Pre-orders for Inside History Magazine are now on sale via crowdfunder.co.uk. 

​Our aim is raise enough money to print as many copies of the magazine as we can which we will then sell through stockists and our own website. We hope you can join us on this journey by getting your copy of the magazine, donating or even getting your hands on some of our amazing posters. 

The first issue of the magazine focuses on the history of Medicine and Surgery. We are delighted to be working with Dr Lindsey Fitzharris (The Butchering Art), Dr John Woolf (The Wonders) and Louise Wyatt (A History of Nursing) who are providing some excellent articles.

For every order, we are also entering every backer into our prize draw where you can win signed copies of books from our amazing writers. 

Plus, we also have some cool historical posters on offer. 

To find out more, simply head over to our crowdfunder page and if you like what you see please be sure to support us. 

The Chalke Valley History Festival brings history to life in more ways than you might think. People might travel far and wide to see their favourite historians deliver talks and to sign their books but the festival also has many more things up its sleeve to entertain and engage history lovers. 

Having gone around the festival, our Editor has picked his top 5 things to do at the festival. There really is something for all ages and historical interests here at Chalke Valley.

1 The Giant Hawker Typhoon “Tiffy”
​(Free)

High on the hill is the Giant Hawker Typhoon “Tiffy” It has been a collaborative effort with Qinetiq and the MOD Boscombe Down S.T.E.M team working closely with universities, colleges and schools to create the largest model World War II fighter plane ever. 

For those who remember crafting their small Airfix models and dreamed about a larger scale version...then this is for you. 

The Hawker Typhoon created is four times the size of the ones that flew over Normandy on D-Day. Whilst there are over 50 Spitfires still flying today, there is not one Typhoon. For fans of this spectacular plane this is a must see.

2. World War II Trench
​(£11.50 Book in Advance)

Brace yourself as you prepare to experience this immersive experience within the World War II Trench. Re-enacting a scenario from Normandy in 1944 you will be guided through the Trench with pyrotechnics going off around you. This the not for the faint of heart but certainly gives you a vivid flavour of what conditions in which the men who fought faced.

3. The History Tellers
​(Free)

Performing 10 different shows over the course of the festival, The History Tellers will bring history to life for all ages. From sailing the ocean waves with the Mutiny of the Bounty to Secret underwater Espinarge, this is a real treat for the whole family. Think along the lines of Horrible Histories are you are practically there. 

My personal favourite is the story of Maurice Wilson who aimed to reach the summit of Everest in the 1920s. No talent, never climbed before and no clue. Be sure to check them out.

4. The History Maker
​(Free)


The History Maker AKA Adam Schuch-Des Forges vividly brings to life the story of Major C.K King who was also known as “Banger”. Focusing on “Banger” Schuch-Des Forges recounts the stories of the men who fought in the East Yorkshire Regiment on D-Day. Skillfully acted and wonderfully told you will find some of the anecdotes amusing but will also leave with a deep respect for “Banger”. This is a must watch.   

5. The Moot 
(Free)


For all things “Living History” head to the rear of the festival and visit The Moot. With a wealth of historical periods covered from the Romans to the Second World War, re-enactors will show you cookery, warfare and of course, my personal favourite, the history of brewing.

For more information and to get tickets for the Chalke Valley History Festival please visit:
https://cvhf.org.uk/  #AmazingHistory 

Are you a history teacher? 
Do you teach Medicine Through Time? 

If you have answered yes to either of these questions then we have an exclusive offer for you and your pupils. 

Inside History Magazine is a theme based history magazine that takes you closer to the past one theme at a time. Our first issue explores the world of Medicine featuring articles from some of the best medical historians. From Galen to the gristly world of the operating theatres of the Victorians, we have plenty to help your students through their exams and enhance their love of history.  

We are delighted to announce that Dr Lindsey Fitzharris is on board for our first issue. Dr Fitzharris is the best selling author of  "The Butchering Art" and the host of the YouTube channel "Under The Knife". 

Dr John Woolf examines the relationship between the Freak Shows and Medicine and how it has advanced medical knowledge. Louise Wyatt takes a look at medieval medicine by highlighting the work of Hildegard of Bingen and Abbess Euphemia. We also have plenty more including Galen, the history and art of anatomy, plague doctors, Florence Nightingale and much more. 

Here is how our exclusive "history teacher offer" will work: 

For every printed issue sold to the teacher/school we will give your pupils unlimited access to our digital magazine.  It really is as simple as that. 

Our Indiegogo campaign will be selling individual copies of the magazine for £9. This includes P&P and your digital edition. Then simply contact us at Inside History Magazine to confirm the school you work at and we will send you the link for the free digital copies for your pupils. 

Pre-orders will start soon with the magazine coming out in September. To register your interest simply visit the indiegogo link below. 

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/inside-history-magazine/coming_soon/x/20696708

From Monday 24th to Sunday 30th June, usually quiet fields in Broad Chalke, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, will come alive and be transformed into the world’s largest festival entirely devoted to history. Spread over 60 acres, The Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival is a unique combination of talks, discussions and topical debates, alongside a vast living history encampment, where the very best living historians - all experts in their field - bring history to life with their extensive knowledge and passion for the past.

This year there will be more to see and do and a wider range of talks, discussions and other events than ever before. With over 150 talks and debates programmed, delivered by eminent historians, writers, commentators and well-known personalities, the Festival promises to educate, inspire and entertain all those who attend. The line-up of distinguished speakers has been revealed and tickets are now on sale. Those taking part in the Festival for the first time include the best-selling crime novelist Minette Walters who will be discussing the Black Death, the former broadcast war reporter Martin Bell, Britain’s first female black professor of history Olivette Otele, and Ralph Northumberland who will be providing a fascinating account of the Percy family and Alnwick Castle. Plus, the comedian and actor Harry Enfield will be a panellist on the ever-popular comedy panel show, Histrionics, on the Friday night.

Festival favourites and well-known names returning this year include: Neil Oliver, Victoria Hislop, Dan Snow, Kate Williams, Antonia Fraser, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Tracy Borman, Ben Macintyre, David Owen, Ian Hislop, Anita Anand and Niall Ferguson. Delivering the second CVHF Directors’ Lecture, Rania Abouzeid, the internationally acclaimed journalist and Middle East expert, will talk about the catastrophic civil war in Syria. And, international award-winning author and TED Global speaker Elif Shafak, will ask how we remain sane in the age of populism.

Appearances by Ken Tout, a veteran of one of the most famous tank engagements of WWII, and John Jammes, former member of the French resistance and winner of the Croix de Guerre, also promise to be particularly special events.

Festival Director, Jane Pleydell-Bouverie, said: “We are thrilled by the number of displays and activities for all the family on offer at the Festival this summer, the diversity of topics which will be covered, and the range of speakers appearing - from the most distinguished academics and personalities to new, younger historians.”

The 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings will be marked at Chalke Valley this year and, to open the Festival, there will be a special D-Day 75 morning to commemorate all those who fought in the Normandy campaign. For the first time, the Festival will also be recreating a World War II trench. The scene will be set in late June in 1944 and members of the public will be thrown into a fly-on-the-wall scenario that will demonstrate the equipment, conditions and dangers facing British troops on the Normandy frontline. On the Sunday, there will be at least one talk linked to D-Day at every session.

In addition, the Festival is creating a giant scale replica of the Hawker Typhoon aircraft, or the ‘Tiffy’ as it was known. This iconic wartime fighter plane will be dominating the hills surrounding the Chalke Valley this summer. Perched on the crest of the hill, overlooking the main festival site, the plane will be FOUR times the size of the original and will dominate the local landscape. This massive installation will be a similar size to a 60-seater passenger jet and will be instantly recognizable for miles around. Built as a S.T.E.M. project in partnership with QinetiQ at the MOD Boscombe Down, and working alongside universities, colleges and schools across the region, this will be the largest and most accurate model Word War II fighter plane ever built.

Against the backdrop of widespread political uncertainty and cultural change, it has never been more relevant to understand the rich and varied history of the British Isles. With this in mind, a major new five-year project, threading together the different strands of Britain’s history, will also be launched at this year’s Festival. Entitled ‘Britain: The Thread of History 1603-2016’, the Festival aims to link together many of the different strands of Britain’s story in a series of thirtyfive talks, downloadable podcasts and chapters, which will combine into a single-volume book, published by Bantam Press in 2023. One copy of the book will be donated to EVERY secondary school in the country.

During the week, The Schools’ Festival enables pupils and teachers to get out beyond the classroom and experience history in a new way. The Festival provides a full programme of curriculum-based subjects, delivered with expertise and a fresh, interactive and immersive approach. Now in its 7th year, with increased numbers of children and schools attending each year, the Festival welcomed nearly 2,500 pupils in 2018. The Schools’ Festival for 2019 will run on Tuesday 25th June and Thursday 27th June for 11-14 year olds, and on Wednesday 26th June for 15- 17 year olds. Each day includes a range of immersive living history but also an incredible line-up of leading historians and academics covering and expanding on many of the principle GCSE and Alevel history topics. Speakers include Max Hastings, Kate Williams, Tom Holland, Tim Bouverie, Tracy Borman and Martin Brown.

The festival weekend will see an exciting new programme of living history events, showcasing the age of the Anglo Saxons and Vikings, right the way through to the Second World War. Brand-new themes for 2019 include Exploration, the Historic Home, as well as Wartime Farming and D-Day. Following the success of last year’s Live History Live series of events, there will be a new programme on the Saturday and Sunday. Free to those already attending the Festival, each event will offer the chance to see, touch and feel history: using techniques and materials from the past, expert living historians, including Alex Langlands, Dan Snow, Sam Willis and Dan Jones, will demonstrate a wide range of activities from historic cookery to other features of day-to-day living.

The Festival also boasts a range of interactive tents and activities such as Royal Signals Morse code lessons, as well as archaeology walks, vintage vehicles, shopping emporium, a bar, fine dining and street food. The ‘D-Day Dance’ on the Saturday evening, including music from the brilliant Branflakes and wartime favourite songs from the D-Day Darlings, Britain’s Got Talent finalists and fresh from releasing their first studio album, will be free for anyone already at the Festival. Visitors on the Saturday are encouraged to dress up, and there will be plenty of activities for all the family, including a children’s activity tent, sword school, and special talks for younger attendees. Book signings will be arranged by Festival partner Waterstones.

The Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival will take place at Church Bottom, Broad Chalke, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP5 5DS.

For more details about the Festival, please visit www.cvhf.org.uk Follow all the news on Twitter at @CVHISTORYFEST and on Facebook and Instagram.