Chalke History Festival dubbed 'best in Europe' by author and speaker
The festival is into it's final days of 2025
A history festival being held in South Wiltshire has been hailed as 'the best of it's kind in Europe' by one its speakers.
The Chalke History Festival in Broad Chalke is into its final two days of the 2025 event and has seen thousands flock to the Chalke Valley.
Professor of Strategic Studies, historian and author, Phillips O'Brien, told us he's been blown away by the festival.
"The first time I came was two years ago and I thought it'll be a few tents in a burger stand, but then you come here and it's basically a town that they've set up with. I don't know how many tents of talks and bookstores and living history exhibits," he said.
Professor O'Brien called the event "extraordinary", adding: "I had no idea it was going to be on this kind of scale. But I think it's probably the greatest history festival in Europe. I can't imagine anything rivals it as a history festival."
While the festival regularly sees famous names such as Monty Python star Michael Palin, stand up comic Al Murray and former MP Michael Gove give talks about various parts of history, on a range of themes, it also brings history to life with the living exhibitions.
Professor O'Brien, who gave a talk about the strategists of the second World War, in Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Roosevelt and Churchill, and how the conflict shaped their personalities, told us the range of activities sets the festival apart from its competitors.
We asked some of the people visiting the festival what drew them to it.
James told us: "There's a lot of different stands, a lot variation on the different history. I find it very interesting and always great to see these sorts of things and learn about more."
Kezia said: "I like seeing all the re-enactment and being able to go to all the talks and just hear about all the different things that are going on."
Debra said: "The variety. There's just a vibe here of people that love history and of all different types, and it just creates a lovely sort of atmosphere."