History buffs: Take note!

BBC History Magazine’s History Weekend heads to the historic walled city of Chester for the first time from Friday 25th October with a fantastic programme with nearly 30 talks from leading historians and authors at the beautiful Chester Town Hall. The Chester line-up includes bestselling author and historian Tracy Borman, who, inspired by her debut novels (The King’s Witch and its sequel, The Devil’s Slave), will take you into the turbulent world of the early Stuart court, where King James I waged a war on witches and Catholics alike. Tudor historian and archaeologist Robert Hutchinson delves into the life of Henry VIII, who towards the end, was a vulnerable king, thwarted in his ambitions. Meanwhile, historian and broadcaster Michael Wood, will discuss how when clearing out his parents’ house two years ago, he found a photograph from 1884 showing a group of eleven Peterloo veterans from Failsworth, his father’s town. It’s the only surviving photo of people from Peterloo. So, who were they? What were their stories?

David Musgrove, BBC History Magazine Content Director, says: “We are delighted that so many great historians and writers have been able to join us once more, and we look forward to what promises to be a great weekend of history this autumn”.

Other guests include Suzannah Lipscomb, Tracy Borman, Alison Weir, Michael Wood and Tom Penn.

History Fringe also returns this year where, as well as the main lectures series, festival visitors can also enjoy free short sessions guaranteed to keep you occupied and informed between talks. Taking place throughout Saturday and Sunday, the History Weekends have partnered with scholars from the universities of Winchester and Chester who will host these educational taster sessions on a broad range of fascinating topics. 

So, if you're fans of history, take your minds off of wedding planning for the weekend and indulge another passion! See the full line-up with details of how to buy tickets at www.historyextra.com/events or call 0871 620 4021. Subscribers to BBC History Magazine can take advantage of a reduced rate for all ticket options.