Penshurst Festival is back this year over the weekend of Friday 1 - Sunday 3 October. The list of events is shorter but straddles history, music and poetry and includes the wderful venues of the Baron's hall at Penshurst Place and Penshurst Church.

We open on the evening of Friday 1 October with an Evening in the magnificent Baron's Hall of Penshurst Place with Tracy Borman, co-curator of the Historic Royal Palaces, historian, author and broadcaster. After a reception around the Hall's central fireplace with drinks & canapés, Tracy will be in conversation with James Lee. 

Tracy Borman specialises in the Tudor monarchs, their courts, courtiers and private lives and in the history of witchcraft. She will discuss all these, her filming and her writing, past and present. Her most recent novel is The Fallen Angel, the final volume of her King's Witch trilogy. Non-fiction books include Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him,  The Private Lives of the Tudors, Elizabeth's Women. Her next book, to be published in November, is Crown & Sceptre, a history of the British monarchy from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II.  Tickets £25 to include complementary drinks and canapés. We are very grateful to Viscount and Viscountess De L'Isle for allowing us to use the Baron's Hall for this event without charge. 

On the evening of Saturday 2 October, a special evening of remembrance will be held in Penshurst Church for all those in the villages of Penshurst and Chiddingstone who died during the Covid pandemic. The evening will include the singing of Fauré's Requiem by the choirs of Penshurst, Chiddingstone and the Penshurst Choral Society. This event is free, but you are asked to donated what you can on the evening.  

On the morning of Sunday 3 October, following a Harvest Thanksgiving Service, we hold the finals of the Sir Philip Sidney 2021 Poetry Prize, with readings of short-listed entries on the theme of 'Reflections' together with a selection of other poems on th same themes arranged by Hon. Philip Sidney, chair of the judges panel.  A Ploughman's Lunch for all will follow. This event is free, but you are asked to donated what you can on the day.