre-Booking Required
This tour traces Gloucester’s rich Christian
heritage over those years as reflected in its
people, places, and events. 1.5 hours.
Medieval Churches Walk (W09)
Fri 9 and Sat 10 Sept
10.30
Meet at St Oswald’s Priory, Archdeacon Street
Pre-booking required
Gloucester was an important centre of religion in
medieval times. This walk describes the history of
the churches that remain from that time. 1 hour.
Llanthony Secunda Priory Walk (W10)
Fri 9 to Sun 11 Sept
11.30
Meet at the entrance to Llanthony Priory on
the canal next to the Sula Lightship
Pre-booking required
This walk explores the priory, founded in 1136,
which by the end of the 15th century was the
richest Augustinian house in England entertaining
the court of Henry VII in 1500 and 1501. 1 hour.
Monks, Canons & Friars Walk (W11)
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
11.00
Meet at St Oswald’s Priory
Pre-booking required
This is a new tour discovering the Abbey and
Priories of Gloucester and learning how the
Monks, Canons and Friars lived and worked.
The tour will take about 1 hour.
Children’s Walk (W12)
Sat 10 Sept
11.00
Meet at St Michael’s Tower, The Cross
Pre-booking required – Children must be
accompanied by an adult
A guided walk around Gloucester aimed
specifically for children aged 6-11. The walk lasts
about 1 hour.
Historical Characters Walk (W13)
Fri 9 to Sun 11 Sept
Fri and Sun 11.00; Sat 14.00
Meet at The Tourist Information Centre,
Southgate Street
Pre-booking required
This tour brings alive some of the famous and
influential people and colourful characters who
were born in Gloucester. It is concentrated around
the St Mary de Crypt Church area so involves
little walking. The walk lasts about 45 minutes.
Robert Raikes Walk (W14)
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
Thurs and Sun 12.00 and 15.00
Fri and Sat 15.00
Meet in the garden of the Robert Raikes House,
Southgate Street
Pre-booking required
This walk tells the story of Robert Raikes,
newspaper publisher, prison reformer and
promoter of the Sunday School movement,
and shows some the buildings in Gloucester
connected with him. The guided walk starts in
the garden of the Robert Raikes House where
Robert’s wife used to serve plum cake to the
Sunday School children in the 18th century.
The walk lasts about 1 hour.
Beatrix Potter Walk (W15)
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
Thurs, Fri and Sun. 14.30
Sat 11.00 and 14.30
Meet at the Beatrix Potter Museum,
9 College Court
Pre-booking required
In 1903 Beatrix Potter published one of her
most loved tales, The Tailor of Gloucester. It
was inspired by a visit she made to the city. This
guided walk takes in the places of Gloucester,
which are closely connected with Beatrix Potter.
The walk lasts about 1 hour.
Gloucester Spa Walk (W16)
Thurs 8 and Sun 11 Sept
14.30
Meet outside Christ Church, Brunswick Road
Pre-booking required
In the early 1800s, Gloucester had a thriving spa.
This guided walk traces the history of The Spa
and takes in some of the fine buildings that it
generated. The walk lasts about 1 hour.
Hillfield Gardens & House Walk (W17)
Thurs 8 and Fri 9 Sept
10.30 and 14.00
Meet at the London Road entrance
Pre-booking required
Take a guided tour of these fine gardens which
have many fine trees and are home to three
monuments of historical significance: Scriven’s
Conduit, the King’s Board, and the chancel of the
12th century leper chapel of St Mary Magdalene.
The tour will include a visit inside Hillview House,
a Grade II listed building, built in 1867 with
interesting stained glass windows depicting scenes
from the Barons’ War. The tour lasts about 1 hour.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
13
8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016
The Great Gloucester Gargoyle Walk (W18)
Thurs 8 Sept
10.00 and 14.00
Meet at Gloucestershire Archives, Clarence Row
Pre-booking required
This guided walk, led by Gloucestershire
Archives staff looks at some of the gargoyles and
grotesques in the city. Binoculars are useful but
not essential. The walk will be at an easy pace with
viewing stops. The walk lasts about 1½ hours.
The Story of Gloucester’s Pubs Walk (W19)
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
14.00
Meet at St Michael’s Tower, The Cross
Pre-booking required
Wheelchair accessible for almost all of the walk
Join Darrel Kirby, author of The Story of
Gloucester’s Pubs, on a tour of some of the fine
historical pubs in the City centre. 1 hour.
Sheriff’s Assize of Ale Walk
Sat 10 Sept
12.00
Meet outside the Guildhall, Eastgate Street
Follow the historic Sheriff ’s Assize of Ale as it visits
various city pubs during the afternoon and early
evening. The assize dates back to medieval times
when the sheriff was responsible for checking that
the ale on sale in the city was of palatable quality.
Historical Places
St Michael’s Tower
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
10.30 - 16.00
The Cross, Gloucester
St Michael’s Bell Tower, now the admin centre
of Gloucester Civic Trust, dates back to 1465. It
has interesting heritage displays on the history
of the church that once stood on the site, and
2 heritage bells made in Gloucester in 1710 by
Abraham Rudhall. On Saturday, children can
have their faces painted. There is no charge.
Refreshments are available.
St. Michael’s Tower
© City of Gloucester
Poetry Walk (W21)
Sat 10 Sept
14.30
Meet at St Michael’s Tower, The Cross
Pre-booking required
Join local poet Peter Wyton (BBC Radio
Gloucestershire’s Breakfast Bard) on a walk round
the City centre, where he will perform his poems
about local people, buildings and events. 1 hour.
Box Office 01452 396 572
14
Meeks’ Shoe-shop
Thurs 8 to Sat 10 Sept
10.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 16.00
14 Westgate Street
Guided tours during the open times
This Elizabethan building has a Georgian façade
and, on the first floor, has a fine plaster ceiling
dating from around 1600.
Gloucester Furniture Exhibition Centre
Thurs 8 to Sat 10 Sept
9.30 – 16.30
Southgate Street
A historic Roman wall inside the store is on
public view. The lower level of the wall is part of
a Roman Colonia dating back to 97AD. At street
level it is a medieval building.
Blackfriars Priory
Thurs 8 and Fri 9 Sept
10.00 - 16.00
Guided Tours: Saturday 11.00 and 14.30,
Sunday 12.30 (no booking required)
Meeting point: Entrance off Ladybellegate Street
Partial wheelchair access
A chance to explore Britain’s most complete
Dominican Priory, owned by English Heritage and
managed by Gloucester City. Most of the 13th
century church remains, including a rare scissorbraced roof. Various musical events are being held
in the building. Guided tours of the Priory are
available which last about 1 hour.
The Tudor Rooms (H01)
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
Tours only on the hour and half hour:
Sat 10.00 – 16.00; Sun 12.00 – 16.00
6-10 Westgate Street
Pre-booking required
A hidden gem in the centre of the city, not
normally open for public viewing. An architectural
delight with an elaborate 16th century timberpanelled room. Meet outside the Santander Bank.
Mercers’ Hall (Masonic Lodge)
Sat 10 Sept
10.00 - 17.00
Mercers Lane
Built c.1750 this building has been occupied by
a Perfumer, a Cider merchant and Brewer and
been used as a bonded warehouse and dance
hall. Presently occupied by the Gloucester
Freemasons as their Masonic Lodge.
Undercroft at the Fleece Hotel
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
11.00 - 15.00
Westgate Street
Guided tours throughout the day (steep, ancient
steps - only suitable for the able bodied)
A 12th century tunnel vaulted undercroft, which
is thought to be the best example in Europe of a
rich merchant’s warehouse. Known locally as the
“Monks Retreat”.
The New Antiques Centre (H02)
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
Tours only on the hour: Thurs, Fri and Sun
12.00 to 15.00. Sat 10.00 to 15.00
26 Westgate Street
Pre-booking required
Britain’s finest example of a timber-framed town
house. Built in 1560, it was once the hall of the
Grocers’ Guild, the mansion house of a Mayor of
Gloucester and, a lodging for assize judges. Meet
outside on Westgate Street. 1 hour.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
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8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016
Bearland House (H03)
Thurs 8 and Fri 9 Sept
Tours only: 11.00 and 12.00
Longsmith Street
Pre-booking required
Bearland House is an impressive 18th century
building with an ornamental façade, forecourt,
and fine wrought iron railings and gates. The
interior boasts a carved wooden staircase
and decorated ceilings. It was purchased by a
high county Sheriff in 1764 and the ghost of
his daughter is said to appear at the staircase
window.
Hedleys
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
07.30 - 17.00
64 Westgate Street
Come for tea and cake in this beautifully-restored
15th century building. The windows on the
ground floor are examples of mid-Victorian plate
glass using technology gained in building the
Crystal Palace, London, for the Great Exhibition
of 1851. You can still see some of the original
beams inside Gloucester’s oldest retail premises.
The cellar will be open for viewing between
17.00 and 18.00 on Thursday 10th and Saturday
12th. There are steep steps. There is no need to
book but numbers will be regulated.
The Dick Whittington (St Nicholas House)
Sat 10 Sept
11.30, 12.30, 13.30, 14.30
100 Westgate Street
Take a guided tour of this superb 15th century
building with a splendid Georgian façade, once a
town house of the Whittington family.View the
elaborate Elizabethan wall painting on the first floor.
Refreshments available for purchase after your tour
(no need to book).
Box Office 01452 396 572
16
Parliament Suite
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
10.00 - 15.30
Church House, College Green
Three historic rooms in Church House, which
was the old Deanery for Gloucester Cathedral.
One room was used by Richard II for a
parliament in 1378.
The Stonemasons Yard at
Gloucester Cathedral
Sat 10 Sept
10.00 - 15.00
Pitt Street
Gloucester Cathedral Stonemasons will be
working in their workshop.
Little Cloister House
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
Sat 10.00 – 13.00; Sun 14.00 – 16.00; Tours
lasting 20 mins on the hour and half-hour
Pitt Street
A 17th century timber-fronted property next
to Gloucester Cathedral, built over a medieval
undercroft. The herb garden and remains of a
monastic infirmary are close-by.
Old Bishop’s Palace
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
Sat 10.00 – 13.00; Sun 14.00 – 16.00; Tours
lasting 20 mins on the hour and half-hour
Pitt Street
The 19th century residence of the Bishops of
Gloucester built on the site of the medieval
abbot’s lodging. Now used by the King’s School.
Short guided tours of the palace, gardens, yard,
Bishop’s Private Chapel, and Abbot’s Dining Hall.
Ivor Gurney Hall
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
Sat 10.00 – 13.00; Sun 14.00 – 16.00; Tours
lasting 20 mins on the hour and half-hour
Pitt Street
The Ivor Gurney Hall is the King’s 19th century
schoolroom; it was extensively restored in 2015
to bring out the glory of its arch-braced roof in a
striking multi-coloured style associated with the
Gothic Revival movement. Tours will look at the
building and will include details of school life in
the 19th century, with a special focus on the life
of Ivor Gurney after whom the building is now
named. Access is via the old playground at the
rear of the Cathedral, accessed off Pitt Street.
The Carriage Building
Roberts Limbrick Architects (H04)
Sat 10 Sept
10.30
Bruton Way
Pre-booking required
The Carriage Building was constructed in 1894
by the Gloucester Carriage and Wagon Works
as a showroom for horse-drawn carriages. After
laying empty and neglected for many years, it
has been wonderfully restored as the office of
Roberts Limbrick, the Gloucester born and bred
partnership of about 80 architects. Come and
hear a short talk about the refurbishment and
have a tour around this fine building.
The Bastion (H05)
Thurs 8 and Fri 9 Sept
14.00 - 16.00 every half hour
Kings Walk
Pre-booking required. Places limited.
The King’s Walk Bastion. This fascinating piece
of Gloucester’s history will be opened up for
Heritage Week this year. See how the Roman
walls have survived, and how the medieval
Bastion was built to help protect Gloucester
from attack. Owing to limited space underground,
parties will be limited to a maximum of 10. Thurs
8th and Fri 9th Sept only. Tickets available from
Tourist Information Office. Only trained guides
will be used. Tours will start from the Bastion
entrance in Kings Walk.
Constitution House
Sat 10 Sept
10.00 - 22.00
Brunswick Road
The house was built in 1740 for Richard
Chandler, a Gloucester woolstapler, and remained
in the Chandler family until 1876. It then became
a school for young ladies and in 1883 the home
of the Gloucester Conservative Club. Light
refreshments, tea and coffee will be available and
the bar will be open.
Eastgate Viewing Chamber
Fri 9 and Sat 10 Sept
10.30 - 12.30 and 14.00 - 16.00
By Boots, Eastgate Street
Come and walk in the footsteps of the Romans
at their street level and see the remains of the
Roman Eastgate Fort.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
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8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016
Cultural Venues
Museum of Gloucester
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
Thurs to Sat 10.00 - 17.00
Sun 11.00 - 16.00
Brunswick Road
Free entry for all four days
Come and explore the interactive history at the
Museum of Gloucester. There is a Roman Day on
the Sunday.
Gloucester Guildhall
Thurs 8 to Sat 10 Sept
10.00 – 21.00
23 Eastgate Street
Cafe open 10.00 to 15.00 Mon to Sat
The Guildhall was constructed in 1892, designed
by George Hunt. Built on the site formerly
occupied by the Blue Coat School founded by
Sir Thomas Rich. It contains a thriving venue
with cafe, cinema, and concert hall. Tours of
the building are available on Saturday 10th and
Sunday 11th.
Beatrix Potter Museum
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
10.00 to 16.00
9 College Court
This year is the 150th Anniversary of Beatrix
Potter’s birth. In 1903 she published one of her
most loved tales, The Tailor of Gloucester, inspired
by a visit she made to the city. See the building
she based her story on and meet the Tailor,
Simpkin the cat, and a host of other characters.
Also see the animated mice sewing in the upper
room or watch a Peter Rabbit DVD. A guided
walk around places of Gloucester connected
with Beatrix Potter is available (see Guided Walks
listings).
Box Office 01452 396 572
18
Gloucester Life Museum
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
Thurs to Sat 10.00 - 17.00, Sun 11.00 - 16.00
99-103 Westgate Street
Free entry for all four days
Ground floor, gardens and Victorian Classroom
are wheelchair accessible
Gloucester Life Museum is a magical place telling
the story of Gloucester through its people and
their lives. Behind the chocolate-box façade is a
fascinating and surprising collection of objects
and exhibitions. Hot and cold drinks, cakes and
biscuits are available in the self-service traditional
café There is a World War II Day on the
Saturday. Thurs 8th & Fri 9th Free Life Museum
Building tours.
Details of exhibitions ‘150 years of
Engineering Excellence’ and ‘I do - an
exhibition of Wedding Dresses’ can be
found on page 41
Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum
Fri 9 Sept
10.00 - 16.00
Gloucester Docks
Come and discover the lives of Gloucestershire
soldiers from the last 300 years. Try on
Army uniforms, walk into a First World War
trench; learn how the weapons and vehicles
have changed through history with our
digital interactives. Do you know how the
Gloucestershire Regiment won the Back Badge?
How the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars survived
fighting in the desert? Have you felt how heavy a
Rifleman’s rucksack is? With changing exhibitions
and our Soldiers of the Month display, there is
always something new to see. There is plenty for
the whole family to do, with a brilliant shop and
tea room overlooking the docks.
Jet Age Museum
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
10.00 - 16.00
Meteor Business Park, 128 Cheltenham Rd E,
Staverton, Gloucester GL2 9QL, approx. 15mins
drive from Gloucester City Centre
Free parking
Britain’s first jet aircraft, the Gloster E28/39, first
left the ground at nearby Brockworth airfield in
1941. The Museum houses a replica of it together
with original Gloster-built planes such as the
Javelin and Meteor. Some aircraft cockpits will be
open subject to availability.
Nature in Art
Thurs 8 Sept
10.00 to 17.00
Wallsworth Hall, Sandhurst, GL2 9PA near
Twigworth, approx. 11 mins drive from
Gloucester City Centre
Nature in Art is the world’s first museum
dedicated exclusively to fine, decorative and
applied art inspired by nature. The collection
is housed in a fine Georgian mansion dating
from the mid-18th Century. There is a vibrant
programme of temporary exhibitions, supported
by an unrivalled programme of artists in
residence. Includes Sculpture Garden. Anyone
mentioning Heritage Open Days on Thursday 8th
to Sunday 11th Sept will receive a free copy of
the full colour booklet of the history of the Hall.
Tours of Gloucester Prison (C10)
Sat 17 and Sun 18 Sept
10.00, 11.30, 13.00, 14.30
£10 /£8 conc.
Booking essential
Part of the City Voices events, this is
a rare chance to see inside a prison.
The new Gloucester prison started
life in 1791, built on land adjacent
to the Medieval Castle which had
been used as the prison up until
then. Gloucestershire’s High Sheriff
and prison reformer, Sir George
Onesiphorus Paul, was the driving force
behind the development.
The last hanging took place in 1939
and it was closed as a prison in 2013.
Recently extensive archaeological
excavations of the Castle site have been
undertaken (see event C03 pg 7). Its
planned conversion to residential is part
of the visionary Blackfriars Development
for the City.
There is a special tour with City
Archaeologist, Andrew Armstrong on
Saturday 17 Sept at 15.30 (C11)
£15 / £12 conc.
Booking essential
By kind permission of City & Country
Val Briggs, Artist in Residence
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
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8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016
The Docks
Mariners Church
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
9.00 – 18.00
Gloucester Docks
Mariners Church opened in 1849 and became
popular with the townspeople as well as the
mariners visiting the port. The Chaplain was
responsible for visiting every ship that arrived. The
church features fine stained glass windows. An
active church continues to meet in the building.
Gloucester Waterways Museum
Thurs 8 Sept: 10.30 - 17.00
Gloucester Docks
Visit the Waterways Museum to uncover the
story of Britain’s waterways and the history
behind Gloucester Docks. The Museum has
displays and activities especially for children
so that they can learn about our waterways
heritage. See the fine stationary steam
engine, manufactured by the well-known local
engineering company, Fielding and Platt. A guided
walk around Gloucester Docks is also available
(see Guided Walks listings).
Tommy Nielsen’s Dry Docks
Thurs 8 and Fri 9 Sept
10.00 - 16.00
Gloucester Docks
See the original graving (dry) docks now used
by Tommy Nielsen’s traditional shipbuilding and
rigging company. This is one of the few remaining
shipyards with the skills to work on traditional
wooden vessels. The workshop is not open to
the public.
Upstairs, Downstairs Antiques
Open 7 days a week.
Mon - Fri 10.00 - 16.00,
Sat - Sun 10.00 - 17.00
Severn Road
Coffee shop open Thurs - Sun. All fresh food and
home made cake and scones
The building is over 200 years old. Dating
back to 1815 and was originally used for the
manufacture of rope and sails for the tall ships
and those powered by steam.
Box Office 01452 396 572
20
St Mary de Crypt Church
and the Old Crypt Schoolroom
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept Thurs and Fri 11.30 -15.00;
Sat 12.00-13.30 and Sun 12.00-14.00
Southgate Street
This fine 15th century church is associated
with famous Methodist preacher George
Whitefield and with Robert Raikes, a founder
of the international Sunday School movement.
The legendary banker, Jemmy Wood, is buried
here. Whitefield and Raikes were both educated
in the adjoining Old Crypt Schoolroom. W. E.
Henley (who penned the poem, ‘Invictus’.) is also
associated with The Crypt School. Tours of the Bell-ringing Chamber (C01)
Sat 10 Sept 12.00-13.30
Pre-booking required - free
Bell-ringing chamber is not wheelchair accessible.
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
performed by Tyger Productions (C02)
Thurs 8 Sept 19.00, Fri 9 Sept 19.00,
Sat 10 Sept 13.30 and 19.30
Pre-booking required £6 or £5 conc.
Gloucester Brewery
Thurs 8 to Sat 10 Sept
9.00 – 17.00
Fox’s Kiln, West Quay, Gloucester Docks
An award-winning craft brewery specialising in
producing an exciting range of high quality ales
using traditional brewing methods.
Although recently established, the beers have
already won several awards and will be available
during the weekend. Short tours available at 14.00
and 16.00 on all days, with a taste of beer included.
Churches
© Gloucester Brewery
Quakers Meeting Room
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
Sat 10.00 to 16.00 Sun 14.00 to 16.00
Greyfriars
The Friends’ Meeting House is a Grade II listed
building, built in 1834-5 and designed by Samuel
Daukes. In 1879 a large portico was added, with
a schoolroom above. A unique feature is the
large wooden screen between the two main
rooms which can be wound up and down to
make one large space.
United Reformed Church
Sat 10 Sept
10.00 - 13.00
Park Road
Built in 1872 as a Presbyterian Church it
became a United Reformed Church when
Presbyterian and Congregational Churches
merged in 1972. The church boasts interesting
Victorian architecture, whilst the organ is an
1890 Sweetland. At 10.30 there will be a poetry
session, ‘The Four Seasons of Poetry’.
Christ Church
Fri 9 and Sat 10 Sept
10.00 - 16.00
Brunswick Road
This church, used extensively through the week
by the community, was built in 1822 as ‘The Spa
Church’ by private subscription. It was taken over
by the diocese of Gloucester in the 1850s. It has a
barrel-vaulted ceiling, Art Nouveau-decorated apse
and semi-dome, and Nicholson organ from 1866.
Southgate Evangelical Church
Thurs 10 to Sat 12 Sept
Thurs and Fri 10.00 -12.00;
Sat 10.00 - 16.00. Sun service 10.30-12.00
146 Southgate Street
The church is over 100 years old and was also
home church to the famous Dr Hadwen. There
will be refreshments available and a power point
presentation about the History of the Church.
Holy Innnocents Church
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
12.00 - 17.00
Highnam
Visit this Victorian Church with its unique Spirit
Fresco wall paintings. The church was built and
painted by Thomas Gambier Parry, whose son
Hubert Parry composed the music to Jerusalem.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
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St Nicholas’s Church
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
Fri and Sat 11.00 -15.00, Sun 13.00 - 15.00
Lower Westgate Street
A beautiful, medieval redundant church with
many interesting features and sympathetic
Victorian restoration - Walton tomb, leaning
tower, sanctuary knocker, squints, coat of arms. The
church will host musical events and heritage talks.
St Mary de Lode Church
Sat 10 & Sun 11 Sept
Sat 10.00 - 16.00; Sun 11.00 - 16.00
Archdeacon Street
The city’s oldest parish church which is
mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1085. It was
built over a Saxon church and a Roman building.
The Roman mosaic tiled floor can still be seen in
the church. The building was used as a prison for
Royalist soldiers during the Civil War in 1643. On
Saturday, the Gloucester Music Society will host a
talk (see Talks listings). Refreshments are available.
St Mary’s Congregational Church
Sat 10 & Sun 11 Sept
Sat 10.00 - 16.00
Sun Harvest Festival services 10.30 and 18.30
St Mary’s St
The original St Mary’s Hall situated in St Mary’s
Square was bought by Selina, Countess of
Huntingdon, in 1788 for the Gloucester followers
of George Whitefield, the famous 18th Century
preacher. The Church has evolved over the
years and now stands in its replacement building
(c.1958) as a Congregational Church which
welcomes one and all to both morning and
evening Sunday Services, led by various preachers.
Box Office 01452 396 572
22
Gloucester Cathedral
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
09.00 - 18.00
Whispering Gallery
Open Sat 10 Sept 10.30 - 16.00
Tower Tours
Sat 10 Sept 11.30, 13.30 and 14.30
The Cathedral is wheelchair accessible but the
Whispering Gallery and Tower Tours are not.
Formerly the Benedictine Abbey of St Peter,
founded in the 11th century, the Cathedral
features Norman pillars in the nave, the elaborate
tomb of Edward II, exquisite 14th century
fan vaulting, the 15th century tower and the
magnificent Great East Window. The Whispering
Gallery was created when a passageway was built
behind the Great East Window, and gives the
opportunity to view it close-up.
On Saturday 10th, all tours and attractions are
free of charge. The Tower Tours are by ticket only
and will be available to pre-book from Monday
5th Sept in person from the Cathedral Shop or
on 01452 229 813. On Saturday10th there will
be a poetry tour at 11.00). On Saturday 11th,
there will be a Poetry Tour at 11.00.
St John’s Northgate Church
Thurs 8 to Sat 10 Sept
11.00 - 15.00
Northgate Street
Classical Georgian church, opened in 1734. Only
tower and spire survive from earlier medieval
building; the top is now in nearby St Lucy’s Walk.
Medieval font. East window installed in 1880 to
commemorate centenary of the Sunday School
movement. Sir Thomas Rich baptized here in 1601.
Brass plate from father’s grave. The Methodist
Church now has full responsibility for the building.
Park Street Mission
Sat 10 Sept
12.00 - 16.00
Park Street
Built on the site of the old Quaker Meeting
House and, for over 365 years, there has been
worship on this spot. The connection with the
Quakers continues through three very helpful
Trustees but the meetings are free evangelical
although until the present leader there were still
Quakers in charge.
St Peter’s Catholic Church
Thurs 8 to Sat 10 Sept
Thurs 11.00 - 17.00, Fri 11.00 - 17.00,
Sat 11.00 - 16.00
London Road
The church, built in 1859, was designed by Gilbert
Blount in the Gothic Style and was recently
restored to its Victorian splendour. The Lady
chapel has an exquisitely carved triptych (recently
restored). The organ was erected in 1937 and
completely restored by Nicholsons of Malvern.
St Margaret’s Chapel
Thurs 8 and Fri 9 Sept
10.00 - 16.00
London Road
The Chapel was part of a monastic institution
set up outside the medieval city boundary for
the benefit of those suffering from the then
incurable disease of leprosy. The present Chapel
building is thought to date from the early 1400s
but incorporates earlier masonry in the west
wall. The Chapel is now under the patronage of
St Margaret of Scotland (died 1083), an English
princess who became Queen of Scotland.
St Mary Magdalene’s Chapel
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept
14.00 to 16.00
Hillfield Gardens, London Road
The Friends of Hillfield Gardens will open the
Chapel of St Mary Magdalene, the remains of
a 12th century leper chapel. It contains a stone
recumbent figure, which some people believe
to be the effigy of St Kyneburgh. Join Reverend
Richard Atkins, from BBC Radio Gloucestershire,
at 14.00 on Sunday for a short service in the
chapel, which is not normally open for services.
St Catharine’s Church
Thurs 8 to Sun 11 Sept
Thurs and Fri 09.00 - 12.00,
Sat 10.00 - 18.00, Sun 14.00 - 16.00
London Road
Although established in part of St Oswald’s
Priory in 1540, the current church building is
only 100 years old. A Prayer station will be
available. Routine church activities will be taking
place during opening hours. Light refreshments
will be available all day Saturday. Rehearsal for
Sunday worship may be taking place at the end
of Saturday.
Holy Trinity Church
Sat 11 and Sun 11 Sept
Sat 10.00 - 16.00;
Sun 13.00 - 15.00
Church Road, Longlevens
This church is an interesting Grade 2-listed 1930s
structure designed by Harold Stratton-Davis in a
15th century style.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
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8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016
Historic Inns
The Old Bell Inn
9a Southgate Street
A timber-framed building built for Thomas
Yate, apothecary and Mayor of Gloucester,
around 1650. It has a magnificent Jacobean
timbered façade dating from around 1665. The
main feature is the ornate stone overmantel
commemorating Yate’s marriage. The building has
had many uses over the years including as the
city tea warehouse and today it is a beautiful bar
and restaurant.
Cross Keys
Cross Keys Lane
This Grade II listed early 16th century timberframed building was originally three cottages.
Although records showing it in use as a pub date
back only to 1720, its name is a symbol of St
Peter and suggests it was originally supplied with
beer from the nearby St Peter’s Abbey, which
became Gloucester Cathedral in 1541.
The Black and White Restaurant
4 Longsmith Street
A fish and chip shop located in a charming
building that is reputed to be haunted.
Robert Raikes’s House
71-73 Southgate Street
A magnificent timber-framed merchant’s house
dating from 1560, which has been wonderfully
restored at great expense by Samuel Smiths
the Brewers. Robert Raikes, the campaigner
for prison reform and promoter of the Sunday
School movement, moved into the building in
1772. A tour about Robert Raikes starts from the
garden of the pub (see Guided Walk page 13).
Box Office 01452 396 572
24
The Whitesmiths Arms
81 Southgate Street
Located opposite the entrance to the Docks, this
was a beer house by 1871, though part of the
building dates from the 15th century. The original
roof beams can be seen in the small room to the
right of the bar.
Café Rene
Southgate Street
This historic inn in the Greyfriars area of
Gloucester is accessed from St Mary’s Lane
alongside St Mary de Crypt churchyard. It has a
Roman well inside it.
The Tall Ship
134 Southgate Street
Located at the entrance to the Docks, this Grade
II listed building was built specifically as a pub
around 1870.
Portivo Lounge
Gloucester Quays
A beautiful red brick structure, it was built in
1894 as a corn mill in the prosperous Gloucester
Docks. Restored in 2010 as part of the
Gloucester Quays redevelopment, it sits proudly
on the main entrance.
Dr Fosters
Kimberley Warehouse, The Docks
This inn is housed in the Kimberley Warehouse
which was built in 1846 for the corn trade, along
with its neighbours, the Herbert and Phillpotts
warehouses. It is named after the well-known
nursery rhyme.
The Dick Whittington
100 Westgate Street
A superb 15th century building known as St
Nicholas House, which was once a town house
of the Whittington family. It retains many original
features and has a splendid Georgian façade.
There are wall decorations on the first floor
reputed to have been done for the visit of
Elizabeth I in 1574.
The Old Crown
81-83 Westgate Street
The Victorian buildings, which used to house the
Army and Navy Stores, stand on the grounds
of the Crown Inn which dated back to the 13th
century. It was reputed to be the headquarters
of Colonel Massey during the siege of Gloucester
in 1643.
The Pelican
4 St Mary’s Street
The pub first appears in licensing records in 1679
and claims to be constructed using timbers from
Sir Francis Drake’s ship, the Golden Hind, which
was originally called The Pelican.
Comfy Pew
11 College Street
The Comfy Pew is in a Grade II listed row of
timber-framed buildings which date back to
the 15th century though with later alterations,
situated next to the main entrance gates to
Gloucester Cathedral. It is now a friendly, familyrun licensed coffee-shop and restaurant.
The Fountain Inn
53 Westgate Street
The Fountain Inn occupies one of the oldest
brewing sites in the city. It was once owned
by Peter Poitevin who crowned Henry III in St
Peter’s Abbey in 1216. The story in the entrance
tells how King William showed his contempt for
the Jacobites by riding his horse up the steps in
the courtyard.
The Sword Inn
Westgate Street
This bar is sited in two Elizabethan houses. One has
a Georgian frontage and used to be the premises of
John Pritchard, the original Tailor of Gloucester and
inspiration for Beatrix Potter’s book.
Coach and Horses
St Catherine’s Street
This Grade II listed timber-framed inn was built in
the early 16th century. Although first recorded as
an inn in 1806, it is believed to have been an inn
for at least a century before. As its name suggests,
it was a coaching inn.
Northend Vaults
Northgate Street
This Grade II listed building dates back to the
early 17th century when it was a merchant’s
house. It was re-fronted in the 18th century, but
behind is the original timber-framed building. It
has been a pub since 1869.
The Imperial
59 Northgate Street
The current building dates from 1898 and has
an elaborately moulded glazed tile exterior. It
replaced a pub which appears in records from
1722 but the original building was 1556.
Ye Olde Fish and Chip Shoppe
8 Hare Lane
A fine example of an Elizabethan building.
The New Inn
16 Northgate Street
The New Inn is described as the finest example
of a medieval galleried inn to be seen in Britain
today. It was built between 1430 and 1450 by
St Peter’s Abbey. Much of the original structure
still remains.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
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8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016
Music
The Jonathan Hope Organ Recital
Thurs 8 Sept 12.30
St John’s Church, Northgate Street
Jonathan Hope, the Assistant Director of Music
at Gloucester Cathedral, gives a recital on the
excellent organ at St John’s to start the musical
events accompanying Heritage Open Days. The
recital will last 30-40 minutes.
Bygonz Wandering Minstrels
Thurs 8 Sept
The Cross and Gate Streets
Look out for Minstrels in traditional dress playing
various instruments which have been part of the
popular musical life of this country for centuries.
Bygonz Perform
Thurs 8 Sept 14.00
Blackfriars, off Ladybellegate Street
Come and hear instruments, such as pipe and
tabor, hurdy-gurdy and bagpipes, which have been
part of the popular musical life of this country for
centuries, played by musicians wearing the dress of
the time. The performance will last 30-40 minutes.
Drake’s Viols
Thurs 8 Sept 14.30
St Mary de Crypt, Southgate Street
The local viol consort will play music from the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by the
leading composers of the day. The performance
will last 30 - 40 minutes.
Music for Virginals and Recorders
Thurs 8 Sept 15.00
Blackfriars, off Ladybellegate Street
Hear a selection of Tudor and later music by Pam
Smith and Simon Pickard. 30 - 40 minutes.
Box Office 01452 396 572
26
Edmund Saunders
From Rags to Riches (E03)
Fri 9 Sept 11.00
St Nicholas Church, Westgate Street
Pre-booking required
Richard Auckland and Brian McBurnie have
researched and written two books about the
people and history of Barnwood. This talk is the
fascinating tale of a pauper boy, born in Barnwood
in 1630, who left Gloucestershire and made his
way to London, entered and excelled in the legal
profession, eventually becoming Lord Chief Justice
of England. The talk will last about 50 minutes.
Bygonz Perform
Fri 9 Sept 11.30
Blackfriars, off Ladybellegate Street
Come and hear instruments, such as pipe and
tabor, hurdy-gurdy and bagpipes, which have been
part of the popular musical life of this country for
centuries, played by musicians wearing the dress of
the time. The performance will last 30-40 minutes.
Gloucester Waites
Fri 9 Sept 12.30
St Nicholas Church, Westgate Street
The Waites of Gloucester are modelled on the
band of musicians run by the City of Gloucester
in the 16th and 17th centuries, playing on
recorders, shawms, curtals, psaltery, bagpipes
and other historical instruments. They will play a
programme of Spanish music from the 1500s and
1600s. The performance will last 30-40 minutes.
Bygonz Wandering Minstrels
Fri 9 Sept
The Cross and Gate Streets
Look out for Minstrels in traditional dress playing
various instruments which have been part of the
popular musical life of this country for centuries.
The Silver Singers
Sat 10 Sept 11.00
St Mary de Crypt Church
This choir which is made up of members of
AgeUK in and around Gloucester return to
perform a wide range of easy listening music,
whilst having a lot of fun in the process. The
performance will last 40-50 minutes.
Christopher Boodle Recital
Sat 10 Sept 14.00
St John’s Church, Northgate Street
Gloucester-born composer and professional
musician Christopher Boodle gives a recital on
the excellent organ in St John’s. The recital will
last 30-40 minutes.
Edward Elgar
Sat 10 Sept 14.00
St Mary de Lode Church, Archdeacon Street
This talk on Edward Elgar is given by Wendy
Hill a guide and lecturer at the Elgar Birthplace
Museum. The talk is organised by the Gloucester
Music Society prior to a performance of Elgar’s
great Piano Quintet in the Chapter House of
Gloucester Cathedral on Sat 1st October at
15.00. The talk will last about 45 minutes.
Gloucester Brass Perform
Sun 11 Sept 14.00
St Nicholas Church, Westgate Street
This fine local band returns to perform for
Heritage Open Days. The performance will last
30-40 minutes.
See page 29 for details on the Sine Nomine
Choir and History Festival Songs of Praise
music events...
Talks
What did the Romans ever do for me?
Thurs 8 Sept
11.00
St Nicholas Church Westgate Street
Neil Hampson, the Right Worshipful the Mayor of
Gloucester talks about his personal involvement
in the archaeology of Gloucester. 40 minutes.
Gloucester Cathedral’s
Decorative Stones (E01)
Thurs 8 Sept
14.00
Gloucester Cathedral
Pre-booking required
Dennis Jackson, a local geologist, tours the
Cathedral, showing the different types of stone
used for decoration, and explaining their origin
and how fashions changed over the years. Meet
near the Jenner monument. 40 minutes.
In the Footsteps of the Monks (E02)
Thurs 8 Sept
19.00
Ivor Gurney Hall, Kings School
Pre-booking required
John Putley of Gloucestershire Archives will talk
about the main religious houses in Gloucester
and their impact on the city. 50 minutes. Madcap Adventures of a Gloucester Boatman
Fri 9 Sept
14.00
St Nicholas Church Westgate Street
John Chandler, editor of Victoria County History
of Gloucestershire, explores the life and work of
John Taylor (1578 – 1653), who became a wellknown celebrity. 40 minutes.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
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8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016
The Four Seasons of Poetry
Sat 10 Sept
10.30
United Reformed Church, Park Road
Year in, year out, the seasons delight us with their
sights and sounds. English poetry, an essential
part of our heritage, captures these sensations
for us. Ian McKay will lead this poetry event with
help from Jenny Williams. Both Ian and Jenny are
members of Gloucester Civic Trust and will read
some of their favourite poems.
Poetry in the Cathedral (E04)
Sat 10 Sept
11.00
Gloucester Cathedral, meet at the South Porch
Pre-booking required
Join local poet Peter Wyton (BBC Radio
Gloucestershire’s Breakfast Bard) who will
perform his poems at various stations around the
Cathedral. The event lasts about 45 minutes.
The Life and Times of
Gloucester’s Chimes
Sun 11 Sept
15.00
St Nicholas Church, Westgate Street
The Cathedral chimes were restored in 2013
after a silence of some 20 years. Jonathan
MacKechnie-Jarvis, the Honorary Chimekeeper,
will explain how they work, illustrating their five
hundred year history with music and pictures.
The talk will last about 40 minutes and then
the audience will be invited to stroll up to the
Cathedral to hear the chimes at 16.00.
Box Office 01452 396 572
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Family Events
Displays of old Gloucester
If you are interested in seeing pictures and murals
of Gloucester’s past then there are a number of
sites around the city. Why not take a stroll round
and see for yourself?
Start with the displays and videos in St Michael’s
Tower then choose from the following:
• St John Lane
• Worcester Street near the traffic lights
• Ladybellegate Street
• Sainsbury’s mural, Hare Lane
• Boots mural, Brunswick Road
Bell Ringing Heritage Open Days is a National
event. This year to announce the start it is hoped
that bells will be rung all over the country from
18.00 on Thurs 8 Sept. How many can you hear?
Life Museum Building Tour
Thurs 8 and Fri 9 Sept
14.45 and 15.45
Come and join our gallery tours and discover
all those quirky features that lurk around every
corner at the Life Museum. Meet in Museum
reception (please note that access to the
Museum building is restricted due to its nature,
and those with mobility problems may find this
challenging). These tours are free to attend, there
is no need to pre-book – just turn up on the day.
Town Crier of Gloucester
Thurs 8 to Sat 10 Sept
Gloucester City Centre
Come and hear the world’s loudest town crier,
Alan Myatt, promoting the Heritage Open Days.
Alan has been a crier for over twenty years,
and at 112.8 decibels, Alan’s cry of ‘Oyez! Oyez!
Oyez!’ is the undisputed world record.
Ring the Rudhall Heritage Bells
Fri 9 and Sat 10 Sept
Fri 11.00 - 15.30; Sat: 12.00 - 14.00
St Michael’s Tower, The Cross
Have a go at ringing the two heritage bells made
in Gloucester in 1710 by Abraham Rudhall on
display in the Tower.
Sine Nomine Youth Choir
Sat 10 Sept 12.00
St Nicholas Church, Westgate Street
Come and hear this fine choir whose members
are aged between 7 and 20 years old and from
schools throughout Gloucester. The performance
will last 30-40 minutes.
Heritage Face Painting
Sat 10 Sep 12.00 - 14.00
St Michael’s Tower, The Cross
Come and have your face painted at the Tower.
Tour the Guildhall
Sat 10 and Sun 11 Sept 12.00 - 17.30
The Guildhall, Eastgate Street
Take a tour of the Guildhall and find out about
events here and its past life as the Guildhall,
Note there are a lot of steps to climb.
‘A Tale of One City’
Sat 10 Sept 10.00
The Gate Streets
Join Gloucester’s Rococo Players as they tour
the city centre bringing to life the stories of
some of Gloucester’s most famous citizens. Lady
Aethelflaed, Robert Raikes and Beatrix Potter are
among the cast of colourful characters who will
tell you their story and explain how their lives
became woven into the fabric of Gloucester’s
illustrious past.
WWII Day
Sat 10 Sept 11.00 – 16.00
Gloucester Life Museum, Westgate Street
Handle some objects from WWII, visit the WWII
Recruitment Office and enlist to do your bit for
your country!
ARTitecture
Sat 10 Sept 12.00
The Guildhall, Eastgate Street
Make and decorate your favourite Gloucester
building. Learn about the Guildhall and its
architecture. Suitable for all ages. Children must
be accompanied.
Roman Day
Sun 11 Sept 11.00 – 16.00
Museum of Gloucester
Brunswick Road
Handle Roman artefacts make some Roman crafts
and dress up like a Roman. Tinkerscuss. For all ages.
Songs of Praise to mark the Centenary of
World War 1 and the Battle of the Somme.
(F01) Sun 11 Sept 19.00
The Salvation Army, Eastgate Street
Free, pre-booking required
Beautiful hymns, songs and poetry of WW1 to
mark this bloodiest of conflicts. Poems read by
Jeremy Keck. WW1 songs and music written by
Gloucestershire composers, including Herbert
Howells, Hubert Parry, Ivor Gurney and Gustav
Holtz. The vocal soloist is Philip Webb. Further
music will be provided by Gloucester Salvation
Army Band (Cliff Matthews) and Songsters (Philip
Webb). There will be a retiring collection in
aid of the Salvation Army’s work amongst the
homeless in Gloucester.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
29
HENRY III CORONATION
10-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
Celebrating the 800th anniversary
of Henry III’s Coronation in
Gloucester (1216-2016)
And in the evening, there is the opening event of the
Blackfriars Talks by Marc Morris discussing Henry III: Kingship
and Crisis.
Tuesday 13 September
14.30-15.30 Blackfriars Talks Event
Janina Ramirez - Henry III and the First
Journalist: Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris wrote that
Henry III ‘stayed beside me
night and day, guiding my
pen’. Oxford historian and TV
presenter Janina Ramirez uses
recent new discoveries about
Paris’s manuscript to bring
Henry III’s fascinating life to light.
This is part of the Blackfriars Talks series, please
see page 33 for details.
Opening of Henry III Exhibition
Henry III: Good King or Bad Ruler?
This exhibition at the Museum of Gloucester
showcases some of Gloucester’s most important
medieval treasures are brought together to
explore the reign of Gloucester’s boy king.
© The British Library
On the Saturday 10 September ‘The Boy King’ Parade and
Re-enactment of the Coronation of Henry III takes place
at Gloucester Cathedral, celebrating 800 years since the
nine-year old prince was crowned in Gloucester. Follow the
young prince and members of the nobility through the city
streets to the Cathedral, where the moment of coronation
and enthronement will be re-enacted in a full ceremony in the
Nave. The ceremony will be followed by a medieval market,
family craft activities and medieval-themed entertainment: all
at the Cathedral.
Sunday 11 September
Henry III Cathedral Lecture Series
Gloucester Cathedral, Chapter House
Spread across two evenings during the week after the Gloucester
History Festival has finished, Gloucester Cathedral is hosting
a lecture series on Henry III. This will be an interesting and
rewarding series of lectures in which the speakers will take aspects
of the story of Henry and his coronation and explore deeper.
Saturday 10 September
12.30 Coronation Re-enactment Parade
Start of the Coronation Re-enactment parade
from Blackfriars Priory, Ladybellegate Street
13.15 Coronation Ceremony,
Gloucester Cathedral
The moment of coronation and enthronement
will be re-enacted in a full ceremony in the Nave
led by Bishop Rachel Treweek
13.45 Yew Tree planting, Gloucester Cathedral
Planting of a Yew Tree in the Cathedral grounds
as part of a national initiative to celebrate the
800th anniversary of the Magna Carta
30
14.00 - 17.00 Medieval entertainment &
activities, Gloucester Cathedral College Green
Medieval themed entertainment on Lower
College Green and family craft activities inside
the Cathedral. Browse a medieval market in
the Cloisters and marvel at displays of stonemasonry in the Garth.
19.30 - 20.30 Blackfriars Talks Opening Event
Marc Morris - Henry III: Kingship and Crisis
Historian and broadcaster
Marc Morris (The Norman
Conquest, King John) explores
the intriguing life of this littleknown monarch. This is part
of the Blackfriars Talks series,
please see page 33 for details.
See masterpieces of art and craftsmanship
alongside weapons of war and symbols of
division. Then decide: was it a golden age of
prosperity or time of fear for the citizens of
Gloucester? Please see page 41 for full details of
this exhibition.
© Gloucester Cathedral
Tickets £7 per lecture,
£12 per evening or £20
for all four lectures (concessions for Friends
of Gloucester Cathedral
members)
Book your tickets at
the Cathedral Gift Shop,
call 0845 652 1823 or visit gloucestercathedral.org.uk Tuesday 20 September
18.30 – 19.30 Dr Tom Asbridge - William Marshal: Henry III’s servant and saviour?
20.00 – 21.00 Professor Nick Vincent - Gloucester 1216: How the Italians Rescued Magna Carta
Thursday 22 September
18.30 – 19.30 ‘Magna Carta 1216: Its political and social context’, Professor David Carpenter
20.00 – 21.00 ‘A loving husband, father and brother:
King Henry III and his women’, Professor Louise Wilkinson
A display of items from the Cathedral Library and Archive will be
set out on both evenings.
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BLACKFRIARS TALKS
10-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
Sarah Smyth, Blackfriars Talks Curator
Ticket prices are shown by each event and there are concessions for Residents’ Cardholders and
Gloucester Civic Trust members. Ring the box office on 01452 396 572, visit the Tourist Information
Centre or buy online at www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk. Concessions are not available online.
There will be box office on site.
Please note In September the evenings start to close in and Blackfriars has limited heating, so please bring warm clothes.
Sat 10 Sept – Henry III
Blackfriars Priory celebrates the 800th
anniversary of the crowning of Henry III with
the departure of the coronation procession
from the Priory at lunchtime and the first of
the Blackfriars Talks exploring the reign of this
extraordinary monarch the same evening.
19.30-20.30 Marc Morris - Henry III:
Kingship and Crisis (BT01) £8 / £6 conc.
Historian and broadcaster Marc Morris (The
Norman Conquest, King John) explores the
intriguing life of this little-known monarch. In a
fascinating illustrated talk he examines the king’s
character and explores the politics of his reign, in
particular his clash with his celebrated brother-inlaw, Simon de Montfort, that climaxed in a bitter
and divisive civil war.
Box Office 01452 396 572
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Sun 11 Sept – The Private
Lives of Kings
Join us to hear about the fascinating relationship
between Matthew Paris and Henry III and an
intriguing new perspective on the Tudors.
14.30-15.30 Janina Ramirez - Henry III and
the First Journalist: Matthew Paris (BT02)
£8 / £6 conc.
Matthew Paris wrote that Henry III ‘stayed
beside me night and day, guiding my pen’. But
despite his intimate relationship with the king,
Paris never minced his words, nor his satire. In his
‘Chronica Majora’ he gives an intimate glimpse
of Henry’s reign, complete with some of the
earliest satirical cartoons documenting his real
feelings towards the king. Oxford historian and
TV presenter Janina Ramirez uses recent new
discoveries about Paris’s manuscript to bring
Henry III’s fascinating life to light.
16.30-17.30 Tracy Borman - The Private
Lives of the Tudors (BT03) £8 / £6 conc.
Historian, broadcaster and joint
Chief Curator of the Historic
Royal Palaces, Tracy Borman
uncovers the intimate secrets
of Britain’s greatest dynasty. She
takes us behind the scenes of
the Tudor Court exploring key
moments in Tudor history and
telling the illustrated story of the private lives of
Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I from an
intriguing new perspective. ‘This is a very human
story of a remarkable family, full of vignettes that
sit long in the mind’ (The Sunday Times).
16.00-17.00 Andrew Armstrong - Revealing
The King’s Bastion
Talk only: BT05 £7 / £5 conc.
Talk and Tour: BT06 £12 / £10 conc.
(tour limited to 14 people)
To mark the first opening of The King’s Bastion
chamber to the public for 19 years, City
Archaeologist Andrew Armstrong tells the
extraordinary story of the King’s Bastion, the lives
of its Roman inhabitants and the conversion of
the fortress ramparts into a 1.8km wall, parts
of which can be seen in the chamber today.
He reveals the fascinating illustrated tale of the
Bastion’s restoration and the unique insights it
gives into Roman Gloucester.
18.30-19.30 Mark Gatiss (BT04)
£8 / £6 conc.
Join Mark Gatiss, actor and
screenwriter, co-creator of
Sherlock and The League of
Gentlemen. He discusses how
history has shaped his work
and the challenges of the past
in everything from Doctor Who
to Wolf Hall.
The tour starts at 17.20 from the Blackfriars
Priory box office and Andrew will take you
underneath the pavements of Gloucester for a
tour of the The King’s Bastion. Tour last 30 mins
and is limited to 14 people.
Mon 12 Sept – Ancient
Voices, Ancient Worlds
Join us as our three events journey to a distant
past – tracking back through Anglo-Saxon
England and Roman Britain to meet the three
giants of ancient philosophy, Buddha, Socrates
and Confucius – with travelling companions Tom
Holland, Andrew Armstrong, and Bettany Hughes.
© Sarah Turton
Satisfy your curiosity! Join us for a week of intriguing, challenging and
entertaining talks on national and international history by some of the
leaders in their field. From World War One to Katherine of Aragon,
the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death to the Korean War, our
Blackfriars Talks range far and wide. And closer to home, why not visit
the first calligrapher to work in Blackfriars Scriptorium – Britain’s
oldest library – for 470 years since the last monks left in 1539? Come
early, enjoy a drink in the Blackfriars bar and savour the atmosphere
of this stunning building.
18.00-19.00 Bettany Hughes - The Age that
Changed the World: Socrates, Buddha and
Confucius (BT07) £8 / £6 conc.
For her acclaimed BBC TV
series, Genius of the Ancient
World, historian Bettany Hughes,
author of The Hemlock Cup –
Socrates, Athens and the Search
for the Good Life, travelled to
India, Greece and China on the
trail of three giants of ancient
philosophy – Buddha, Socrates, and Confucius. In
this intriguing illustrated exploration she uncovers
the power and influence of their beliefs, bringing
vividly to life how they shaped the ancient (and
modern) worlds. Visit www.bettanyhughes.co.uk
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
33
20.00-21.00 Tom Holland - Aethelstan: The
Making of England (BT08) £8 / £6 conc.
Award-winning historian
Tom Holland recounts
the extraordinary story of
Anglo-Saxon King Aethelstan –
transporting us back to a time
of omens, raven harbingers and
blood-red battlefields. Making
sense of the family rivalries
and fractious conflicts of the Anglo-Saxon rulers,
he shows us how a royal dynasty rescued their
kingdom from near-oblivion and fashioned a
nation that endures to this day. Part of the
Penguin Monarchs series.
Tues 13 Sept – World War II
In our two events exploring the Second World
War we gain a remarkable personal insight into
the life and work of Alan Turing at Bletchley
Park, from his nephew, and an eye-witness
perspective on the Battle of Normandy.
18.00-19.00 Lord Saye & Sele - Normandy
1944 (BT09) £7 / £5 conc.
Lord Saye & Sele, who took part in the
Normandy campaign as a young officer in 1944,
talks of his experiences and how the Normandy
battles ensured the final victory of the allies.
Box Office 01452 396 572
34
10-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
20.00-21.00 Dermot Turing - Alan Turing
and the Enigma Cipher (BT10) £7 / £5 conc.
Alan Turing’s nephew, Dermot
Turing tells the extraordinary
story of his uncle’s life and the
cracking of the Enigma cipher
at Bletchley Park in a fascinating
illustrated talk which takes a
fresh look at the influences on
Turing’s life and uncovers new material on the
man portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in The
Imitation Game.
Wed 14 Sept – Uncovering
Shakespeare
Did Shakespeare really perform in Gloucester?
Whether the legend that Shakespeare and his
troupe performed at The New Inn is truth
or myth, we celebrate his 400th anniversary
with a series of events exploring the history of
Shakespeare’s life and times as well as hearing
the fascinating story of everyday life on and
around the Severn.
16.00-17.00 John Chandler - Tales of the
Severn (BT11) £7 / £5 conc.
Historian John Chandler tells the fascinating
illustrated story of the Severn through the lives
of the people who lived on its banks - from
Maisemore and Ashleworth to Minsterworth and
Elmore. Exploring everyday life from medieval
times to the Industrial Revolution - from flooding
and fishing to cider-making and river crossing - he
brings the river and its industry to life and marks
publication of the latest volume of the Victoria
County History series.
Thurs 15 Sept – Gloucester
Near and Far
18.00-19.00 Paul Edmondson & Stanley
Wells - The Shakespeare Circle (BT12)
£8 / £6 conc.
Join Shakespeare experts Paul Edmondson
and Sir Stanley Wells from the Shakespeare
Birthplace Trust as they explore the lives of
Shakespeare’s friends, relatives, fellow actors and
rivals in an intriguing illustrated talk. Full of fresh
and fascinating detail The Shakespeare Circle:
An Alternative Biography looks at Shakespeare
through the people we know he was closest to,
from his wife and children through to his fellow
actors, writers, and patrons. Visit the website
www.theshakespearecircle.com
Our events on this day celebrate Gloucester
near and far - in Medieval times when the city’s
master craftsmen, by appointment to the King,
took their talents to the capital and, in the 20th
century, when the ‘Glorious Glosters’ travelled
to South East Asia to fight in the Korean War.
We also mark the 40th anniversary of Operation
Thunderbolt with a gripping talk by Saul David.
16.00-17.00 Phil Moss - An Insider’s Guide to
Medieval Gloucester (BT14) £7 / £5 conc.
What was everyday life really like in the time of
Henry III? Historian Phil Moss takes us behind
the scenes of medieval Gloucester to experience
the pains and pleasures of medieval city living.
He tells the story of the remarkable Gloucester
craftsmen - stonemason John of Gloucester and
goldsmith William of Gloucester - who worked for
the king and went on to national fame using their
extraordinary talents to help create Westminster
Abbey, one of the wonders of the age.
19.20-19.40 Shakespeare in the Scriptorium
Free Performance Event
Shakespeare’s characters - from The Merchant
of Venice to Othello - are brought to life by
director and RSC associate actor, Fiona Ross, and
students of the University of Gloucestershire.
Come and wander round to see intriguing
happenings and encounters in the East Range,
the Scriptorium, and all over the Blackfriars site
in a powerful theatre performance including live
music and song from Gillian Yates and Jessica
Gordon playing the lute.
20.00-21.00 Jerry Brotton - This Orient Isle:
Elizabethan England and the Islamic World
(BT13) £8 / £6 conc.
Jerry Brotton’s acclaimed This Orient Isle explores the
fascinating relationship between Islam and Christianity
in Elizabethan England and how it profoundly
influenced Shakespeare’s plays from Othello to The
Merchant of Venice. In a powerful illustrated talk, he
uncovers a lively exchange of traders, diplomats, gifts
and letters and a Muslim presence in Elizabethan
politics and culture that gives us a brand new
perspective on Shakespeare’s plays and a new way to
think of that presence in our own time.
© Stéphane Cojot-Goldberg
© Sadie Holland
BLACKFRIARS TALKS
18.00-19.00 Saul David - Operation
Thunderbolt (BT15) £8 / £6 conc.
Historian and broadcaster Saul
David tells the gripping story
of the most audacious Special
Forces hostage rescue mission
in history.The 1976 hijacking
of Flight 139 which came to a
violent climax at Entebbe, in Idi
Amin’s Uganda, had repercussions
worldwide. 40 years on, Saul David tells the gritty,
visceral and fast-paced tale of the first shot in the
West’s long war against international terrorism in his
critically-acclaimed book Operation Thunderbolt.
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
35
BLACKFRIARS TALKS
20.00-21.00 Andrew Salmon - The Battle of
the Imjin River: ‘The Armageddon North of
Seoul’ (BT16) £8 / £6 conc.
In April 1951, the mightiest communist offensive
launched since 1945 was unleashed across Korea.
Facing China’s ‘human wave’ on the Imjin River
stood the UK’s 29th Brigade; in the eye of the
hurricane stood the ‘Glorious Glosters’. This audiovisual presentation will reclaim this struggle from
legend, bringing Britain’s bloodiest post-war battle
back to vivid life. Historian Andrew Salmon, MBE,
is the Seoul-based author of To the Last Round: The
Epic British Stand on the Imjin River.
Fri 16 Sept – World War I
Marking the centenary of The Somme, our First
World War focus explores two of 1916’s key
battles – The Battle of Jutland and The Somme
itself – telling the story of these events as well
as exploring the role of soldiers from all over
the world who took part in the conflict.
16.00-17.00 Richard Van Emden - The
Somme: The Epic Battle in the Soldiers’ own
Words and Photographs (BT17) £8 / £6 conc.
No offensive better encapsulates the horror of
trench fighting than the Battle of the Somme.
Leading World War One historian Richard
Van Emden has uncovered some remarkable
stories told by the soldiers themselves of action
and heroism in the face of battle – including an
account of a soldier from the Glosters. Illustrated
with the soldiers’ own privately-taken and illegal
photographs, he uses these images to explore
the experiences of individual soldiers in this
landmark battle.
Box Office 01452 396 572
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10-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
17.20-17.40 and 19.20-19.40
World War One: On the Front Line
Free Performance Event
Come and encounter our live encampment of
World War One soldiers in the courtyard and
scriptorium where they groom their horse,
prepare for battle and share their experiences of
life on the front line in a powerful performance
event by director and RSC associate artist
Fiona Ross and students of the University of
Gloucestershire.
18.00-19.00 David Olusoga - The World’s
War: Forgotten Soldiers of Empire (BT18)
£8 / £6 conc.
David Olusoga is an acclaimed historian and
BBC film-maker whose programmes have
explored themes of colonialism and slavery. He
discusses his award-winning book The World’s
War which explores how Europe’s Great War
became the World’s War - a multi-racial, multinational struggle and the extraordinary individual
stories and sacrifices of some of the 4 million
non-European people whose experiences have
remained too long in the shadows.
20.00-21.00 Nick Jellicoe - Jutland: The
Unfinished Battle (BT19)
£8 / £6 conc.
The grandson of Admiral John Jellicoe,
Commander of the British Grand Fleet at
Jutland, gives a compelling talk exploring the
Royal Navy’s last great sea battle – the first and
largest engagement of Dreadnoughts in the 20th
century. Telling the story of the battle from both
a British and German perspective, and based on
the very latest research featured in the Channel 4
TV programme, he gives an illuminating illustrated
account of this controversial battle and its legacy.
Sat 17 Sept – Revolutions
and Revelations
Join us for an evening full of intriguing events come and hear from Griff Rhys Jones, learn about
revolutionary Russia from Helen Rappaport, and
enjoy speedy introductions to Shakespeare, the
Ice Age and the Barbarian hordes!
18.00-19.00 A Very Short Introduction…an
evening of History ‘Speed Dating’ (BT20)
£7 / £5 conc. inc. glass of wine
Downstairs in the Scriptorium
Experience an evening like no other… We’re
bringing three of Oxford University Press’s Very
Short Introduction series authors together to
provide an intellectually nutritious smorgasbord
of enlightenment! Want to know more about
Shakespeare’s Comedies? The Ice Age? The
Barbarian hordes? Then this is the night for you. In
small groups (bring your friends or come alone!)
you’ll get to spend 10 minutes or so with each of
our three authors – Bart van Es, Jamie Woodward
and Gillian Clark - in turn ‘speed dating’ style!
Tickets for this cerebral extravaganza include a
glass of wine!
18.00-19.00 Helen Rappaport - Caught in
the Revolution - Petrograd 1917 (BT21)
£8 / £6 conc.
Join bestselling historian Helen Rappaport as
she tells the extraordinary story of the Russian
Revolution from an entirely new perspective through fascinating eye-witness accounts by a
surprising, flamboyant cast of foreigners ranging
from the American Ambassador to suffragette
leader Emmeline Pankhurst who all found
themselves in the white heat of revolution. ‘A
gripping, vivid, deeply-researched chronicle of the
Russian Revolution...’ (Simon Sebag Montefiore).
20.00-21.00 Griff Rhys Jones (BT22)
£8 / £6 conc.
Broadcaster, comedian and writer Griff Rhys
Jones is the presenter of TV series Restoration,
Mountain, Rivers and Griff ’s Great Britain and
is the President of Civic Voice. Join him to
hear about the historic buildings he loves and
his fascinating adventure discovering the real
Wales and its hidden treasures told in his book
Insufficiently Welsh.
© Marketing Gloucester
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
37
BLACKFRIARS TALKS
Today’s first three talks explore the lives
of three extraordinary women and the
influence they had on the history of their
times and we end with the fascinating story
of the man who painted the Cavaliers of the
English Civil War.
11.30-12.30 Jane Ridley - Queen Victoria:
Queen, Matriarch, Empress (BT23)
£8 / £6 conc.
Award-winning biographer Jane Ridley explores
the extraordinary life and reign of one of Britain’s
greatest monarchs overturning the established
picture of the dour old lady with a fresh and
engaging portrait of a female monarch reigning in
a time of intense change. In an illustrated talk she
explores how Queen Victoria used her gender
and family to define and enhance her power and
how her reign and the Victorian age shaped the
monarchy we know today. Queen Victoria is part
of the Penguin Monarchs series.
12.30-17.45 Calligraphy in the Scriptorium Satwinder Sehmi (B24)
Upstairs at the Scriptorium
Free entry pre-booking required
© Marketing Gloucester
Box Office 01452 396 572
38
Blackfriars Scriptorium is Britain’s oldest surviving
library where, from the 13th century, monks
illuminated and copied precious manuscripts.
Internationally acclaimed Satwinder Sehmi is
the first calligrapher to work in the Blackfriars
Scriptorium in over 470 years since the monks left
the Priory in 1539.
Visit him at any time during the afternoon
upstairs in the Scriptorium and see him at work.
15-20 minute talks and demonstrations at 13.00,
15.30 and 17.30. Limited to 20 people per event.
14.00-15.00 Alison Weir - Katherine of
Aragon (BT25) £8 / £6 conc.
Based on extensive new
research and shattering the
many myths about Henry VIII’s
long-suffering wife, Alison Weir
tells the extraordinary story of
Katherine of Aragon – a strong,
spirited woman determined
to fight for her rights and the
rightful place of her daughter. In a fascinating
illustrated talk, she discusses her new discoveries
and the challenges of translating Katherine’s life
into historically accurate and compelling fiction in
Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen.
15.30-15.50 Hidden Histories: Women’s
Voices from History
Free Performance Event
Workers, warriors, mothers and queens – come
and hear the stories of women through the
ages. Join director and RSC associate artist
Fiona Ross and students of the University of
Gloucestershire and wander round to see
intriguing happenings and encounters all over
the Blackfriars site as they bring to life tales
of women from the near and distant past in a
powerful theatre performance.
16.00-17.00 Jung Chang - The Birth of
Modern China: Empress Dowager Cixi
(BT26) £8 / £6 conc.
© Makoto Kuwata
Sun 18 Sept – Women
and History
10-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
Jung Chang, author of the bestselling classic
Wild Swans and co-author of Mao: The Unknown
Story, joins us to discuss her latest book; the
extraordinary history of the Empress Dowager
Cixi (1835-1908), the most important woman in
Chinese history who brought a medieval empire
into the modern age.
18.00-19.00 Waldemar Januszczak - Royalists
& Cavaliers: The Art of the English Civil War
(BT27) £8 / £6 conc.
Described by John Aubrey as
‘the most excellent painter that
England has produced’, William
Dobson was the British artist
who painted for the Royalists
during the English Civil War
putting a fascinating face to the
conflict. Art critic and broadcaster Waldemar
Januszczak brings the artist to life showing for the
first time a new film about Dobson and telling
the extraordinary illustrated story of the war
artist’s life with the Cavaliers.
Gloucester History Festival would like to
thank the following publishers for
their support:
• Allen Lane
• Aurum Press Ltd
• Cambridge University Press
• Head of Zeus
• Headline Review
• The History Press
• Hodder & Stoughton
• Hutchinson
• Orion Books
• Oxford University Press
• Parthian Books
• Pen and Sword Military
• The Penguin Monarchs series
• Seaforth Publishing
• Simon & Schuster
• Victoria County History
• W H Allen
• Vintage
• Weidenfeld & Nicolson
• Windmill Books
Tours of Gloucester Prison (C10)
Sat 17 and Sun 18 Sept
10.00, 11.30, 13.00, 14.30
£10 /£8 conc.
Booking essential
Par t of the City Voices events, this is
a rare chance to see inside a prison.
The new Gloucester prison started life
in 1791, built on land adjacent to the
Medieval Castle which had been used as
the prison up until then.
See page 19 for full details...
www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk
39
EXHIBITIONS AT BLACKFRIARS PRIORY
During the Blackfriars Talks series, the
Blackfriars Priory is hosting a number
of exhibitions that are open to the
public with free entry.
The exhibitions are at the following times:
Friday 9 to Sunday 11 September
between 10.00 and 16.00
Monday 12 to 18 September
from one hour before the start of the first
Blackfriars Talk until 21.00
A Heritage of Learning
The WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) received a grant from the
Heritage Lottery Fund to chart its history in the South West of England
since its formation in 1903. This touring exhibition will introduce some of the
material discovered mainly by volunteers and show where further information
may be found as well as introducing people to the work of what is now a national charity. This, the final
exhibition for the project, is appropriately located in the town where the founder of the WEA was
born. For more information visit www.wea.org.uk
Gloucestershire Archeology
Come and explore the work of Gloucestershire Archaeology (Glos Arch), which was formed in
Gloucester in 1967 and encourages members whatever their level of experience to participate in
excavations, fieldwalking, geophysical surveying, document research and historic building recording.
There are lectures and site visits to attend and help and advice given in finds processing and pottery,
coin and artefact identification and recording. For more information visit www.glosarch.org.uk
Discovering the WW1 Home Front:
Children and Charities, Food and Farms
In order to mark the centenary of WW1, and with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund,
Hempsted Church of England Primary School and various, local community groups have worked
together to explore, conserve and share what happened within their village between 1914-1918. Come and view their achievements and discoveries to date. For more information visit http://
homefront.creativeblogs.net/
40
EXHIBITIONS IN GLOUCESTER
Exhibitions
There are a number of exhibitions taking place
in Gloucester around the time of the History
Festival. Please check with the relevant venue
for exact opening times and any entrance fees.
Looking Before and After: Hidden Lives
Throughout September
St Mary de Crypt Church and the Old Crypt
Schoolroom, Southgate Street
Throughout September there will be an
exhibition in the church by Discover DeCrypt
Historical Research Group that looks at the lives
of ordinary people associated with the buildings
through the ages.
Henry III: Good King or Bad Ruler?
Tues 13 Sept and runs until end of Jan 2017
Museum of Gloucester, Brunswick Road
Some of Gloucester’s most important medieval
treasures are brought together in this exhibition
to explore the reign of Gloucester’s boy king. See
masterpieces of art and craftsmanship alongside
weapons of war and symbols of division. Then
decide: was it a golden age of prosperity or time
of fear for the citizens of Gloucester?
Time is Time was Time’s Future by PJ Crook
Sat 2 Jul - Sat 24 Sept
Museum of Gloucester, Brunswick Road
Fascinated by the notion of time, artist PJ Crook
looks at similarities between her own work, and
works within the Museum of Gloucester collection.
“Although time changes most things, that which
inspires the artist often recurs through the
generations. So the Museum of Gloucester kindly
allowed me into their fascinating picture stores to
select pieces that found echoes in my work.”
‘I Do’: Georgian, Edwardian & Wartime Brides
Sat 2 Jul - Sat 17 Dec
Gloucester Life Museum, 99-103 Westgate Street
A fantastic opportunity to view some beautiful
wedding gowns from the Gloucester Life
Museum costume collection. Thanks to the
Small Scale Capital Grants Scheme, the museum
has been able to acquire multiple new display
cases, which has opened up the opportunity
to showcase some fantastic items from the
museum’s costume collection. Featuring wedding
gowns from 1829, 1911, and 1941.’
150 years of Engineering Excellence
Sat 13 Aug – Sat 17 Dec
Gloucester Life Museum, 99-103 Westgate Street
Fielding & Platt, the once great Engineering
Company that traded in the City of Gloucester,
was founded in October 1866. So this year we
celebrate the 150th anniversary of that event
with an exhibition at the Life Museum. The
exhibition gives the visitor an insight into the
machines manufactured by the company, the
work force responsible for them and some of the
social life enjoyed.
Note: Ground floor, gardens and Victorian
Classroom are wheelchair accessible.
41
MAP OF GLOUCESTER
MAP OF GLOUCESTER
Use the map of Gloucester shown here to help you
find your way around the festival. Most venues are
located within the city centre asnd are within easy
walking distance of each other.
Historical Places (Pg 14-17)
6 The Fleece
C3
7 Blackfriars Priory
C4
8 Gloucester Guildhall
D3
9 Hillfield House
F2
10 Hedleys, 66 Westgate Street C3
11 Little Cloister House
D2
12 St Michael’s Tower
D3
13 Old Bishop’s Palace
D2
14 Parliament Suite
C2
15 Masonic Hall
D3
16 Robert Raikes’s House
C4
17 Roman Wall inside Gloucester C4
17 Furniture Exhibition Centre C4
18 St. Mary Magdelene’s Chapel
and Hillfield Gardens F2
19 The Stonemasons Yard
D2
20 The Tudor Rooms
D3
22 Winfields, 26 Westgate StreetD3
25 The Carriage Building
E4
46 Redcliff College
F3
Cultural Venues (Pg 18-19)
1 Beatrix Potter Museum
D3
2 Museum of Gloucester & Art
Gallery
D4
3 Gloucester Folk Museum
4 Waterways Museum
5 Soldiers of Gloucestershire
Museum
C3
B4
C4
21 Gloucester Park Bandstand D5
29 Anglo-Asian Cultural Centre F5
36 Kingsholm Rugby Stadium E1
36
59
Churches (Pg 21-23)
54
23 Christ Church
D5
24 Gloucester Cathedral
C2
26 Llanthony Secunda Priory A5
27 Mariners’ Church
B5
28 United Reformed Church
E5
30 Southgate Evangelical ChurchC5
31 St John’s Church Northgate D3
32 St Nicholas Church
C2
33 St Mary de Crypt Church C4
34 St Mary’s de Lode Church C2
35 St Peter’s Church
E2
53 All Saints Church
F5
54 St Mary’s Congregational
Church
C2
58 St Chatherine’s Church
59 Holy Innocents Church
61 St Swithuns Church
69 Holy Trinity Church
34
24
10
35
1
31
22
42
6
15
7
46
43
8
12
44
16
5
25
20
40
F2
A1
A5
F2
37
11
41
3
38
33
2
17
47
Guided Walks (Pg 11-14)
27
4
52
37 BBC Radio Gloucestershire F2
38 Eastgate Viewing Chamber D4
62 Gloucestershire Archives
E2
29
53
30
26
23
Historic Inns (Pg 24-25)
40 Cross Keys Inn
41 The Dick Whittington
42 Fountain Inn
43 The New Inn
44 The Old Bell Inn
62
13
14
32
9
18
58
60
19
28
45
C3
C2
C3
D3
D3
61
21
Gloucester Quays Outlet
Shopping Centre
The Docks (Pg 20)
45 SULA Lightship
A5
47 Tommi Neilsen’s Dry Docks B4
52 Gloucester Brewery
B5
42
Parking
Coach
Drop-off Point
Tourist
Informmation
Post Office
Shopmobility
Public/Disabled
Toilets
Pedestrian Priority
Church
43
Thank You
The Gloucester History Committee would like to thank all of the organising partners listed
below, all sponsors, volunteers, venues, media partners and supporters of Gloucester History
Festival and Heritage Open Days, without whose invaluable support and commitment the
event would not be possible.
Title Sponsor
Supported by
Festival Sponsors
Media Partners
Festival Bookseller
Individual Supporters
and Founder Patrons GUST
Sir Michael and Lady McWilliam, Marianne Hinton
Organising Partners
The History Festival is organised by GUST Charity No. 1164727

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